Meet Performance Objectives
Last updated: 04-29-2008
Overview
Meeting performance objectives is a sustained effort from inception and planning, through turnover and operation, to assure the delivery of a project that satisfies all of the owner's functional requirements. There are many aspects involved in assuring performance objectives are met; from assembling a qualified project delivery team; to adequately coordinating team member roles and responsibilities to instituting systematic quality assurance programs, like an appropriate level of Building Commissioning.
The ability of a building to perform in a way that fully meets an owner's functional expectations—both qualitative and quantitative—requires a coordinated effort by a multi-disciplined team of experts who understand and apply a 'Whole Buildings' design approach.
Some practical ways to approach developing a proactive performance assurance program for a project include:
- Assure that appropriate programming occurs;
- Establish design objectives and priorities that will drive design concepts;
- Review "Lessons Learned" to leverage corporate knowledge and assure past mistakes are not repeated;
- Institute a project delivery quality assurance (QA) program;
- Understand the role of Facility Management and Operations; and
- Use Facility Performance Evaluations (FPE's).
Recommendations
Assure that Appropriate Programming Occurs
- Facilitate discussions with key stakeholders in establishing project requirements and goals.
- Facilitate good communication between project team members during programming and throughout the facility acquisition process.
- Identify mission critical programs and requirements.
- Clearly describe all functional needs and design intents.
- Communicate owners' special knowledge of what works well and what does not.
- Document all performance expectations.
- Address information technology (IT) and communication needs—both current and future.
Establish Design Objectives and Priorities that Will Drive Design Concepts
- Set performance goals for both building envelope and building systems.
- Look for unique aspects of the project to feature and enhance.
- Reconcile conflicting priorities (i.e. physical security vs. fire safety needs).
- Define qualitative and quantitative performance measures (e.g., design for sustainability, maintainability, etc.)
Review "Lessons Learned" to leverage corporate knowledge and assure past mistakes are not repeated
- Several organizations have compiled "Lessons Learned" on past projects that are available in the following resources.
- GSA Compendium of Lessons Learned
- GSA Facilities Performance Tool
- NAVFAC Facility Quality Survey [requires NAVFAC account access]
- NIBS Building Operations Manuals
- VA Technical Library
- VA Design Alerts & Quality Alerts
Institute a Project Delivery Quality Assurance (QA) Program
This Environmental Management System (EMS) enables facilities engineering personnel to maintain comfort and ventilation levels at the high standards set by the stakeholders at the beginning of the project.
- Conduct thorough owner reviews of A-E designs and documentation.
- Track critical decisions to focus on design intents.
- Establish owner's measurable quality standards and metrics for performance expectations.
- Identify owner's tests and certification expectations.
- Hire an owner's representative, if necessary, to oversee performance assurance.
- Focus enhanced performance assurance measures on mission critical systems and features. Use the building commissioning process, as appropriate.
- Include training of facility operators on the interdependent function of systems integration.
Understand the Role of Facility Management and Operations
- Involve O&M staff in all design phases. See WBDG Aesthetics—Engage the Integrated Design Process.
- Bring forward special knowledge and experiences of O&M staff into the design phases.
- Anticipate what it will take to maintain and operate the facility. See WBDG Sustainable—Optimize O&M Practices.
- Perform energy analysis in design phases; make sure operating budgets are addressed. See also WBDG Sustainable O&M Practices.
- Consider O&M stakeholders as partners in the performance optimization program.
- Document O&M procedures that contribute to optimal facility performance.
Use Facility Performance Evaluations (FPE's)
- Seek feedback from users and include it in performance optimization efforts through Post-Occupancy Evaluations.
- Use prototypes to evaluate the performance of designs to be repeated.
- Assure functional reliability through continued monitoring and analysis, and acting to correct degradation. OMSI (Operations & Maintenance Support Information) is NOT monitoring and analysis. It is the "Operating Manual" so to speak. More
Emerging Issues
- Computer-Aided modeling for predicting performance
- Building Commissioning procedures
- Re-commissioning and continuous commissioning
- Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM)
- International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP)
Savings from Continuous Commissioning Program in laboratory building at Texas A&M University
Relevant Codes and Standards
- ASTM Standards on Whole Building Functionality and Serviceability (2000)
Major Resources
Publications
- Adding Value to the Facility Acquisition Process: Best Practices for Reviewing Facility Designs by Ralph S. Spillinger in conjunction with the Federal Facilities Council, Standing Committee on Organizational Performance and Metrics, National Research Council. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1999. Report #139.
- Functionality and Serviceability Standards: Tools for Stating Functional Requirements and for Evaluating Facilities—Paper published in Federal Facilities Council (FFC) Report No. 145.
- Journal of Architectural and Planning Research (Vol. 1-18) edited by Andrew Seidel. Locke Science Publishing Co.
- Learning From Our Buildings by the Federal Facilities Council. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2001. Report #145.
- Post-Occupancy Evaluation by Wolfgang Preiser, Harvey Rabinowitz, and Edward T. White. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., 1988.
- Problem Seeking, Third Edition by William Pena (CRSS). Washington, DC: AIA Press, 1987.
