Business continuity planning is a fundamental concept and process for Facilities Managers, reports Buildings.com. It entails the plan for how a facility will respond and ensure continued productivity instead of natural or manmade disasters, as well as facility-specific disasters, like malfunctioning freezers and refrigeration cases for perishable food items. This is facility integrity, but as noted by FacilitiesNet, facility integrity makes up only a fraction of building integrity. In other words, how secure is the building and how will it hold up to disasters, including fires, earthquakes, and more? Fortunately, Facilities Managers using predictive maintenance strategies can help mitigate this risk by ensuring maximum facility integrity.
Reactive Maintenance Is Very Costly, Inefficient, and a Constant Headache
The antagonist of building integrity is poor planning and reactive maintenance. Reactive maintenance focuses on working until disruption occurs, the so-called “run-until-it-breaks” method, explains Steve Wallis of Facility Executive. Unfortunately, reactive maintenance is associated with an extreme uptick in disruption and facilities spend. This does not include the inefficiencies caused by failing to act when a problem becomes evident or failure to maintain assets per manufacturer recommendations. Unfortunately, manufacturer recommendations are for ideal conditions, and since multi-site companies have distributed facilities around the globe, gaining insight into each asset on a component-level basis is key to moving away from a reactive maintenance strategy.
Using Predictive Maintenance Enhance Facility and Building Integrity
The integrity of a building is the sum of the integrity of its assets, including the physical structure. All plumbing, electrical, consumer-using, HVAC, and lighting systems add to the building’s integrity, and one disruption threatens to undermine the whole system. The building is like a body, and although it may be strong together, one failure could lead to its demise and weaken its overall “health”.
The idea of using predictive maintenance is not so different from a doctor’s appointment. Predictive, preventative maintenance provides an X-ray into the facility’s structure, identifying potential problems, reports David Lewek of Facility Executive, like malfunctioning wires and stopped up plumbing, before it leads to a significant problem—comparable to getting sick, and includes the right “medicine” to treat the issue.
Proactive Predictive maintenance can identify areas of weakness in the building, a key concern for areas prone to specific disasters. Due to the need for integrated, connected systems and sensors, more Facilities Managers are choosing to outsource the process by selecting a smart building solutions’ provider, like ENTOUCH.
How to Choose the Right Predictive Maintenance Partner
Working with a third-party is the most straightforward and perhaps most effective predictive maintenance strategy. As explained by Power magazine, Facilities Managers should follow these best practices when searching for and using a predictive maintenance partner:
- Look for a partner that has a proven track record, referenceable customers and is genuine.
- Select smart building solutions that are user-friendly and intuitive.
- Create measurable outcomes to monitor performance.
- Coordinate incentives.
- Confirm usability across assets.
- Make it a team effort.
Enhance Building Integrity by Using Predictive Maintenance Now
Building and facility integrity is everything. Quality buildings and their assets can last much longer than architects and manufacturers designed, but they require some upkeep. Improve building integrity in your facility by partnering with ENTOUCH to gain the visibility necessary to use predictive maintenance. Visit ENTOUCH online to start your journey to success and future savings.