Operations and Maintenance
The best efforts to reduce negative environmental impacts in the building environment are doomed to failure unless well-crafted operations and maintenance (O&M) procedures are implemented. Furthermore, even the best O&M procedures are of no use unless they are understood and followed by building O&M personnel.
Facility managers play the key role in ensuring that this happens. An "integrated team" approach can be a big help. In this process, O&M personnel are active participants in the design of a facility and the development of O&M procedures. This "integrated team" promotes useful procedures that are efficient and—most important—consistently executed.
Building operation and maintenance programs specifically designed to enhance operating efficiency of heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) and lighting systems can reduce energy bills by 5 to 20 percent without significant capital investment. Addressing O&M considerations at the start of a project can contribute greatly to improved working environments, higher productivity, and reduced energy and resource costs.
There are tremendous opportunities in most existing buildings and facilities to improve O&M procedures and make them more environmentally responsible. With new buildings, there are opportunities during design and construction to facilitate easy, low-environmental-impact O&M. With all buildings there are opportunities to derive multiple benefits. Energy savings and improved indoor air quality can be achieved by tuning up older oil-fired boilers, for example. Improved indoor air quality and less hazardous effluent from a building can be achieved by switching to more benign cleaning chemicals. If implemented effectively, the multiple benefits of O&M practices should include reduced operating costs.
To create an effective O&M program, the general procedures should be followed:
- Ensure that up-to-date operational procedures and manuals are available.
- Obtain up-to-date documentation on all building systems, including system drawings.
- Implement preventive maintenance programs complete with maintenance schedules and records of all maintenance performed for all building equipment and systems.
- Create a well-trained maintenance staff and offer professional development and training opportunities for each staff member.
- Implement a monitoring program that tracks and documents building systems performance to identify and diagnose potential problems and track the effectiveness of the O&M program. Include cost and performance tracking in this analysis.
If you want to learn more about energy efficiency and indoor air quality, you might be interested in research that the National Center for Energy Management and Building Technology (NCEMBT) is conducting with support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.
Specific elements of an effective O&M program include:
HVAC Systems and Equipment
Energy consumption and conservation are tied heavily to O&M procedures. HVAC equipment must be well maintained for the complex array of chillers, boilers, air handlers, controls, and other hardware to function at peak performance. Easy access to HVAC systems for ongoing maintenance and repair is critical (be sure that this is considered during design). A well-thought-out, well-executed O&M program can provide huge savings in equipment and energy costs.
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Systems and Equipment
Air ventilation and distribution systems should be well maintained and frequently checked for optimal performance. Coordination between air distribution systems and furniture layouts is especially important. In addition, regular inspection for biological and chemical contaminants is crucial. Poor IAQ lowers productivity, can cause illness, and has resulted in numerous lawsuits.
Cleaning Equipment and Products
Using biodegradable and least-toxic cleaning products and equipment can reduce both O&M costs and pollution to air and wastewater streams while improving both indoor air quality and worker productivity. The need for chemical cleaning products can also be reduced through environmentally conscious design and material choices. New requirements for cleaning contracts must be clearly specified. The EPA Cleaning Products Pilot Project can help you find environmentally preferable cleaning products.
Materials
Facilities should maintain an attentive and proactive stance with regard to the environmental impacts of their material choices. There is a steady stream of new products, systems, and equipment coming on to the market which have fewer adverse environmental impacts. All these choices should be carefully scrutinized in terms of O&M.
Water Fixtures and Systems
Routine inspections and maintenance programs for water fixtures and systems are crucial. Population growth and development have reduced the availability of high-quality, potable water in many regions of the country. Along with increased water prices, reduced supply often leads to usage restrictions. An O&M program will reduce operating costs when it verifies that fixtures and systems are functioning effectively and ensures that leaks or components are quickly repaired.
Waste Systems
Recycling and waste-reduction programs and their supporting hardware need frequent attention and maintenance in order to function at peak performance.
Landscape Maintenance
Use of native plantings can reduce landscape O&M requirements and costs significantly. Although natural vegetation may take several years to become established, once it is established there is usually less need for water. Integrated pest management can also reduce overall O&M costs by reducing the need for hazardous chemicals and pesticides.