Unpleasant Surprises

 

How to Avoid Unpleasant Building Surprises

Robert S. Michaud, P.E.

10/8/20

Some surprises can be fun, exciting, and desirable, like a surprise birthday party, or a surprise phone call from an old friend, or even something as simple as arriving home and finding that your son mowed the lawn without even being asked to do it. Other surprises can be much less fun. If you own or manage buildings, you know the kind of surprises I am referring to. The photo above is one example. No one likes to find a wet spot on the floor where it doesn’t belong. The good news in the photo is that there is a floor drain nearby, so the leak has a place to go. Still, we can’t tell sure the source of the leak from just this photo – it could be something minor like a pressure relief valve that did its job (although that begs another question – why did it have to do its job?). Or it could be something more serious like a burst pipe.

There will always be unpleasant surprises when you have buildings to manage. Weather events, accidents, and other circumstances will always conspire to cause us problems. There are, however, things we can do to minimize unwanted surprises. The following are just some of the things you can do as a property owner or manager to reduce the chance of showing up to work and finding a mess on the floor as in the picture.

1. Develop and follow a comprehensive maintenance plan. This may sound obvious, but surprisingly (pun intended), a solid, comprehensive maintenance program is the exception, not the rule in many businesses. What are we talking about with regard to a comprehensive maintenance program? The best maintenance programs have a number of things in common, and the include:

   1. A combination of preventive and predictive maintenance tasks and inspections, based on industry best practices and manufacturer’s recommendations.

   2. An efficient system (CMMS or otherwise) to manage incoming trouble calls and deploy the right resources in a timely fashion.

   3. A method for addressing maintenance backlog items so that the list does not grow out of control.

   4. A mechanism to evaluate and escalate recurring issues or larger maintenance problems to become capital replacements when needed.

   5. Most importantly – a management feedback system that periodically reviews the maintenance system and reports and then makes adjustments and changes accordingly. Is the maintenance frequency too long on a particular piece of equipment? Change the frequency so that it gets more attention. Is time being wasted on equipment that is not problematic? Consider lengthening its inspection or PM frequency. If this evaluation is not being done, one of the most important benefits of a maintenance program is being lost.
      
      

2. Conduct periodic condition assessments of your buildings. You may think that having a crack maintenance program and solid maintenance technicians looking over you building and its equipment is all you really need, but don’t forget the long game. Every building system has an expected lifespan and a facilities condition assessment can evaluate where each system is in its lifespan and can help you better plan for their inevitable replacement. Your maintenance techs are focused on getting the most out of the equipment that they are maintaining, and as such, are not trained to take the different view that a building assessor does. Building assessments are best performed by outside, disinterested, third party contractors for a number of reasons:

   1. They are skilled and trained in this unique task. Facilities assessors are well equipped to efficiently and thoroughly evaluate your buildings and their systems so that you can get the information you need promptly.

   2. They are independent from your company and do not have a bias. Be sure to select an assessment company that is not also in the business of bidding on the capital equipment upgrades that they find. By choosing an independent assessment company you can be assured that the information is objective and unbiased. This adds credence to the results and when their recommendations are reviewed, there will be no question as to whether or not there is a hidden agenda attached to them.

   3. They have the tools and software that is best suited to this process. In addition to being able to efficiently do the field work of an assessment, a good assessment company will be able to present their data and findings to you in a clear and understandable way. Some have software or web-based systems that also permit you to examine your data from a variety of perspectives. Others can provide you with the reports and spreadsheets that you are already familiar with. In any case, this is part of the service provided and something you are receiving for your investment.

   4. A qualified assessment contractor is going to be able to project life-cycle replacement requirements for the various building systems, but will also find other problem areas – things that are not working properly, significant code violations, and more. The money invested in a comprehensive building assessment will be repaid several-fold in avoided losses.
      
      

3. Utilize an independent maintenance and capital planning consultant to periodically review the progress of your programs. This may seem unnecessary at first, especially if you are performing the first two items in this list well. However, we are all prone to blind spots and tunnel vision when we are well focused on our day to day tasks. We may be doing a very good job addressing the problems before us, but we might be might be missing opportunities all around us because we lack the perspective to see them. A periodic check-up by a qualified professional can look at what is being performed and then at the bigger picture with a fresh set of eyes and offer suggestions on adjustments and improvements to the existing processes. Technology changes as well, and there may be opportunities to employ new tools and methods that may not have otherwise occurred to us, if not for the suggestion of someone outside your internal processes. Much like we periodically meet with a financial planner, accountant, doctor or lawyer to make sure our business or personal affairs are up to date, our buildings deserve the same sort of check up to ensure that we are addressing the most important needs of the facility.

Our facility assets are one of a businesses most significant investments, and yet they too often get taken for granted. When we do, we open up ourselves for very unpleasant surprises. Minimize those surprises by taking time and partnering with building professionals that can help you maximize your investment.

Commercial Property Buyers and Lessees - Do This At Your Own Peril

 Commercial Property Buyers and Lessees - Do This At Your Own Peril

Robert S. Michaud, P.E.

10/1/20

Your company is looking to move into a new building. Perhaps you have outgrown your existing facility, or maybe it doesn’t have the features or location you need. You have found just what you are looking for, the deal looks good and you are ready to execute the purchase (or lease). Your accountant has looked over the numbers, and your lawyer has looked over the contract, so you have done your due diligence, right?

Not so fast. Commercial facilities can be complex assets, and whether you are purchasing it outright, or leasing it (triple net with much of the capital costs landing squarely in your lap), if you don’t have a qualified commercial building inspector look conduct a thorough inspection of the building and its equipment, you really don’t know what you are getting into. You wouldn’t buy a home without a home inspection, so why would you buy or lease a property that is far more complex than a residential building?

There is more to consider when purchasing or leasing a commercial property, and there are significant benefits for all parties – the buyer, the seller and the real estate agents involved. Let’s consider each from their unique perspective.

From the buyer / lessee perspective:

This is the most obvious perspective. As a buyer, you need to make sure that you know what you are buying / leasing. A trained, qualified commercial building inspector can find those hidden concerns that could end costing your company down the road if not addressed, and the best time to address them is during the negotiation process.

There are other considerations too. Instead of just a one-time inspection to find any potential surprises, why not take this opportunity to build a maintenance program for this new asset so that you can stay on top of the capital and maintenance related issues that are part of owning any asset. By establishing a good maintenance program from the start, you will minimize surprises and the overall cost of ownership of your new asset.

From the seller / lessor perspective:

Savvy building owners and managers know the value of properly maintaining their properties, but even the best and most conscientious maintenance programs are more focused on the day to day maintenance and may not be as in tuned to the expected lifespan of various building systems and the effect they may have on the sale of a property. For instance, you may be diligent in your roof or boiler maintenance procedures, and your efforts may have even extended the expected life spans of those systems but eventually all things reach their end of life. You may be entirely comfortable with the current operating condition of the systems in question, but a qualified and experienced independent third party inspector may shed light on how much more time could reasonably be expected and provide you the cost information that you need to either upgrade the system before selling or leasing the property, or to negotiate with during the sale / lease process. Knowledge is power, and in this case, knowing ahead of the sale or lease process gives you options and the opportunity to address them before they come up in sales or lease negotiations.

From the Realtor perspective:

Whether you are the buyer’s agent or the seller’s agent, the goal is to get to “YES”. Using the reasons mentioned above, you owe it to your clients to encourage them to engage with a qualified third party expert to remove any surprises ahead of time. No one likes surprises of this nature, and by helping your clients thoroughly throughout the process, you demonstrate your commitment to their satisfaction and increase your chances for referrals and repeat sales.

There are some real estate agents that appear to be wary of building inspections. They seem to be concerned that if problems are discovered they will jeopardize the sale process. This is short sighted and if you are working with the right inspection professional, the opposite could be true. A qualified professional can see beyond the problems and offer solutions. If the inspectors you recommend perform a superficial inspection and miss key issues, or alternatively find problems but do not offer remedies and cost estimates when appropriate, they are not serving your client well, nor are they serving the sales process well. Ultimately, you want your client to be well served so that they have a positive experience and either refer you to other and / or return themselves for future property needs. Commercial properties are potentially far more complex than residential properties which is all the more reason to engage a qualified, experienced inspector to be part of the process.

© Michaud Engineering Inc. 2020

Eat the Elephant!

 

Eat the Elephant!

Robert S. Michaud, P.E.

9/30/20

You have probably heard the old saying: “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!” Maybe you have heard it a bunch of times but haven’t really thought about what it means or how it might apply to you. It is one of those clichés that kind of gets lost in the language, but like most clichés, they originated from an abundance of truth.

Take your backlog of work, for example. Odds are there are some items on that list that are there simply because they are “elephants” – tasks that are either so big, complicated, ill defined or just plain difficult that they never get the attention needed to complete them. Perhaps the problem is a lack of time, or a lack of the right skill set on your team, or insufficient resources to get the job done. Any one of these challenges can put the brakes on a project.

There are a number of ways to deal with this problem, and it is very likely that you will need to employ more than one or maybe even several strategies to get it done. The first strategy, however, should be to break the project up into small, manageable tasks – and then start attacking the tasks that CAN be done. That does a couple of things: it moves you forward towards overall completion of the project, and it begins to build momentum for yourself and your team to not only demonstrate that it can be done, but that it is, in fact, getting done. Success, even in small portions, is a powerful motivator.

Then you get stuck again. You have grabbed all of the low hanging fruit, so to speak, and the tasks that remain are outside you or your team’s capacity. Don’t stall out here, you have already made good progress. Take some time and identify the remaining tasks and the resource shortfalls that prevent you from completing them. Consider even breaking the tasks into smaller sizes to again make them more manageable. Then, seek outside help. If you and your team find yourself stuck without the right tools for the job, find someone that has them. This might be others within your own company, but more often it means hiring a contractor or consultant with expertise in a specific field. Since you have broken the tasks into bite sized chunks, you won’t be paying for a lot of services you don’t need. Instead, you can be laser focused and contract out just those tasks that you can’t self perform. Companies such as ours have make it our mission to fill in those needed resources to accomplish tasks that often are somewhat unique.

Don’t let those elephants continue to grow and stomp out your profits. Get someone to help you eat it – one bite at a time!

© Michaud Engineering Inc. 2020

Re-purposing Commercial Buildings for Residential Use

 

Re-purposing Commercial Buildings for Residential Use

Robert S. Michaud, P.E.

9/22/20

In some parts of the country, residential inventory on the real estate market is low, and the availability of rental properties is also tight. Some owners of commercial property buildings are considering converting them to apartments, condominiums, or even single family homes. This solution won’t work for every commercial property, obviously, but if you have a building or buildings that you think might be able to be re-purposed, this may be the right time to take advantage of the current real estate market.

If you have made the decision to explore your options when it comes to re-purposing your buildings, you will likely need some assistance to determine whether or not such a conversion will be feasible. Some of the questions might include:

• Are there any zoning issues that might prevent the conversion?

• Will the building(s) structurally support the physical changes needed to be converted?

• What sort of code requirements are different for residential property compared to its current use and how much will this add to the conversion cost?

• Are there sufficient utilities and space (for parking, etc.) to support the desired conversion?

For the questions above, a qualified engineering consulting firm with expertise in these areas can provide you with the answers you need so that you can make the best decisions for your property.

In order to determine whether or not to proceed with any sort of conversion, you will need to gather all of the relevant information. This due diligence effort involves an evaluation of the market conditions, rental and residential property values in the area, availability of competing properties, and expected turn around times. These focus on the revenue side of the equation – what you might expect to earn from the conversion. On the expense side of the equation, you will need to estimate construction costs, the addition of any resources or building features that may not be currently available, the feasibility with respect to zoning ordinances and code requirements, etc. If the expected revenue and probability of a quick turn around in terms of rental or sales outweighs the costs associated with the conversion, it may very well be a good choice for your assets.

Michaud Engineering Inc. can assist in these areas and also work with real estate professionals to help determine whether these changes will deliver the returns you expect in those locations. Give us a call and we can start a discussion to determine whether this might be a good choice for you.

© Michaud Engineering Inc. 2020

The Importance of Commercial Building Inspections

The Importance of Commercial Building Inspections

Robert S. Michaud, P.E.

July 29, 2020

Nearly ever new home purchase, certainly those to be purchased with any sort of loan from a bank or mortgage broker, requires a home inspection prior to the completion of the purchase process. The reason for such an inspection is clear and understandable – the home buyer and / or lender want to make sure there are no surprises with the house. A qualified and effective home inspector will be able to find those things that an untrained eye might not, and then decisions or negotiations can take place on how best to address them before the property changes hands. This is a prudent step in the process and should probably be done even if it isn’t required by the lender. Any major purchase – homes, automobiles, etc. can benefit by having a trained, independent evaluator inspect the “goods” first. After all, by definition, a lot of money is at stake.

Oddly, the same is not always the case with commercial building transactions, but it should be. Commercial buildings are frequently far more complex and expensive than residential properties. In addition, they are subject to far more code and legal requirements – especially if they are open to the public – than homes. Consider that commercial buildings are subject to all sorts of building codes – local, state and federal, plus other requirements dictated by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), or Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA) and perhaps others depending on the building location, use, occupancy, and more, it can be very difficult for the purchaser to fully understand the risks associated with a building that is up for sale. Add to that the much more complex construction methods used for commercial buildings, whether from a structural standpoint, building envelope, mechanical systems, electrical systems, fire alarm and prevention, security, plumbing and conveyance systems, there is far more that needs evaluation in a commercial building as compared to a residential building.

Yet, very few commercial building transactions are contingent upon completion of a pre-purchase inspection. Why is that? One would think that since commercial building transactions are fundamentally more business focused than a home purchase, and therefore are much more about the “numbers” rather than more subjective decision making criteria, that commercial building inspections would be de rigueur in the industry.

If you should find yourself in the position of purchasing a new building or buildings for your business, the money spent on a due diligence pre-purchase inspection could be the difference between a successful move for your business and a disastrous money sink.

Consider an example of a 20 year old building that appears to have been well maintained. You take the tour through it and note some cosmetic changes that need to be made. Perhaps the finishes are a little outdated and need to be freshened up a bit. The previous owner has good records of maintenance services that have been performed on the building and everything seems solid. You buy the property and move in. At first, everything seems to be going well, but then the seasons change and the packaged rooftop unit has issues and keeps shutting off. You bring in a mechanical service company and learn that it is approaching the end of its rated life, and while they can patch it up for you, repairs are likely to continue to be more frequent until you replace it. Then you notice that you routinely get trouble alarms from the fire alarm panel. When that service company arrives they explain that that particular model is no longer supported and that parts are hard to come by. You receive a letter from a lawyer explaining that a recent customer couldn’t enter your building without assistance because your front entrance was not ADA compatible and there was no wheelchair ramp for her to use. You notice that a ceiling tile in the break room has a stain on it that seems to be new. You have your maintenance technician look into it. He moves the ceiling tile and after a looking around a bit, determines that the leak is coming from the roof. You hire a roofing contractor to inspect the roof and he comes back with a detailed report which shows the location of several recommended areas to patch and also notes that this particular roof material is rated for 20 years and is now beyond its rated life and should be replaced.

If the above list of “what-ifs” sounds extreme, it isn’t. We see this sort of thing all the time. Building systems that are approaching or have sometimes exceeded their expected lifespan may not exhibit many obvious signs of impending failure to the untrained eye, but an experienced inspector will make note of current and potential risks and help quantify them for you. Whether they are age related, use and abuse, or code requirements that need to be addressed, items like those mentioned above can and should be identified and addressed prior to the purchase of a building. The decision to correct them or make allowances for the cost in the purchase price is all negotiable, but only if you have the information beforehand. Once the purchase is complete, it is very difficult to go back and get compensation even if the previous owner was aware of the problem.

For the sake of your company and the bottom line, make sure you insist on a detailed pre-purchase inspection. You will be glad you did.

© Michaud Engineering Inc. 2020

Another Opportunity

Another Opportunity

Robert S. Michaud, P.E.

July 27, 2020

Past editions of this series of articles have focused on a variety of tasks that your company can accomplish during this pandemic to put yourself in the best possible position for success once restrictions are lifted and we can resume a more normal way of life again. This articles include concepts for SMBs, mechanical room organization, balancing the time vs. money equation and planning for an uncertain future, among others. If you have missed any of these articles, you can find them here: https://michaud-engineering.com/blog-social-media and other interesting publications here: https://michaud-engineering.com/publications

We hope you have been able to weather the storm of this current pandemic. If you are reading this article, there is a good chance that you are doing your best to stay on top of things. Maybe your company has downsized or found other ways to adapt to a required change in business practices. If some of those requirements mean that some or all of you buildings are empty or experiencing limited usage, you may want to consider the following:

Conduct an ADA audit. In addition to building inspections, organizing your mechanical rooms and tackling maintenance backlog items, an internal ADA audit (either performed by in-house staff or by a consultant) can help identify those areas of your facility that should be altered, repaired or improved to be compliant with the ADAAG. There are numerous resources available if you have the staff and want to self-perform this work, but there is also real value in hiring a consultant that is familiar with the ADAAG and that is proficient in performing these kinds of inspections. You get an impartial, unbiased report of all of your buildings and its deficiencies, which should carry more weight with management. In addition, while there is a fee associated with subcontracting a service like this, in general that fee is usually more than offset by the efficiency with which the study is performed and the quality of the work from the experience of the consultant.

The results of a study such as this should then be prioritized to best meet your company goals. Perhaps the focus is on a building or group of buildings that has the most exposure to the public. Alternatively, you may want to focus on the “lowest hanging fruit” to knock out as much work as possible while the buildings are less occupied. Your consultant can help you with this prioritizing effort as well.

At the end of this effort, you will will have a plan of action, perhaps even with budgetary costs, so that you can get your buildings more into compliance with ADAAG. You may not be prepared to address all of the findings at once, but having a plan of action is the first step to full compliance and avoidance of any future problems.

© Michaud Engineering Inc. 2020

Getting it Done During the Pandemic

Getting it Done During the Pandemic

Robert S. Michaud, P.E.

July 23, 2020

The Covid-19 pandemic has certainly caused a great deal of stress and uncertainty in many businesses. The result, in many cases, is a hesitation or a holding out of projects and programs as businesses wait to see when this pandemic status may end. At the time of this writing, there is no clear end in sight. There are hopeful signs of vaccines and therapeutics that are being expedited through trials, but the reality is that we will likely be in the same business posture six months or a year from now. As depressing as that sounds, there is some up-side to it. The fact is, for those fortunate businesses that have not been completely closed by the virus, we have largely adjusted our business practices to make the best of the current situation. We have put into practice methods and procedures designed to minimize the risk to our employees and our customers. As challenging as this situation is, if you are reading this and your business is operational – congratulations, you have adapted.

So what now? No, we cannot go back to the pre-Covid “normal” days just yet, but that doesn’t mean that we are completely dead in the water either. In fact, our next challenge is going to be to get back to those “normal” operation items and get them done as best we can, even in these non-normal times (I refuse to use the term “new-normal” because that implies that our current status is the way it will always be going forward, and that just isn’t likely). The maintenance back-log has been growing over the last 4 months and it isn’t going away by itself. Those capital projects that were up for discussion at the first of the year still need to get done. The inspections of your facility and infrastructure still need to happen, even if the results from the inspections won’t be acted on until after the pandemic passes.

The bottom line is that life moves on, and so does our work. The key to our survival is our amazing ability to adapt to a wide range of circumstances. For the past few months, we have gone through several phases from locking down completely, to slowly emerging and gradual re-opening, to adapting policies and procedures. These adaptations will continue and the strongest companies will be the ones that took this opportunity to maximize what they COULD get done, rather than dwell on what COULD NOT get done.

Take some time to look at your facilities and put together plans of action to address those things that are feasible. Can you have your roof inspected safely? Sure. Can you have a consultant evaluate an HVAC problem that has been giving you trouble? Of course. How about taking a closer look at the manufacturing line to see if there are better ways to improve production and efficiency while complying with new safety protocols? Yes, there are consultants and contractors that can safely help here too.

The world hasn’t stopped turning. We cannot wait until things are back to normal to get done what needs to be done.

© Michaud Engineering Inc. 2020

Engineering Resources for SMBs

Engineering Resources for SMBs

Robert S. Michaud, P.E.

June 9, 2020

Engineering is a mysterious word to the general population. Just ask someone what they think an engineer does and you are likely to get a response that varies from a blank stare to “someone who designs stuff”. OK, so the latter is true – sometimes. The truth is, engineering is a wide and varied field that includes a number of areas of expertise. These include things like design, as noted before, but also, maintenance, reliability, product development, manufacturing, research and inspections. In addition, the term engineering describes a wide range of education disciplines that includes (but is not limited to) mechanical, civil, electrical, and chemical engineering, and sub-disciplines such as computer, aeronautical, process engineering and many more.

Large manufacturing firms often employ many engineers in a variety of disciplines as dictated by their manufacturing needs. However, small more mid-sized businesses (SMB) may not have the resources or need for a staff of engineers, but may still need engineering support on a periodic or project by project basis. This is where a partnership with a suitably experienced firm can help propel your business forward. Finding and teaming up with an engineering firm to meet your specific needs, when you need them, can help you develop new products, enter new markets and solve more challenges without having to hire additional staff (until you grow to a sufficient level where that makes sense, of course). Another benefit to partnering with an engineering firm is that through their experience and contacts, they may know of other allied manufacturing firms, products, or tools that may benefit your business further. The concept of ‘networking’ isn’t specific to just the business development people – it can be real asset in helping to solve problems, find unique solutions and improve profitability.

So how do you find the right engineering firm to deal with? The same tools of networking apply here as well. Word of mouth from resources you trust is a good start. Beyond that, trade resources like Thomasnet.com or trade organizations that you may also be a member of such as ASHRAE, IFMA, AFE and others may be able to help. Professional associations such as NSPE, ASME, ASChE, ASCE are also good resources. Lastly, looking in your local community and making some phone calls sounds pretty old school, but still works. Start with an introductory meeting similar to a job interview and see if there might be a good fit.

© Michaud Engineering Inc. 2020

Time and Money

Time and Money

Robert S. Michaud, P.E.

May 18, 2020

What could we do with just a little more time and money? We have all had that thought before. The reality is that it is typically more of a balancing act – if we are lucky enough to have either in abundance, it is typically one or the other but seldom both at the same time. We usually do our planning in one direction better than the other. For instance, when we are are doing well with earning money, we might plan ahead for a special vacation or even retirement when we will then use that money to afford the recreation and relaxation we have earned.

However, sometimes we are not as effective in planning for the other direction. Meaning when we have excess time on our hands, planning ahead for ways that will earn us more money in the future. This is unfortunate, because is it equally important to plan and prepare in when we have time on our side.

During this Corona virus pandemic, many of us are facing a period of time when we may not be able to conduct business as usual and as a result, and as a result, we seem to have some additional time on our hands. That doesn’t mean there isn’t work to be done or that we can’t be have a positive impact on our business. In fact, quite the opposite is true. This is exactly the time to do those things that are going to best prepare our business for re-opening and / or a more normal business flow. Planning now can propel your business to a much more successful re-start. Let’s look at some of the ways you can get your business ready:

1. Conduct a thorough facilities inspection of your buildings and equipment. Use this information to prioritize a list of capital and maintenance repairs, replacements or upgrades as needed. Begin addressing those needs when feasible to do so.
2. Perform an inventory of your building equipment. Capture information about the equipment such as installation dates, warranty information, spare parts information, etc. so that when maintenance or repair work is performed on the equipment, the necessary information is readily available.
3. Develop or review your maintenance program for your facility and equipment. If you don’t have a maintenance program in place currently, use the information collected during the inventory to start the development of one. If you do have one in place, review its effectiveness and evaluate the scope of it to determine whether or not additional systems or equipment should be added to it.
4. Work towards a reliability centered maintenance (RCM) model that uses data and information to help you make more informed decisions for your facilities and equipment.

These are just a few of the steps that can be taken now that will drive not only maintenance cost savings to your bottom line, but will help you realize a more efficient and effective operation with less downtime. If you are unsure how to proceed with any of these tasks, reach out to a maintenance professional. There are consulting and contracting services available to fit every need.

Most importantly, remember that the time is coming when businesses will be returning to a more normal operating condition. Don’t be caught flat footed when that time comes – use this time wisely to save and make more money then.

© Michaud Engineering Inc. 2020

Does Cleanliness Make a Difference?

Does Cleanliness Make a Difference?

Robert S. Michaud

May 15, 2020

If you are reading this, chances are your career is probably related in some way to facilities maintenance, management, or building operations. If you have a mechanical room that looks as neat and clean as the one in the photo, congratulations – you already understand the point of this article. But does having a clean mechanical room really equate to a well running one? Let’s examine this a little further.

Some might say that whether a workplace is messy or clean has no bearing on whether it is maintained well or not. They might cite those who have messy desks that tend to be quite productive in spite of the mess. However, the work place, and specifically the mechanical room, is not you eccentric professor’s desk. Cleanliness is directly related to maintenance for a number of reasons.

1. In a clean mechanical room it is easy to spot the early stages of a problem, like that minor leak coming from the water storage tank. If the mechanical room depicted above were dirty, with parts and supplies scattered about and with an greasy oily floor, it might not be so easy to pick up on that leak until it had become a real problem.
2. Clean mechanical rooms are inherently safer. Again, without parts and supplies on the floor, and having the floor clean and free of any slip and fall hazards, fewer of those types of accidents will occur. In addition, a well lit, clean mechanical room is easier to navigate and to avoid bumping and tripping hazards just by being able to see better.
3. A well lit and organized mechanical room is also easier to do work in. When you don’t have to hunt for parts or tools, or clean up an work space just so you can get at that pump that you need to maintain, you can be a lot more efficient in your work.
4. A clean mechanical room is also better for the equipment. Granted, most equipment is pretty robust as they typically have to operate in a variety of environments, but the less dust and dirt any equipment is exposed to, the better and more reliably it will run.
5. Lastly, the old adage of “If you want to know whether you should eat in a particular restaurant or not, visit the restroom first. If the restroom is clean, chances are the kitchen is too. If the restroom isn’t clean, you can expect the kitchen to be dirty as well, and you may want to eat elsewhere”. This adage speaks to both the expectation form management about the operation of their facilities as well as the pride in workmanship of the maintenance staff in charge of the mechanical room, and it may be the most important factor of all. Having worked in and managed a number of buildings with mechanical rooms, I saw a definite correlation between how tidy the staff kept their mechanical rooms and the overall workmanship of that staff member. As the leader, your job is to set the expectation for your staff, but you will find, as I am sure many of you have, that some are more engaged and ‘bought-in’ to the process than others.

So, as leaders, how do convey this sense of ownership in – not only the function, but the appearance of their areas of responsibility? There are a number of management techniques that can help here, and I will leave the management consulting to other experts, but in the scope of maintenance and your facilities, I think it starts with conveying a clear vision of what you hope to accomplish with your program, why it is important, and how you intend to get there.

If you do not have a functioning preventive / predictive / reliability centered maintenance program in place, it is going to take time to get to that point and your resolve will be tested. Going from a reactive / break-fix sort of maintenance (repair) program to a more pro-active program will be challenging and in the short term, will require additional resources as you cope with both the incoming demand for services, and the automatically generated preventive / predictive maintenance work orders. It is going to be tempting, at times, to toss in the towel on the pro-active work, but that would be a mistake and you will never arrive at the more reliability centered program that you are looking for. In this regard, the clean mechanical room is sort of a metaphor for the maintenance program. It is going to take time to get it cleaned up, but once you do, you will find that it runs far more smoothly, and the staff and their commitment will be much more in line with yours.

So in a way, the clean mechanical room is both a real and tangible representation of the state of your maintenance program, and a metaphor for that program as well. How clean is your mechanical room?

© Michaud Engineering Inc. 2020

Planning for an Uncertain Future

Planning for an Uncertain Future

Robert S. Michaud, P.E.

5/14/20

There is little doubt that the business landscape after we emerge from this pandemic is going to look significantly different than the past. Each day we are learning that businesses that have been around for years are not planning to reopen – ever. This is sad, tragic, and difficult to come to grips with, but there it is. It is happening before our very eyes. If you are a business owner or manager, your thoughts are very likely consumed with thoughts on how you and your company will get through this, what will it do to survive, and what will it look like in the future.

Change breeds opportunity. It is a phrase we are all familiar with and when you read it in a business book or heard it in a sales or marketing class, it probably seemed like so much jargon. Today, though, change is dramatic and real, and so too are the opportunities. They may not be the changes you wanted, but that doesn’t mean that there won’t be opportunities as well. There most certainly will be – but will you be prepared to take advantage of them? What are you doing now to prepare yourself and your business for these changes? Are you looking at how your business might adapt and offer new products or services going forward? You should be. We ALL should be!

Look around you – there are resources available to help you make sense of where you are and where you might be able to go. I have had conversations with a number of business leaders recently discussing this very topic. One of the first steps in this process, and really the most important step we must take RIGHT NOW, is to take stock of what we have – lay all the cards on the table, so to speak, so that we can make decisions with when the time is right with the best information possible.

No one resource can provide you with all of the information you need. Reach out to your lawyer, accountant, sales manager, human resources manager and others to talk about staffing needs and possible changes, business directions, new market opportunities, and more. Also, take a hard look at your facilities and consider a detailed inspection or assessment of them and the equipment to determine if there are changes that need to be made there as well. Is it time to address some ongoing maintenance concerns? Are there capital improvements that should be scheduled? Should you move out of some buildings because they are no longer cost effective or don’t meet your future business needs? We can’t help you with the questions regarding legal, accounting, sales or staffing issues, but when it comes to your buildings, your equipment and planning for the future, we can certainly lend a hand.

Failing to plan is planning to fail – another quip that we are all familiar with, but today is the time to plan. Let us give you a hand.

© Michaud Engineering Inc. 2020

The Wet Roof

The Wet Roof

Robert S. Michaud, P.E.
5/13/20

OK, this seems like a pretty easy one, right? Standing water on a roof is bad, that is obvious, but let’s think through all of the downsides, shall we?

1. Standing water greatly increases the chance of roof leaks. Any minor hole or defect in the roofing material, whether it is PVC, EPDM, modified bitumen, etc. will be exploited by standing water. The upshot is that even once you discover the leak inside the building, finding the source of the leak is not made any easier if your standing pools of water are large or many as in the picture above.
2. Standing water provides an environment for things to grow on your roof. All kinds of things! The only time this is acceptable is when you have a true “green roof” that is designed for roof vegitation. However, too many times, we have found very unintentional “green roof” systems where grass and even trees have started to grow on roofs. Not only can these clog up drains and even damage the roofing material, they can further inhibit the proper drainage of the roof, leading to more standing water. And what exactly is that black stuff growing on this roof? In this case, it is probably not mold but rather accumulated dirt, which also provides a place for seeds to take root. None of these scenarios is good.
3. As eluded to in point number 2, proper flow of water to the roof drains, scuppers or gutters and downspouts is critical to the proper function of a roof system. If not profiled correctly water accumulates, and depending on the type of insulation underneath, could even compress that insulation further, and that leads to even more water accumulation.
4. Speaking of insulation, should there be a small leak in the roof membrane where there is standing water, that water will saturate the insulation, severely limiting its effectiveness. This is especially problematic in the winters.
5. Also in winter, these areas of standing water turn into virtual skating rinks and provide a particularly hazardous place for maintenance workers to travel as they try to maintain roof mounted equipment.

These are just a handful of reasons that standing water on roofs is bad. Can you think of others? Leave them in the comments below.

Now that we have identified why this is bad, what can be done about it? Depending on the cause of the water build up, there are a number of things that could be done, some for little cost, others rather expensive.

1. Perform routine cleaning of roof drains, scuppers, gutters and downspouts to make sure sticks, leaves, and other foreign materials are not clogging them up. Make sure that strainer baskets are properly installed over the roof drains to help prevent clogging.
2. Perform periodic roof inspections by qualified professionals trained to look for changes in the roofing materials, flashing, connections, seams, etc. to minimize the chance of areas where ponding might begin and to assess the overall condition of the roof, and to properly plan for any necessary maintenance or replacement work.
3. Trim back overhanging tree branches to keep leaves and broken branches from accumulating on the roof and causing pools to form.
4. If problems are found such as compressed insulation, or improperly profiled roofing that does not promote proper drainage, consult with a qualified roofing contractor to make the repairs necessary to prevent standing water and other roof problems. This is the most costly of the action items listed, but these corrections are minor when compared to damage to interior finishes, equipment or furnishings – and the roof will still need to be repaired then too.

Roof systems sometimes don’t get the attention they deserve, but the old saying about repairing the roof before it rains is still true. Better yet, let’s inspect and maintain it before it needs to be fixed! That is an even better idea.

© Michaud Engineering Inc. 2020

Scheduling is Key

Scheduling is Key

Robert S. Michaud, P.E.

If it seems to you like we are in a holding pattern due to the current pandemic, you are not alone. The entire economy is experiencing a situation that few, if any of us, have experienced before. As government officials and health authorities try to make sure we safely reopen for business, each of us is challenged to determine how our companies can adapt to the current conditions and plan for the future at the right time.

Fortune favors the bold, the ancient Latin proverb, still applies here today. While there is uncertainty in the future, there is also opportunity. For building owners, facility managers, and manufactures that find their buildings largely empty our your manufacturing lines idle, now is the time to address those problems that cannot easily be attended to during operation. Perhaps you have operational problems with some of your equipment, or the finishes like the flooring need attention. Perhaps you know you have a lot of issues that need to be addressed but you don’t have any idea of their relative costs or how best to prioritize them. With the building being vacant, this is the perfect time to have a professional inspection and analysis done. A facilities inspection with an experienced inspection company can not only identify where the problem areas are, but give you a sensed for the costs to address them and to help you prioritize a course of action.

Timing is key here because eventually we will be getting back to work and the buildings we are responsible for will be occupied again. There is no better time than now to conduct a facilities inspection and begin addressing those problems that you know are out there. Maybe you are concerned about the access to capital for the needs that may be found. That shouldn’t stop you from being prepared to move forward when those funds become available. A facilities inspection and assessment will get you prepared to move when the time is right. The planning will be done and you will have access to the contractors and supplies that you need first because you planned ahead.

So don’t put off to tomorrow that which you should do today. The time is right – now!

© Michaud Engineering Inc. 2020

Where's the Fire Extinguisher?

Where’s the Fire Extinguisher?

Robert S. Michaud, P.E.

Fire extinguishers are often the first line of defense should a fire break out in your facility. Before we get into too much detail in this analysis, please consult your local, state and federal codes on the proper use, location, application and maintenance of fire extinguisher for your building. Depending on your location, there will likely be one or more codes that dictate the specifics about fire extinguishers and in fact, some codes overlap, or at least, compliment each other. For instance, most, if not all, jurisdictions adhere to the NFPA code requirements, but were you aware that OSHA has guidelines for their mounting, placement and signage? Refer to CFR 1910.157 for more information. For NFPA: From the 2018 edition of NFPA 1

13.6.1.2* Where Required. Fire extinguishers shall be provided where required by this Code as specified in Table 13.6.1.2 and the referenced codes and standards listed in Chapter 2.

With all that said, the picture above depicts a fire extinguisher that is located in a pretty awkward place. It doesn’t meet the OSHA requirements of having the extinguisher “readily accessible to employees without subjecting the employees to possible injury.” That fire extinguisher is located really close to the ground without many (any) markings around it to indicate that it is there, and it is very close to the adjacent electric motor, and there is a pipe located along the floor next to it as well. The pipe poses a tripping hazard, with the electric motor right there to catch your fall!

There are a lot of considerations to review when locating your fire extinguishers, and as mentioned above, please check with the codes applicable in your location first. In addition to that, as a building or maintenance manager, you need to be sure that they are being inspected and tested regularly. We can see in this photo that this extinguisher has an inspection tag on it, but when was it inspected last? As it is located in a hard to find place, it wouldn’t be surprising to find that it had not been inspected in a while. Take a moment when you find an out of the way extinguisher like this to review its tag. If it hasn’t been inspected, work with your inspection company to make sure it gets added to the list and if you do decide to relocate it, let them know about that too.

Fire extinguishers are great tools and they can prevent a minor flare up from becoming a full building fire. However, they need maintenance and attention just like everything else. It is too easy to get complacent and just walk by these red sentinels. Take a moment and give them a closer look the next time you see them – you will be glad you did.

© Michaud Engineering Inc. 2020

The Importance of Commercial Building Inspections

The Importance of Commercial Building Inspections

Robert S. Michaud, P.E.

For anyone who has purchased a home, especially when using a loan from a bank or other financial institution, you know that a pre-purchase home inspection is almost always required. So why is this not the case with commercial real estate transactions? They may not be required by lenders but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider having one performed. In fact, it may be the single most important act you perform prior to signing for the new property. Let’s examine why that is the case.

Commercial real estate is, by definition, about business – commerce. All businesses must focus on profitability, which means the income must exceed the out-go. Buildings are necessary for many of our business functions, and while their long term value is typically considered an asset, their day to day operation involves expenses. When considering the purchase or lease of a new commercial property, it is critical that the purchaser or lessee have a firm understanding of what the capital and operating expenses might be. You wouldn’t purchase a home with a leaky roof or a faulty boiler, so why would you blindly purchase a building for your business without the same basic level of understanding about the building? In fact, if you select the right inspection company, you can learn much more about the property, such as energy usage projections and equipment lifecycle expectations, and that can help you make the best informed decision possible.

Commercial building purchases or long term lease agreements are, or should be, logical and economic decisions and the tend to be, less about emotion than a residential real estate transaction. While in both cases things like location and aesthetics are important, commercial real estate transactions are fundamentally more concerned with how the purchase or lease will help the business grow. To that end, a detailed analysis of the attributes and faults of the building should be seen as a way to determine whether or not it will fulfill the needs of the company rather than more subjective concerns.

Another reason that conducting a building inspection prior to purchasing or leasing a commercial property is so important is due to the complexity of commercial building systems as compared to residential ones. While some home buyers will feel very comfortable taking on home improvement “D.I.Y.” projects, the equipment and systems found in commercial buildings is often much more complex and unfamiliar. Additionally, you are in the business of running your business, not acting as a carpenter, electrician or HVAC technician typically. Still, you need a qualified professional to analyze these systems and provide you with easy to understand reports that allow you to manage the building that you choose to lease or purchase. Armed with a quality inspection report, you can properly plan for the required maintenance and upgrades that you will need for your building.

One more consideration for commercial buildings that should not be overlooked is that they are typically subject to very different regulations compared to residential buildings. Things like the Americans With Disabilities Act, along with local, state, and federal building code requirements must be considered and understood as they can have a direct impact on the final cost of the building. A qualified inspector with experience inspecting commercial buildings can identify these for you and help you understand the potential costs involved. Failure to take this into consideration could be extremely costly. For instance, perhaps you are considering the purchase of a building that had not been used for retail purposes in the past, but is in a great location and has great “curb appeal” – a real eye catcher that you hope will draw in customers. Unfortunately, the primary entrance is up a short flight of stairs and leads to an ornate old door with an old fashioned knob for hardware. You may be forced to make significant changes to the entrance to allow for ramp access and a change in the front door to make it ADA accessible. These changes may or may not effect your decision to purchase the property, but you deserve to have the information in advance so that you can weigh the pro’s and con’s before making your decision.

Now that you know why you should have a building inspection performed before leasing or purchasing a commercial building, the next question is how do you go about it. First, talk with your real estate agent about your interest in finding a qualified inspection company to review the building. You can also conduct your own search in your area. Be careful to select a consulting firm or inspection company that has experience specifically in the inspection of commercial buildings. As noted earlier, commercial buildings are often significantly different from residential structures and your average home inspector is not equipped to provide you with the analysis that you need to make your decision. Realtors – if your business lists or assists buyers in the purchase of commercial buildings, seek out those firms in your area that can provide these services and have experience in this area. You will be providing a valuable service to your clients and in the process of helping them make financially sound choices, you will be improving your credibility in this market.

Building inspections are a vital service to the building owner and their importance is not limited to just the initial transaction. There is valuable information for all building owners and managers that can only be gained through periodic inspections. Even after the real estate transaction is over, consider periodic inspections as part of your ongoing maintenance and operations process. These inspections will help you keep track of improvements that have been made to the building as well as to re-assess the condition of the systems to plan for future work and upgrades. It is far more cost effective to plan for maintenance and capital improvements to your facility than it is to wait for a system to fail and then have to deal with repairs on an emergency basis. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” – this axiom from Ben Franklin is as true today as it was in his day. Find your qualified building inspector and help prevent unwanted problems in your building.

© Michaud Engineering Inc. 2020

We Are Really Fortunate

We Are Really Fortunate

Robert S. Michaud, P.E. - 5/5/2020

We are really fortunate. Can you imagine if we tried to manage this same pandemic 20 or 30 (or more) years ago? Not only would we all be a lot more starved for entertainment options (no Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, etc.), but we would certainly not have the same opportunity to still be productive at work. For those of us with “essential business” status, part of our challenge has been to adapt to the very different business climate. We have gotten used to video conference calls and virtual meetings, but have we really explored what can be done “virtually” in our workplace. So much of what we, as engineers, do each day revolves around information and data. If we can transmit that data to others electronically, we can find ways to continue to work collaboratively. If you aren’t permitted to allow a contractor or consultant onto your property to investigate or inspect an issue, take photos and video or conduct a video call (Skype or similar) with the consultant on the line. We can find ways to work together and still get the job done.

Time is critical. Each day of this pandemic is troublesome for normal operations, but it can also be a time to address those areas of our facilities that too often get neglected. This is a perfect time to conduct those roof inspections, equipment inspections, general building inspections, audits of the maintenance practices, evaluate and update current maintenance procedures, develop maintenance procedures for those troublesome pieces of equipment that always seem to slip through the cracks, and in general, streamline operations. Having a hard time wrapping your head around these things? Reach out for help. There are resources and experts ready to help, and with today’s technology, we can tackle these challenges in a variety of new ways.

Now, try to think about doing THAT a few decades ago!

© Michaud Engineering Inc. 2020

Inspections to Establish a Baseline Condition Report

Inspections to Establish a Baseline Condition Report

Robert S. Michaud, P.E.

April 30, 2020

One of the most important, yet often overlooked, reasons for building and/or site inspections is to establish a baseline report of the condition of those assets at a particular point in time. This can be extremely useful to various interested parties for a number of reasons. They include:

• Building owners: Baseline information gives them a starting point for their capital and maintenance planning
• Maintenance managers: It provides them with important information on the current state of the site and building and their current needs. It also gives them data that can be used to begin prioritizing their maintenance approach.
• Building occupants / tenants: It provides them with key information about the building and its equipment that can be used to negotiate with the building owners for the purposes of planning and determining responsibility. For instance, if a problem is noticed by the building owner at some point in the future, but the tenant can show that it had been identified at the time of the baseline inspection, the responsibility for correcting the problem may change.
• Maintenance service providers: Similar to the case for maintenance managers and tenants – it allows them to develop a road map and a plan to provide prioritized, effective service to their clients while at the same time, protecting them from blame in the case of pre-existing conditions.

After determining “why” you should conduct a baseline inspection, the next question to ask is “how”. There are a few facets to this answer.

The first consideration is who should conduct the inspection. The best answer is a disinterested third party – specifically a qualified inspector with the requisite experience to provide a thorough analysis of the buildings and / or site, but does not have a stake in the outcome of the inspection. This firm or individual should not have ties to the client or other interested party, nor to a contractor or other firm that may benefit by way of future contracts as a result of the findings.

Next is the level of detail required for this baseline report. This really depends on the client and the intended use of the data in the future. If the primary need for the baseline is to simply establish a “snapshot” of the facility, site and equipment at the time of the inspection, then a basic inspection with photographs, annotated floor plans, and a narrative descriptive report of the conditions observed would be sufficient. On the other hand, if this report is going to be used to prioritize maintenance efforts and capital replacement spending, then a more thorough and detailed facilities condition assessment may be in order. This condition assessment would include estimated values of the various building components and systems along with estimated costs for correcting problems found during the inspection.

The above paragraphs cover the topics of “who”, “how”, “why”, and “what” baseline inspections are, so the last item to be covered is “when”. This is an extremely important consideration as well, and to a certain extent, it depends on “who” is calling for the inspection. For building owners and facilities maintenance managers, the answer should be – as soon as possible. The sooner this data can be collected, the sooner a plan of action can be established to address any problems found. In the case of a tenant or facilities maintenance service provider, the best answer is before move in or the start of contracted services. This baseline will provide the cleanest look into the conditions at the facility before the introduction of the new party. Having said that, it can still be performed later, but the benefits are not as great as having that “clean slate” to start with at the beginning of a contract or lease.

Robert S. Michaud, P.E. is a licensed engineer in three states and has been providing detailed building inspections for over 15 years.

© Michaud Engineering Inc. 2020