As a facility engineer, you are responsible for maintaining and operating the buildings and assets that are essential for the organization’s mission and performance. You are also a key stakeholder in the capital projects that aim to improve the functionality and value of the facility. Capital projects are large-scale investments that require strategic planning, realistic budgeting, and effective communication to gain approval and support from the decision-makers and stakeholders. They also require careful management and execution to ensure that the project meets the expectations and requirements.
Here is some guidance on how to support capital projects as a facility engineer, covering:
- Participating in the strategic planning of capital projects.
- Provide input and feedback on the facility’s needs and goals.
- Assisting in the budgeting and costing of capital projects
- Contributing to the communication of capital projects.
- Following up and reporting on the project performance and issues.
- Collaborating with the project team and stakeholders
- Leveraging the technology and tools available for facility optimization and energy and water efficiency.
- Applying the lessons learned from previous projects to improve the quality and efficiency of the projects.
- Providing your expertise and skills on the design, construction, and operation of the projects.
STRATEGIC PLANNING
The first step in supporting capital projects as a facility engineer is to participate in the strategic planning of the projects, which involves conducting a thorough assessment of the facility’s operations and infrastructure, and identifying the areas of need, such as capital renewal, operations, and programming. You need to provide your input and feedback on the facility’s condition and needs, and align them with the organizational goals and priorities. You also need to help rank the projects based on their impact, urgency, and feasibility.
TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STRATEGIC PLANNING, YOU NEED TO:
- Communicate that you have valuable insight that may help the project be successful while ensuring you are not here to derail or hold up the process. (Too often, construction management advises to NOT talk to building engineering stating that building engineers hold up the process. You need to be willing to work in parallel as advice only should that be the case in your facility.)
- Have a current or conduct a Facility Condition Assessment (FCA), using tools such as facility audits, user surveys, and energy and water audits. Work with your Regional Engineering Manager to keep an FCA current. FCA’s should identify the current and future needs of the facility, such as repairs, replacements, upgrades, or expansions.
- Capital project must align the goals of the project with the organizational vision and mission. Gathering the key performance indicators (KPIs) that measure the success of the projects, such as cost savings, energy efficiency, customer satisfaction, and safety can be areas where you can offer to help.
- Prioritization of capital projects should be based on their impact, urgency, and feasibility, using tools such as decision matrices, scoring models, and risk analysis as well as interdependencies and synergies among all the planned the projects, and the potential opportunities and challenges for the facility operations. This is where your knowledge of what’s happening on the ‘front line’ can be of great value. Offer information and historical knowledge you have freely and make yourself available for meetings.
BUDGETING
The second step in supporting capital projects as a facility engineer is to assist in the budgeting of the projects, which involves estimating the costs and impacts of the projects. While you likely will not be solely responsible for budgeting, facility engineers frequently are asked to provide information to project manager to help with budgeting.
TO ASSIST IN THE BUDGETING, YOU NEED TO:
- Provide what cost information you do have
- Provide contact information of previously successful and unsuccessful vendors
- Provide a history of similar previous projects, past results, past problems and
adverse impacts to tenants - Provide recommendations for how to avoid these problems going forward.
- Estimate the operating and maintenance hours and costs of the projects
- Estimate any consumables or vendor services that will be required by the
project(s) - Provide your historical data and estimates to the project team about how this
may impact certain tenants’ operations if you have insight.
COMMUNICATION
The third step in supporting capital projects as a facility engineer is to contribute to the communication of the projects, which involves preparing and presenting your information and reports on the project performance and issues. Without commentary on the project itself, you need to communicate regularly with the project team and stakeholders, and work though and resolve any issues or changes that arise.
TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNICATION, YOU NEED TO:
- Understand the intent and the business case the decision-makers and stakeholders have agreed to.
- Agree to provide ‘boots-on-the-ground’ attention to the project to ensure success and deter any adverse effects to the facility operations and performance.
- Monitor and control the project performance, and provide your information and reports on the project progress, performance, and issues, using tools such as project management software, dashboards, and reports.
- Should there be operational issues that arise from the project(s), prepare an impartial report including the following elements: a clear problem observation statement, a quantified project detriment (the affect it will or is having on tenants), a realistically achievable mitigation or correction plan, and assurance of continued feedback.
- You should also communicate regularly with the project team and stakeholders, and resolve any issues or changes that arise.
COLLABORATION
In addition to the four steps of strategic planning, budgeting, communication, and collaboration, you should also follow some tips and best practices for supporting capital projects as a facility engineer, such as:
- Understand the project intent.
- Understand you building’s construction standards and guidelines.
- Understand your building’s maintenance and operations requirements.
- Leverage the EMS/BAS technology and tools available for tracing project
performance. - Understand your building’s energy and water consumption and costs, pre and
post project implementation. - Apply lessons learned from previous projects to improve the quality and
efficiency of the new projects. - Document and share the project information and knowledge freel with the
project team. - Implement corrective and preventive actions with the project team to improve
the outcomes of the projects.
TIPS AND BEST PRACTICES
In addition to the four steps of strategic planning, budgeting, communication, and collaboration, you should also follow some tips and best practices for supporting capital projects as a facility engineer, such as:
- Understand the project intent.
- Understand you building’s construction standards and guidelines.
- Understand your building’s maintenance and operations requirements.
- Leverage the EMS/BAS technology and tools available for tracing project
performance. - Understand your building’s energy and water consumption and costs, pre and
post project implementation. - Apply lessons learned from previous projects to improve the quality and
efficiency of the new projects. - Document and share the project information and knowledge freel with the
project team. - Implement corrective and preventive actions with the project team to improve
the outcomes of the projects.
CONCLUSION
Supporting capital projects as a facility engineer is a critical and challenging task, as you are responsible for maintaining and operating the buildings and assets that are essential for the organization’s mission and performance. You are also a key stakeholder in the capital projects that aim to improve the functionality and value of the facility. You must be willing to participate in the strategic planning, assist in the budgeting, contribute to the communication, and collaborate with the project team and stakeholders of the projects as this affect everyone. Follow best practices for supporting capital projects and leverage the technology and tools available in your facility. Optimize and track and energy and water efficiency, and don’t forget to apply.
