Buildings: The Gifts that Keep On Taking...

AM Foundational Thinking Miniseries

This installment in the Foundational Thinking miniseries covers APPA’s Buildings…The Gifts that Keep on Taking: A Framework for Integrated Decision Making published in 2007. APPA is a professional organization that supports educational facility professionals providing a wide range of products, services, and training for this community. Buildings was the product of a four-year research project performed by APPA’s Center for Facilities Research (CFaR). The problem this research sought to overcome was summarized by the following, “Seven Top Facility Issues”.

• “Misunderstanding of the initial and long-term costs,

• Unpredictable results, matching facilities with both needs and desired outcomes,

• “Squeaky wheel” or political pressures on facility priorities,

• Lack of accountability to trustees, regents, legislatures, and the public,

• Increasing cost of deferred maintenance and capital renewal,

• Increased cost of construction and renovation because of technological advances, new material, or unique prog…