Why Maintenance Management Matters
Maintenance is the single largest controllable operating cost in most buildings — typically 30-40% of total facilities operating expenditure. The difference between good and poor maintenance management is measured in equipment lifespan, energy efficiency, occupant satisfaction, safety incidents, and total cost of ownership. A structured maintenance programme extends asset life by 20-40%, reduces emergency breakdowns by 60-80%, and keeps buildings safe and compliant.
Maintenance Strategies Compared
| Strategy | Description | When to Use | Cost | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reactive (Break-Fix) | Fix equipment when it fails | Non-critical items, low-value assets | Lowest upfront, highest long-term | High — unplanned failures |
| PPM (Time-Based) | Scheduled maintenance at fixed intervals | Critical systems, manufacturer recommendations | Moderate — predictable budget | Low — planned downtime |
| Condition-Based (CBM) | Maintain based on monitored condition | High-value assets, variable usage patterns | Moderate-high (monitoring investment) | Low — data-driven decisions |
| Predictive (PdM) | Use data/analytics to predict failure | Critical, expensive equipment (chillers, generators) | Highest investment | Lowest — prevent before failure |
| Run-to-Failure (RTF) | Deliberately run to failure, then replace | Cheap, easily replaced items (lamps, filters) | Lowest | Acceptable for non-critical |
Best practice: A blended strategy — PPM for critical systems (70-80% of maintenance hours), CBM for high-value assets, reactive for minor items, RTF for consumables.
Building a PPM Programme
Step 1 — Asset Register
List every maintainable asset with:
- Asset ID, description, location, manufacturer, model, serial number
- Installation date, warranty expiry, expected useful life
- Criticality rating (1-5: Critical to Low)
- PPM frequency and scope per manufacturer recommendations
Step 2 — PPM Schedule
| System | Monthly | Quarterly | Semi-Annual | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HVAC — Split/VRF | Filter clean, drain check | Coil clean, refrigerant check | Full service, electrical check | Comprehensive service + performance test |
| HVAC — Chiller | Log readings, visual | Condenser clean, oil analysis | Full service | Tube clean, eddy current test, overhaul |
| Generator | Run test (30 min loaded) | Oil/filter change, battery check | Full service, ATS test | Major service, load bank test |
| Lifts | Safety check, door operation | Lubrication, brake adjustment | Full service, rope inspection | Annual safety test (statutory) |
| Fire Alarm | Panel check, zone test | 25% detector test | 50% detector test | 100% detector + full system test |
| Fire Pump | Run test | Full flow test | — | Full performance test |
| Electrical — Main | Visual, thermal scan | Earth test, panel check | Torque check, insulation test | Full electrical audit, thermography |
| Plumbing | Leak inspection | Pump service, valve exercise | Tank clean | Full system flush, legionella test |
| Fire Extinguisher | Visual check | — | Service (NFPA 10) | Hydrostatic test (every 5yr) |
Step 3 — CMMS Implementation
A Computerised Maintenance Management System (CMMS) transforms paper-based maintenance into a managed programme:
- Work order management — create, assign, track, close work orders
- PPM scheduling — auto-generate PPM work orders based on schedule
- Asset tracking — complete asset register with history
- KPI reporting — PPM compliance, reactive ratio, MTTR, cost tracking
- Mobile access — technicians receive and close work orders on mobile devices
Maintenance KPIs
| KPI | Target | How to Measure | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| PPM Compliance | ≥95% | PPM tasks completed on time ÷ PPM tasks due | Core measure of maintenance discipline |
| Planned/Reactive Ratio | 80:20 or better | Planned work orders ÷ total work orders | High reactive = poor planning |
| MTTR | <4hr critical, <24hr high | Average time from report to resolution | Measures response capability |
| MTBF | Increasing trend | Operating hours ÷ number of failures | Equipment reliability improving? |
| Work Order Backlog | <5% of monthly volume | Open overdue work orders ÷ monthly volume | Team capacity vs demand |
| Maintenance Cost/m² | Benchmark per sector | Total maintenance spend ÷ GFA | Cost efficiency |
| First-Time Fix Rate | ≥85% | Resolved on first visit ÷ total reactive calls | Technician skill + parts availability |
Vendor Management
- Specialist contracts — lifts, fire systems, chillers, generators typically require specialist contractors. Avoid single-vendor dependency.
- SLA definition — response time, resolution time, parts availability, reporting frequency. Tie payment to SLA compliance.
- Performance review — quarterly vendor scorecards: PPM compliance, call-out response, quality of work, safety, documentation.
- Contract structure — comprehensive (all-inclusive) vs comprehensive minus parts vs labour-only. Match to asset criticality and age.
References
Insights & Guidance
- Maintenance is 30-40% of facilities operating cost. Good maintenance extends asset life 20-40% and reduces breakdowns 60-80%.
- Best practice is blended strategy: PPM (70-80%), CBM for high-value assets, reactive for minor items, RTF for consumables.
- PPM compliance target: ≥95%. Planned/reactive ratio target: 80:20 or better.
- CMMS is essential for managing assets, scheduling PPM, tracking work orders, and reporting KPIs.
- Vendor management: SLA-based contracts with quarterly performance scorecards.
Poor maintenance causes equipment failures, safety incidents, energy waste, and occupant complaints. A structured maintenance programme is the foundation of professional building management — it protects the asset, ensures safety, controls costs, and keeps occupants satisfied.
- Reactive-only approach — equipment fails unpredictably, costs spiral, safety incidents increase.
- Paper-based tracking — PPM tasks missed, no audit trail, no data for decision-making.
- Vendor dependency — single vendor controls pricing and quality with no accountability.
- Asset register with all maintainable equipment
- PPM schedule per manufacturer recommendations
- CMMS work order records
- Monthly PPM compliance reports
- Vendor SLAs and performance scorecards
- Is there a visible maintenance programme (scheduled tasks, work orders)?
- Are PPM stickers/tags on equipment showing last service date?
- Equipment rooms — clean, organised, well-lit, or cluttered and dirty?
- What is the current PPM compliance percentage?
- What is the planned vs reactive maintenance ratio?
- Do you use a CMMS? Which one?
- When was the last generator load bank test?
- CMMS implementation — FM technology consultant.
- Maintenance strategy review — FM consultant with ISO 41001 experience.
- Specialist equipment — OEM-trained technicians for lifts, chillers, fire systems.