Science and Technology Facilities Council

Challenge

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) were looking to improve the way they managed and maintained the M&E assets across their estate. This included lifecycle and PPM planning, reactive maintenance and more. Central to this was the purchase and implementation of a new CAFM system, which needed populating. To achieve their goals, an M&E asset and condition survey was required across sites throughout the UK, including Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Estate, Daresbury Laboratory, Royal Observatory Edinburgh, and new NTSF-R114 building. Due to the complex nature of these sites, they needed a surveying team with this type of experience that could offer an element of flexibility to the survey programme.

Solution

Planning was key to the success of this project. Before starting the project, we worked closely with the client to produce a scheduled programme of activity, factoring in need for flexibility. This meant that if our surveyors were unable to access a building on a particular day, they could work on another site, allowing for continuity, maximising efficiency and avoiding any downtown.

Next, we agreed on the assets in scope, data to be collected, tags and references to be used, access, H&S and other areas to ensure we could be as efficient on-site as possible. We also confirmed the presence of the registers so it would match as closely as possible their CAFM upload sheets, avoiding double handling of data.

Upon completion of the initial set up, we created a bespoke mandate for the client and loaded it into the latest asset collection software. Our in-house survey teams could then survey and collect the asset data, take photos, video and audio commentary using tablets, rather than carry multiple devices. This technology allowed us to efficiently collect and move between assets and reduce the back office time to deliver the reports quickly upon completion of the site surveys.

Our team of experienced building service engineers surveyed the entirety of all the sites. Data import sheets were then supplied to the Digital Assets Manager and loaded into their CAFM. To help plan their spend over a 5, 10 and 25-year lifecycle, we added asset replacement costs, using Spon’s and CIBSE Guide M.

To keep the data current, we are working together with STFC to conduct audits, survey new sites and complete ad-hoc audits following major refurbishment. When their capital team carries out small or large refurbishments, or new buildings added, such as the Rosalind Franklin Institute and NTSF-R114 building, Sircle is brought in to update the data.

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