O&M Fixed Asset Data Standards

Purpose: This guide provides an overview of Operations and Maintenance building system and components inventory data standards defined by the Clean Buildings Performance Standard, the Refrigerant Management Program, and the State Board.

Audience: Facilities O&M data management staff.

These standards apply specifically to "Fixed Asset" entries, not to "Equipment" entries, within DirectLine.

Each college's database has been built out by different users over nearly 20 years and evolved during that time to meet differing needs. The state's Clean Buildings Performance Standard and Refrigerant Management Program requirements have stimulated a need for stronger standardization across the entire CTC system. The following requirements and recommendations may not align exactly with your existing database. Check your existing O&M program to clarify any uncertainties.

Database Structure

The DirectLine database has a simple hierarchical structure that facilitates asset record organization and searches. Development and use of this hierarchy is not required, but it is the best means of maximizing the operational value of your database for planning and reporting purposes.

This database is a tool, and its structure and content should be meaningful and useful. Database managers must also find a useful balance between too little and too much information. A lack of meaningful categories and other data limits functionality. At the same time, redundant or repetitive information may easily lead to confusion.

Each of the following Fixed Asset classes may either stand alone or be configured within a relational hierarchy.

  • Sites - geographically distinct campus and/or satellite locations
  • Zones - sectors or non-building areas of a Site
  • Buildings - structures/facilities at a Site
  • Rooms - spaces within a Building
  • Projects - conditional use of a Zone, Building, or Site.
    • Projects were commonly used for depreciated assets, which are now tracked in ctcLink, not DirectLine.
  • Building system component classes - domestic water, waste water, HVAC, electrical, fire safety, etc. - these descriptive classes should align with Uniformat Levels 3 or 4.

Database hierarchy is important because it facilitates data management and extraction. If all assets are simply listed within a single category, such as "Item", the data must be reviewed and sorted individually to find any particular records. If however, HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical Service, and other categorical assignments are built into your hierarchy, it'll be much simpler to sort out what you need to find.

Recommended practice is to establish both a Locational and a Categorical Parent-Child hierarchy in your O&M inventory database.

Locational classifications are important for assigning work orders and other maintenance records, as well as for space asset assessments.

  • Parent SITES should be defined for campus locations.
    • Child ZONES, BUILDINGS, and ROOMS are locations within a SITE, or could stand alone for some a satellite locations.

The remaining Fixed Asset classes include Projects, building systems and components, infrastructure, and other items as defined by your specific O&M protocols. All physical assets, including Buildings and Rooms, may be assigned to both a location, and a Parent classification to simplify data management and extractions. Parent classes include the locational classes mentioned above, as well as descriptive classifications, which should align with Uniformat Level 3, at minimum. Those classifications may include:

  • Building substructure and structural elements
  • Internal construction and finishing elements
  • Building service systems - Elevators, Plumbing, HVAC, Electrical, Controls, etc
  • Appliances, Equipment, and Furnishings
  • External campus elements, site work, and infrastructure
  • Projects (which could be assigned project type classes or simply attached to a campus location)

Fixed Asset Status

All assets should be assigned a status, allowing for a simple sort of current and past records. Historical asset data should remain in the database, but may be easily sorted out with an 'Inactive' status. 

Standard status codes are:

  • Active - currently owned and in use
  • Inactive - assets that have been retired and/or disposed
  • Demo - Demolished (used for buildings/structures)
  • TOS - Temporarily Out of Service; offline with an intent to reactivate use in the future

Data Field Standards

The following section includes the defined or recommended standards for all building system and component fixed assets. Please note that Buildings and Rooms each have their own set of data standards. Those user guides may be found in the ctcLink Reference Center. Also see the Capital Budget Megamation web page for more resources, including the Fixed Asset Data Upload Template, which is a structured spreadsheet with references and specifics on the data fields listed below.

The data fields referenced below may be found in the Fixed Asset Entry screen. Also see Enter/Edit Facilities O&M Fixed Asset Inventory for data entry instructions.

Fixed Asset entry screen with marked primary data fields

BEST PRACTICES

Assign a Parent Asset Class
Parent classes, such as HVAC, should align with Uniformat Level 3 classes in reasonable manner.

Assign a Specific Asset Class
Uniformat Levels 4 & 5 provide a good structure for item type classifications, such as Exhaust Fan.

Include an Asset Description
Add a short text description of the fixed asset item, since class designations tend to be general categories for most assets.

Assign the Asset to a Building
Select and assign to the appropriate building where the item is located. See Add/Edit Building in DirectLine if a new building must be created.

Assign the Asset to a Room
Select the building room/space within which the item is located.

Clarify any other Locational Details
Use this open text field to provide more locational detail, such as “Pad mounted on the north side”.

Include the Warranty End Date
As stated. If complete, this information may be used to trigger warranty-related announcements attached to work orders defined for the specific location and/or item.

REQUIRED DATA
These data practices are required for both effective data management at both the college and State Board levels and compliance reporting for Washington's Clean Buildings Performance Standard and Refrigerant Management Program.

Physical Asset ID
Each Fixed Asset must be assigned a unique, alphanumeric ID number to distinguish it from every other inventory item. These should be based upon a long-standing protocol or tagging system developed at the college. Confirm your college’s documented protocol before creating new ID numbers.

Manufacturer Name
As stated. Try to avoid abbreviations that could confuse other database users (future employees, SBCTC staff, vendors or staff with compliance reporting responsibilities).

Model
Manufacturer’s Model name/number.

Serial #
Item serial #.

Install Date
This could also be the Purchase Date where it makes more sense. If missing historical purchase/install dates are unavailable, focus on ensuring that new and replacement equipment dates are recorded appropriately.

Uniformat Codes
Uniformat II is a national classification system for building structural elements and components and is commonly used as a basis for construction and maintenance planning and cost estimation. Those codes are built into the Uniformat tab of the Fixed Asset Entry screen. A guide to Uniformat classifications is available on the SBCTC Capital Budget Megamation DirectLine page.

Expected Useful Life
All building systems and components affected by the Clean Buildings Performance Standard (thermal envelope components, heating, cooling, ventilation, refrigeration, lighting, controls, electrical power distribution, and domestic hot water) are required to have an expected useful life recorded in the inventory, along with an installation or purchase date. The Dept of Commerce has defined the 3rd Edition of the BOMA Preventive Maintenance Manual as the reference for equipment lifespans. That table may be found on the SBCTC Megamation web page.

Condition
Fixed Asset condition scores, found in the Uniformat Tab of the Fixed Asset Entry screen, should be updated routinely as part of a Preventive Maintenance schedule. Scoring codes are built in.

Requires Calibration
The CBPS requires that owner-installed, building energy sub-meters be recalibrated on 5-year cycles, consistent with the requirements for utility-owned meters. That recalibration could be entered as a PM, or this check box may be used to identify all equipment that should be checked for calibrations.

OPTIONAL DATA

Observed Lifespan
This data can support documentation of equipment that is failing earlier or lasting longer than the industry average values required by the CBPS.

Notes and Comments
This open text field best used to add special information, such as size, special operational parameters, replacement part criteria, or known concerns.

Replacement Cost
Estimated cost of replacement. Perhaps most meaningful for equipment nearing an expected end of life.

Impact of Failure
An integrated scoring code of the critical impacts of running the item to failure; from minimal to high/cascading.