Strategies for Managing Educational Facilities …

1 1 Strategies for Managing Educational Facilities InfrastructureBy Manfred Hinum, PhD,BMUK (Federal Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs), AustriaTrack 3 of the UEF/PEB/CAE International Symposium 1999 Baltimore, Maryland, USAI ntroductionEach year OECD countries devote, on average, more than 5% of their gross national productto education. Recent work of the OECD Programme on Educational Building (PEB) suggeststhat the cost of building, running, cleaning, heating and maintaining schools approaches onefifth of that countries, regions and communities are becoming extremely concerned about issuessuch as the maintenance of ageing stock, vandalism, the reuse and adaptation of buildings, up-to-date furniture and equipment, the use of premises for more than one purpose and thereduction of premises, as well as related expenditure.

2 In many cases, however, even the basicinformation necessary for effective management is witnessed at an international seminar in Austria in 1998 on Improving the Quality ofEducational Building , the conviction is strengthening and this is backed by experience andresearch indicating that the quality of Facilities has an impact not only on educationaloutcomes but on the well-being of students and teachers. There is a growing awareness of therole that Educational Facilities play in shaping attitudes toward the environment and thecontribution they make to urban Glen J. Earthman of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, USA,reported at the Austrian seminar that studies have demonstrated a relationship betweenstudent achievement and behaviour and the condition of the built environment.

3 Some of themost important factors that influence learning and living are those that relate to control of thethermal environment, proper illumination, adequate space and , as studies and experience strongly indicate, achievement ( student test scores) is greaterin above-standard schools than in substandard buildings, it is the obligation of the responsibleauthorities to improve the Facilities . If it is not the pupils fault that they are not the mostsuccessful, who is to blame?The quality and duration of a building are affected by how it is looked after, the ways inwhich servicing and repairs are carried out, and the rate at which needs and it is necessary to develop Strategies for Managing Educational Facilities but also todo research to better understand how Facilities influence student behaviour and the French Institute for Research on the Economics of Education expressed it.

4 For a longtime, the quality of education was measured in terms of the quality of its inputs ( moreresources, better trained teachers, smaller classes, better teaching aids) generating acorresponding improvement in the cognitive performance of the learners. Without challenging2any of these ideas, modern research is endeavouring to grasp the laws that link inputs are the main problems experienced?- An inability to present sufficiently convincing justification for (increasing) A marked deterioration in the condition of Facilities and in the morale of The use of existing Facilities to provide adequate, up-to-date Educational and ManagementCoverageMain decision levelsite acquisition and disposalauthority/schoolnew building, extensionsauthority/schoolstructural (programmed, periodic) and emergency maintenanceand repairauthority/schoolday-to-day maintenanceschoolimprovements ( Educational , environmental, etc.)

5 School/authorityschool place provision (quantity, quality)schoolfurnitureschoolfacility-re lated running of school assetsschoolAuthorities must decide whether to integrate requirements within an existing system or toinvest in a new plan:1. Establish a condition survey (strategic and optional).2. Appoint realistic costs to Establish Convince authorities (key people).5. Ensure financing; arrange funding routes .6. Ensure adequate management in regard to documentation, planning, implementation Review Asset Management Plans of the Department for Education and Employment in Londonare an excellent example of the allocation and management of resources.

6 (See the symposiumpresentation by Ken Beeton and PEB Exchange February and October 1999.)The table below outlines the stages and processes in developing an asset management , key elements and responsibilitiesStagesResponsibilities of the schoolResponsibilities of the authorityPolicy Statementidentify roles, responsibilities and scopeIdentify school/ Educational programmes, plans,objectives and Educational Development Plan EOP ,United Kingdom; School Programmes QIS ,AustriaDevelop policies, objectives, priorities and School Organisation Plan SOP , UK; School Maintenance and DevelopmentProgramme SCHEP 2000 , AustriaAssessing Existing Premises/Facilitiescompile basic data on each school -- set up thedatabase (bottom-up, computerised systems tosupport the development, monitoring of capital,maintenance and running programmes)Compile information on location, ownership,size, capacity, type of building/school, pupils,running costs, asset value and performanceindicators ( area per pupil, use of space,teaching area as percentage of gross area, energyconsumption/cost per m , maintenance cost/m ,other premises related costs/m , pupils(existing/forecast) as % of standard capacity).

7 School Premises Data , UK; SchoolManagement System-SAM , AustriaCompile core data base (collect and analysekey elements); carry out comparisons andbenchmarking (performance indicators). Property Information System , UK; SAM , Austria; Asset management computerdata phases, South AustraliaIdentifying Needsconsider condition; consider needs relating tosufficiency and suitability; identify areas ofconcern; consider development plans Conduct condition surveys about the quality oflearning and living in regard to internal andexternal areas, existing physical andenvironmental conditions, costs of repairs,priorities according building type, the suitability of the number, size, shapeand location of spaces, environmental conditions,furniture, technology, heath, safety, security,economic use of the Early Years Development Plan EDYP ofSchool , UK; SAM , AustriaEvaluating the condition surveys and identifyneeds not being met on the school level (alsousing performance indicators as a basis).

8 Provide guidance on aspects of conditions,sufficiency and School Organisation Plans , UK; SCHEP2000 , AustriaDetermining Prioritiesdevelop overview (categories) of prioritiesAccord funding (and responsibility).Prioritise needs to be developed on the views, standards and guidelines AMP, UKFunding and Procurement Arrangementsfinalise funding (budgeting)List projects and costs that address at the best way of funding, if necessary inco-operation with the feasibility studies considering costs andbenefits of alternative guidance and make decisions on fundingroutes: block/lump fund allocation, capital grant,credit approvals, capital receipts, revenuebudgets, private investment, based on contractwith agency or , Review, EvaluationImplement according to the and evaluate the system from the bottomup and performance if the school is not guidance.

9 Evaluation and number of factors contribute to the maintenance gap . They include insufficient funds,poor management of funds, and estate management and provision that do not matcheducational maintenance increases running costs, such as for energy and cleaning. Energyexpenditure, for example, can amount to more than one third of premises related expenditure;reducing energy consumption can help not only to save money but also to reduce carbondioxide emissions and other forms of pollution. Other consequences of poor maintenance are:- deterioration of parts of the building;- an unsafe and unhealthy environment;- a lower quality of teaching and learning;- a lower quality of living;- are Educational , social and environmental advantages of good maintenance:- educationally the condition of the environment indicates society s support for education;- socially it sets an example to pupils, that the environment in which we live should becared for;- environmentally good maintenance promotes the aims of of maintenanceResponsibilityBudgeting- day-to 2% of replacement value, block/lump(appr.)

10 25-30% of total sum)- programmed maintenance ofelements according to their differentservicing and life cycles andenvironmental standardsschool/authority(service packagesfor schools?)School: block/lump sum (app. 25-35% of totalsum)- periodic improvements to thebuilding fabric to meet new healthand safety requirements, improveenergy efficiency, reduce fire risks,develop the environmental quality, to a 3-5 year investment programme- emergency and unforeseen actionsto repair damage (storm, flood,theft, arson, outside vandalism, etc.)authority- improvements to meet changingeducational and social needs ( inregard to technologicaldevelopments)school/authori tyschool: block sum for local improvements;authority: projectsThe precise definitions of responsibilities and budgeting may vary from country to country asall elements are interdependent, related actions in one area having profound implications foranother.