From an infrastructure standpoint, each component of a facility introducing a proportion of risk requires proper maintenance. Managing the multitude of assets spread over a large area can be challenging. Buildings, Facilities, Infrastructure, Roadways, Highways, Parks and Green Spaces are a prime example. Each needs to be certified as safety and risk compliant, and there is a clear expectation that set standards will be adhered to.
Thankfully, modern facility management software is evolving to make things easier. The use of geospatial data has been a turning point. It is now possible to recreate maps and plans of buildings—including hydrants, wind farms, water plants and greenspaces—to give proper orientation for facility workers and provide data pinpoints on a massive scale. VertiGIS FM provides Facility Managers a view of what is happening in their environment today, so they can make better informed decisions for tomorrow, all in one intuitive platform.
In a school setting, the log of maintenance responsibilities is extensive. There are many different facets of facility maintenance in multitudes of settings. Keeping track of information from a compliance level to ensure adherence to provincial and municipal regulations is extremely important.
When a Catholic School in Austin, Texas, decided to merge their K-8 and 8-12 schools thereby doubling the amount of square footage, buildings and maintenance activities, it was obvious they needed a better way of managing their combined “to-do” lists.
Email a Drag on Efficiency
At that time, the schools were responding to incidents and maintenance requests via email, a time-consuming process which failed to adequately track maintenance history. The school began looking for a simple, cloud-based software solution to align with their immediate and long-term goals, and selected VertiGIS FM to help them reach their vision.
VertiGIS started with an assessment of the school’s current environment. It was clear the school needed a more automated system to streamline day-to-day activities, and to provide clearer strategy for when issues arose. An overview of each asset was established, along with insight into each asset’s location and those which were most critical. The VertiGIS FM core functionality modules for Buildings, Maintenance, and Contracts were integrated providing a springboard for the school to operate. By creating an understanding of the school’s critical assets and processes, a short, medium and long-term plan was established.
Geospatial Data Transformation
With the school now expanding over two campuses, geospatial data was implemented to clearly identify locations and pinpoint areas carrying defects or pending repairs. By providing spatial representations of the school buildings, facility management expenses could be better managed and budgeted. Data information previously logged in spreadsheets was imported into VertiGIS FM and missing information flagged. Essential processes such as cleaning, inventory, and security access became easy to manage and record with standardized documentation. In addition, occupational health and safety hazards were identified and legal obligations consistently met.
With more control over their environment, the school was able to expand its use of the VertiGIS FM out-of-the-box approach to facility management. It was possible to visualize energy and utility consumption, identify cost risks, and standardize historical information. They are now equipped with visibility into what is happening in their environments today, so they can make better decisions and investments for the future.
Meanwhile, in California, a VertiGIS FM client was looking for a system to better manage flood prevention efforts. The customer was then using Google Maps and pins and sending to coworkers via email, attaching photos of the intended location. The system worked, but was only as efficient as the information sent, and was frequently off-target. In the VertiGIS FM platform, information is sent directly from within the software interface and automatically creates a work order to efficiently track the task workflow. This, combined with secured information via geospatial data made communicating locations needing attention a more efficient and swifter process.
Simplifying Building and Facility Management
VertiGIS FM simplifies building and facility management in a lightweight, easy-to-use application which can be accessed by anyone, anywhere—even when offline. It allows for a deep-dive into a facility’s critical assets, identifying risk and cost measures for each, and tracking warranties, invoices, schematics and drawings—all in one interface.
VertiGIS FM offers 7 solutions to meet facility obligations, risk minimization, cost reduction and optimization of infrastructure processes. Based in Victoria, BC, and with offices worldwide, Vertigo’ FM is designed to make things easier. To learn more, visit www.vertigis.com
