An old facility can cause a lot of headaches for facility managers. For many aging facilities, their various internal systems are often new additions that need to be customized to the individual system and existing structures.
That’s why careful planning is needed in order to balance facility managers’ objectives about interior systems like:
- HVAC
- Electrical
- Plumbing
- Structural systems
- Information and communication equipment
- Conveyance systems
Because new mechanical and related systems, like electrical and fire suppression, can use up a lot of a building’s square footage and budget, decisions need to be made in a cohesive and coordinated way.
The interiors of older buildings should be considered when installing newer systems in your facility. This can be a complex issue to resolve. But with proper planning and a clear objective and budget, it can be implemented in a way that saves you money while improving the environment for your facility’s occupants.
Changes can have a large impact over time for both your facility and occupants. This is why care must be taken during the initial stages to avoid the gradual loss of integrity of underlying structures and infrastructure.
A facility’s upgrade plan should respect the integrity and specific design intent. Building updates should be installed to avoid damage to the building and its older structures and materials.
