Episode Description:
Estimating in building automation is not just about pricing. It's about influencing how a project performs, how it's delivered, and whether it turns a profit. If you're involved in estimating, bidding, or scoping BAS work, this episode is built for you.
Michael Roper expands on the fundamentals from a previous episode and takes a deeper look at how to approach estimating with accuracy and control. The focus is on precision, awareness, and building estimates that hold up in the field.
In this episode, you'll explore:
If you’ve ever dealt with missed labor, vague specs, or post-award surprises, this episode helps you tighten up the process and build confidence in your numbers.
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From Firefighting to Strategy: Building the Future-Ready Facilities Team
In the world of building automation, too many facilities teams are stuck in reactive mode. They spend their days responding to alarms, scrambling to fix equipment, and dealing with emergency calls that interrupt planned work. This approach drains time, resources, and energy. It also keeps teams from playing a more valuable role within their organizations.
The High Cost of Reactivity
Reactive maintenance comes at a steep price. Emergency repairs are expensive, especially when they occur after hours or on holidays. Equipment that isn’t maintained properly wears out faster, increasing replacement costs. Energy waste adds up when systems are left running inefficiently. Teams lose time troubleshooting without documentation, and leadership rarely has full visibility into what’s being fixed or why.
This mode of operation leads to high stress, burnout, and turnover. Skilled technicians are pulled from task to task with no time to think critically or plan ahead. In the end, facilities teams are seen as cost centers rather than strategic partners.
The Case for Strategic Facility Management
Strategic facility management flips the script. Instead of waiting for systems to fail, teams plan, document, and align with business goals. They prioritize preventative and predictive maintenance, reduce downtime, and use data to make informed decisions.
A future-ready team uses tools like dashboards, analytics, and CMMS software to track asset performance and maintenance history. They build procedures that reduce errors, increase consistency, and improve onboarding for new technicians. These teams also speak the language of leadership, using key performance indicators to show how their work supports broader goals like energy savings, uptime, and tenant satisfaction.
Six Steps to Future-Ready Operations
Assess the Current State
Understand the skill levels of your team, the ratio of reactive to planned work, and where documentation is missing. Identify any tribal knowledge that hasn’t been captured.
Upskill the Team
Technical training should cover BAS systems, IP networking, and analytics. Soft skills like communication and documentation are just as critical for team success.
Leverage Technology
Use CMMS platforms for scheduling and tracking. Incorporate predictive tools to detect issues early. Set up dashboards for visibility and accountability.
Create Standard Operating Procedures
Document daily tasks, seasonal routines, and alarm response workflows. SOPs make the work repeatable and allow others to step in when needed.
Measure What Matters
Track metrics like preventive maintenance completion, downtime, energy use, and response time. Use this data to make informed decisions and validate team needs.
Align with Organizational Goals
Understand what matters to your leadership. Whether it's energy savings, equipment longevity, or tenant retention, show how your work supports those outcomes.
Start Small, Then Scale
You don’t need to overhaul everything at once. Begin with one system. Create processes for it. Track the impact. Use that success to build momentum. Share results with leadership to make the case for more resources or staffing.
This shift from reactive to strategic is not about doing more work. It’s about doing the right work at the right time, with the right tools and mindset. Facilities teams that embrace this approach not only improve building performance, but also earn a seat at the table as valued contributors to organizational success.
For a deeper discussion and insights from the field, listen to this episode on the Smart Buildings Academy podcast.