At the end of most construction projects, there is a warranty period, but not all mechanical failures and problems occur within the warranty period. Sound familiar? One option is to get a service agreement from another company or local contractor; however this can be costly, especially if only minor repairs are required when the building is relatively new. But many times, facility owners can handle these repairs if knowledgeable about the systems in their buildings:
- Consider including advanced training of installed equipment by factory trained personnel in your next construction project specification. Cost is then included in the construction budget and not the operating budget. Typically training by the installing contractor is included in the bid cost, but often times manufacturer led training is available if requested. This will aid your staff in taking care of the minor repairs in short order, getting the occupants comfortable quicker. This training goes hand in hand with commissioning but targets specific equipment from the specific manufacturer.
- While on-site training on the installed equipment is the ideal case, consider webinars, off-site training at local manufacturer representative offices in addition to training offered by local organizations.
As the equipment operates more consistently within its intended design parameters, the equipment will run more efficiently and energy will be saved. This leads to the bottom line of the operating budget: saving energy, saves utility costs.
For more information about including training in your next renovation project or information on getting training now for an already constructed project, contact Doug Barnhart, PE at 717-845-7654 or dcb@ba-inc.com.