Traditional task-based maintenance that is delivered piecemeal in separate parts can be costly, in terms of time, resources and money. Often, it pays to realise the benefits of taking a cohesive system-based approach.

“Ain’t what you do (it’s the way that you do it), that’s what gets results!”, so sang Ella Fitzgerald in 1939 when she made a very valid point about how approach is key to success.

Over 75 years later, that sentiment still rings very true. In the world of facilities management and asset maintenance, a specialist technician will attend to chiller plant and HVAC equipment on a scheduled basis. Another technician may maintain the Building Management & Controls System (BMCS). A specialist may expertly tune buildings’ systems to use energy efficiency and, another, undertake maintenance on water treatment equipment, and so on. But with so many assets being serviced by so many technicians who are working for so many different service providers, where does the value lie?

The University of Queensland went to market seeking an experienced service provider to deliver a holistic maintenance solution whereby HVAC assets were no longer maintained as individual parts, but rather maintained as systems and subsystems. Seeing the assets as a whole, rather than individual parts, relates them to their purpose and reinforces the need to understand
their function, operation and replacement requirements. “It is an ideological shift from task-based to performance-based maintenance strategies, which will assist with reducing overall maintenance costs year-by-year without compromising the quality of services,” says Kevin O’Sullivan, Associate Director – Asset Services at The University of Queensland.

This was a major challenge for a University whose scope includes over 380 buildings spanning five major campuses, comprising some 17,900 mechanical services, HVAC and BMCS assets.

It seemed that the best way to manage complexities around scale was through the application of contemporary performance-based asset maintenance methodologies, including reliability-centred, predictive, and risk-based maintenance strategies.

A.G. Coombs was recognised by the University as having the best ability for the challenge, evidenced by the team’s tailored HVAC Maintenance Solution: a complete, strategic whole-of-life asset solution.

A.G. Coombs’ approach will see a full performance-based maintenance regime implemented, which applies analytical processes to assess breakdown, equipment performance and corrective maintenance to reduce the ongoing total cost of maintenance, while optimising system and equipment reliability and performance.

Key to developing such an approach is the initial verification and further development of asset lists including improved asset data structures, hierarchies and definitions; an asset condition
assessment; asset criticality and risk assessments; and the barcoding of all assets. Direct links between A.G. Coombs sophisticated Computerised Maintenance Management System and the university’s asset management system will also mitigate double-handling of data and provide real-time reporting across all assets.

The next stage is to plan. Together with the University, A.G. Coombs is developing a 10-year asset lifecycle plan and performance based preventive maintenance plan, which includes a corrective
maintenance reduction plan, as well as management optimisation and efficiency plans for both water and energy. The team also has the advantage of tapping into A.G. Coombs Advisory’s technical expertise with the assessment and management of the BMCS.

“The time it takes to undertake the asset verification and develop the strategic asset plans is well worth it,” noted Kevin O’Sullivan. ”A.G. Coombs’ approach is proving to be very successful. We will have comprehensive asset lists, asset maintenance strategies, and asset lifecycle management plans in place, and we liaise with one single dedicated contract manager, making the whole process easy. We are very pleased with the team’s consistent, reliable, and effective approach, and are witnessing the operational outcomes that we originally sought.”

A.G. Coombs’ approach is proving to be very successful. We will have comprehensive asset lists, asset maintenance strategies, and asset lifecycle management plans in place. We liaise with one single dedicated contract manager, making the whole process easy.Kevin O’Sullivan, Associate Director – Asset Services, The University of Queensland