NOTICE
The Federal Facilities Council (FFC) (formerly the Federal Construction Council) is a continuing activity of the Board on Infrastructure and the Constructed Environment (BICE) of the National Research Council (NRC). The purpose of the FFC is to promote continuing cooperation among the sponsoring federal agencies and between the agencies and other elements of the building community in order to advance building science and technology–particularly with regard to the design, construction, and operation of federal facilities. Currently, the following agencies sponsor the FFC:
Department of the Air Force, Office of the Civil Engineer
Department of the Air Force, Air National Guard
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Department of Energy, Office of Associate Deputy Secretary of Field Management
Department of the Navy, Naval Facilities Engineering Command
Department of State, Office of Foreign Buildings Operations
Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Construction Management
Food and Drug Administration
General Services Administration, Public Buildings Service
Indian Health Service
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Facilities Engineering Division
National Institutes of Health
National Institute of Standards and Technology, Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Endowment for the Arts, Design Arts Program
National Science Foundation
Smithsonian Institution, Office of Facilities Services
U.S. Information Agency, International Broadcasting Bureau
U.S. Public Health Service, Office of Management
U.S. Postal Service, Facilities Department
As part of its activities, the FFC periodically publishes reports like this one that have been prepared by committees of government employees. Since these committees are not appointed by the NRC, they do not make recommendations, and their reports are considered FFC publications rather than NRC publications.
For further information on the FFC program or FFC reports, please write to: Director, Federal Facilities Council, Board on Infrastructure and the Constructed Environment, 2101 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20418.
FEDERAL FACILITIES COUNCIL STANDING COMMITTEE ON OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE
Chairman
James Walton,
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Department of the Army
Vice Chairman
Richard McCrone,
Engineering Management and Field Support Office, Department of Veterans Affairs
Members
Subrata Banerjee,
Bureau of Health Resources Department, U.S. Public Health Service
Hao Bui,
Facilities Engineering Branch, International Broadcasting Bureau
Jodi Ernst,
Office of Facilities Services, Smithsonian Institution
Paul Fardig,
Engineering Support Services Branch, U.S. Public Health Service
Tariq Farooqi,
Refurbishment Division, International Broadcasting Bureau
Gary Fennell,
Facilities Division, Air National Guard
Paul Fennewald,
Maintenance Branch, U.S. Postal Service
Don Fournier,
Energy and Utility Systems Division, Construction Engineering Research Laboratories
Geoffrey Frohnsdorff,
Building Materials Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology
William Graham,
Engineering Management and Field Support Office, Department of Veterans Affairs
Ben Herrick,
Network Support Division, International Broadcasting Bureau
John Iaconis,
Public Buildings Service, General Services Administration
William Johnson,
Facilities Engineering Branch, Indian Health Service
Greg Krisanda,
Office of Foreign Buildings Operations, U.S. Department of State
Pete Lastik,
Facilities Division, Air National Guard
Patrick Miller,
Office of Plant Services, Smithsonian Institution
William Morrison,
Facilities Division, Air National Guard
Robert Neathammer,
Facility Management Division, U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories
Charles Pittinger, Jr.,
Facilities Engineering Division, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Douglas Rowand,
Facilities Division, Air National Guard
Steve Salter,
Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Department of the Navy
John Scalzi,
Structures and Building Systems, National Science Foundation
James Schoonover,
Office of Foreign Buildings Operations, U.S. Department of State
J. Ronald Smith,
Facilities Management Branch, Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Public Health Service
Gregory Tsukalas,
Facilities Policy Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Donald Uzarski,
Engineering and Materials Division, U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories
John Vilgos,
Maintenance Engineering Branch, National Institutes of Health
Nongovernment Liaison Members
Dianne Davis,
American Public Works Association
Robert Hummer,
Association for Facilities Engineering
Staff
Lynda Stanley,
Director,
Federal Facilities Council
Lena Grayson,
Project Assistant
PREFACE
Dig a well before you are thirsty.–Chinese proverb
Maintenance of buildings and other constructed facilities–an important part of our national assets–demonstrates confidence in the future and recognition of the investment made by preceding generations for the sake of their children. The closing decade of the 20th century finds us beset by many indications that public policy is failing, either by conscious decision or insufficient foresight, to protect the value of these assets.
Some observers write of “America in ruins” and describe the fragile foundations upon which our economic prosperity rests. Alarming characterizations of the condition of our schools, other public buildings, and transportation systems abound, seemingly with good reason. Credible analyses indicate that we are systematically neglecting the maintenance of public facilities at all levels of government. We are spending our assets and wasting our inheritance.
The earliest signs of neglect are often subtle and escape the notice of those unprepared by training or experience to recognize them. Herein lies a major element of the problem: It is difficult, in times of tight budgets and competing demands for public resources, to convince those responsible for public policy that neglect can lead to losses. We seem to need a disaster to focus our attention and motivate action.
Yet we and the committee whose deliberations are the basis for this report subscribe to the wisdom of the Chinese proverb above. We argue not that disaster is upon us but that our experience demonstrates that greater commitment is needed if disaster is to be avoided. We hope that our work will enhance this commitment.