About
As part of our ongoing efforts to monitor the needs of our facilities, SAISD is collecting Facilities Condition Assessment data. A Facilities Condition Assessment, or FCA, is a process used to evaluate the physical state of a facility. The purpose of an FCA is to help the District determine maintenance needs, repair priorities, and long-term capital investment planning.
Here’s how it works:
- Inspection – Experts assess the building’s structure, systems (HVAC, electrical, plumbing), and overall site condition.
- Data Collection – They document issues, estimate repair costs, and note the expected lifespan of components.
- Reporting – A report is created, often with a Facility Condition Index (FCI) score, which helps decision-makers understand the level of upkeep required.
SAISD will leverage the FCI score along with other facility and site information to drive data-informed decisions on maintenance and capital investments. This will enable proactive facility management, accurate budget forecasting, and streamlined project planning. Every facility will have a FCI, a numerical rating or score used to measure the condition of a building. The rating will help SAISD prioritize maintenance and capital investments to proactively manage facilities, forecast budgets and plan projects.
How is the Facilities Condition Index Calculated?
- Total Cost of Repairs = Estimated cost to fix all deficiencies.
- Total Replacement Cost = Cost to replace the entire facility with a new one.
- The result is expressed as a percentage.
FCI is calculated by taking the total cost of repairs, dividing by the total replacement cost and then multiplying by 100 to get a percentage.
Example: ($10,000,000 to repair / $40,000,000 to replace) x 100 = 25%
What Do the FCI Scoring Levels Mean?
- 0% – 29% → Good Condition (Some repairs needed)
- 30% – 49% → Fair Condition (Repairs needed along with some capital investment)
- 50% – 64% → Poor Condition (Major capital investment needed)
- 65%+ → Critical Condition (Replacement may be more cost-effective)
Understanding the FCI Scoring Levels:
0% – 29% → Good Condition (Some repairs needed):
- This range indicates that the facility is generally in good shape.
- Maintenance efforts are primarily focused on preventative measures and addressing minor repairs.
- The facility is considered to have a relatively long remaining useful life.
- This range suggests that the facility is being well maintained.
- The risk of major system failures is low.
30% – 49% → Fair Condition (Repairs needed along with some capital investment):
- This range signals that the facility is beginning to show signs of deterioration.
- Repairs are necessary to address existing problems, and some capital investment may be required to prevent further decline.
- This indicates that some systems are reaching the end of their useful life and may need to be replaced.
- Increased maintenance costs should be expected.
- This is the range where proactive maintenance and planned capital improvements become very important.
50% – 64% → Poor Condition (Major capital investment needed):
- This range indicates significant deterioration and deferred maintenance.
- Major capital investments are necessary to restore the facility to an acceptable condition.
- There is a high risk of system failures and operational disruptions.
- Maintenance costs are likely to be very high.
- This is a range that requires immediate and substantial planning.
65%+ → Critical Condition (Replacement may be more cost-effective):
- Replacement of the facility or major systems may be more cost-effective than attempting to repair them.
- There is a high risk of safety hazards and regulatory violations.
- Operational disruptions are likely to be frequent and severe.
- This range represents a crisis situation that needs immediate action.
Conclusion
A lower FCI means the building is in better shape, while a higher FCI indicates a greater need for maintenance or replacement.
The goal of the FCA is to keep facilities safe, functional, and cost-efficient over time. Collection of FCA data is ongoing because as building ages and repairs are executed, the FCI will change. In order to keep the community updated, SAISD will be sharing FCA data on a quarterly basis.
Should you have any questions about this information, please contact SAISD Construction and Development Services at 210-554-2200