Not enough is written about the support areas that maintenance staff need to adequately care for school spaces. Maintaining such spaces requires special design considerations.
Maintenance personnel must be trained, time and funding must be allotted, and maintenance spaces must be provided to extend building life and bridge funding gaps. Facilities planners can make a difference in designing maintenance spaces.
During programming and design phases, meet with maintenance personnel to discuss space needs—locations in the building, square footage, and required components. Listen to maintenance personnel to learn what is needed to make cleaning and maintenance more efficient.
Spaces
Provide spaces for loading and receiving, trash containment, storage, office functions, equipment repair, cleaning supplies, and utilities/building systems. Every building should have a loading and receiving area with outdoor space for vehicles to maneuver—design driveways that avoid interference with on-site circulation. Loading docks are typically 48 inches above pavement with motorized dock levelers to adjust to truck floor-bed height; a 28-inch dock height may be added for smaller trucks.
For weather protection, install a building canopy, set back from the dock edge to prevent truck-to-building damage. Provide space near the dock area for multiple dumpsters; put refuse receptacles at low pavement height for convenience of transferring refuse and recycling items. Provide electrical power to operate compactors.
At the building interior, provide a receiving area with garage or double doors to the dock. The receiving area is clear floor space for shipping items, holding deliveries, and transferring items to areas in the building; a can wash area and recycling area can be in this space. Place central storage adjacent to the receiving area for holding furniture, bulk supplies, and large equipment in transition. Situate storage rooms throughout the building including chair and table storage connected to cafeterias, gyms, and meeting rooms. Consider outdoor storage for maintenance vehicles, mowers, and snow removal equipment.
Disperse custodial closets throughout the building, near restrooms at locations covering 20,000-plus square feet of service area per floor, and near labs, locker rooms, and kitchens. For each closet, provide a service sink, shelving for cleaning supplies, and space for equipment. Provide an office at the receiving area with a desk, storage cabinets, and energy management system technology. Design a breakroom, with nearby restrooms and lockers, for maintenance personnel. For large facilities designate a repair space (e.g., for furniture, plumbing items).
Design
Design plays a vital role in effective maintenance and the longevity of building systems. Adequate budgeting enables designers to select high-quality low-maintenance components for exteriors and interiors. Design floors for ease of cleaning; avoid inaccessible corners. Provide wide doorways for moving equipment. Provide wall and ceiling access panels for repairing and monitoring mechanical and electrical equipment. Labeling mechanical, electrical and technology components helps maintenance personnel and serves as a teaching tool for students. Provide ample electrical outlets throughout the building. Provide utility stairs for roof access to equipment. Place mechanical air handling units inside the building rather than on the roof for ease of maintenance and longer equipment life.
Sophisticated energy management systems with temperature controls and ventilation/lighting occupancy-sensor technologies aid in effective building operations. Facilities outfitted with automated systems and building information modeling enable maintenance personnel to focus on keeping spaces in premier condition and spend less time fixing underperforming or nonfunctioning equipment.
Furniture design advancements integrate user-friendly maintenance features. Table protective edging and specially treated fabric or vinyl coverings on soft seating reduce damage and time required for managing repairs/replacements. Designer-created guidebooks specify furniture care and manufacturer/supplier contact information for warranty work and routine maintenance.
Paul W. Erickson, executive officer and partner, is past president of ATSR Planners/Architects/Engineers, a firm specializing in school planning and design. He has 47 years of experience in school planning, design, and construction, and can be reached at [email protected].
About the Author
Paul W. Erickson
President
Paul Erickson, AIA/NCARB/REFP, is president of ATS&R Planners/Architects/Engineers, Minneapolis, a multi-disciplined firm specializing in pre-K to 12 and post-secondary school planning and design.