The performance-risk indicators (PRI) in building performance rating tool for higher education buildings
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop a building performance (BP) rating tool concerning the health and safety risk of building users in higher educational buildings (HEB). This paper presents the findings of a preliminary survey, which is the establishment of performance-risk indicators (PRIs) as an initial construct for the development of BP rating tool. The construct items consist of three criteria as the main focus, namely performance element, risk frames and the indicators.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper adopts a qualitative approach to achieve the outcome for the preliminary survey. The determinants of the indicators were preliminarily compiled from literature and previous established BP evaluation (BPE) schemes. The initial construct of indicators are then further confirmed through semi-structured interviews involving 18 building operators in Malaysia’s public university buildings. Their views are needed to obtain suitability of the listed indicators for BP rating assessment to be used in the local HEB. The transcription and interpretation from the interview findings are carried out using Atlas.ti© qualitative software.
Findings
The interpretation of the interview findings has supported the justification for this paper that there is no proactive action in executing BP assessment to mitigate risk towards users’ health and safety. The findings also revealed that there are 26 indicators that are rated as suitable to be used for the local context of Malaysia’s HEBs. The indicators are categorised under three performance elements, which are functional performance (FP), technical performance (TP) and indoor environmental performance (IEP).
Research limitations/implications
Because the chosen building sample is HEBs, the indicators may not be generalised as the suitability of the items were determined from the respective operators. Therefore, it is recommended that further research is carried out for other types of buildings.
Practical implications
The proposed PRIs have a significant role in the building maintenance and management in HEBs. The result is able to suggest methods for the management to improve and optimise the BP aspects by focusing occupants’ health and safety risk as a reactive process.
Originality/value
This paper highlights the benefits of integrating two previously separate fields: BP and risk management (RM) and, thus, helps providing opportunities for improvement of BP and the relationships with risk and satisfaction of the users. It may initiate a new perspective in optimising the BP and mitigating the health, safety and environmental risk by sensitivity to changing needs of occupants in HEB.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to acknowledge the support of funding for this research under Exploratory Research Grant Scheme (ERGS) Phase 1/2013 from Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia (MOHE).
Citation
Khalil, N., Kamaruzzaman, S.N., Baharum, M.R. and Husin, H.N. (2016), "The performance-risk indicators (PRI) in building performance rating tool for higher education buildings", Journal of Facilities Management, Vol. 14 No. 1, pp. 36-49. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFM-03-2015-0009
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited