7 Ways To Know Your Ae Wants To Save You Money

7 Ways to Know Your A/E

Really Wants to Save You

Money

DO YOU WANT A GLAMOROUS

BUILDING THAT WINSBUILDING THAT WINS

ARCHITECTURE AWARDS OR A

FACILITY THAT MEETS YOUR USERS'

NEEDS, SAVES RESOURCES AND

DELIVERS OPERATIONAL SAVINGS?

Choose an A/E That Wants to Save

You Money

The real cost of a facility is not in the purchasing of land or the construction materials and

labor, which comprise only 15 percent of a facility’s life-cycle cost. The real cost of a facility is

measured by how much it will cost to operate the facility over 10, 30 or more years. The

selection of an A/E firm for your project is critical to containing and lowering those

operational costs. This eBook describes 7 characteristics to help you identify the A/E firms

that want to help you lower your costs.

While you may receive a glamorous building that wins architectural awards and is

photographed for industry publications, if you don't use the ideas presented in this eBook

you will end up trapped inside a facility that doesn't meet your users' needs, wastesyou will end up trapped inside a facility that doesn't meet your users' needs, wastes

resources and misses operational savings.

A firm that wants to save you money:

1. Has a Front-End Planning Process that Results in Proven Operational Savings

2. Listens to All Users and Owners and Separates “Wishes” from “Needs”

3. Understands the Value of Your Existing Facility Before Building New

4. Understands Your Near-, Mid- and Long-Term Needs

5. Recommends Property Acquisition with the Future in Mind

6. Creates a Repeatable Design Concept for Multi-Facility Organizations

7. Provides Design Concepts That Allow for Multiple Client Configuration Strategies

www.performainc.com 1

If you don't use the ideas

presented in this eBook

you will end up trapped

inside a facility that

doesn't meet your users'

needs, wastes resources

and misses operational savings.

1. Does the Firm Have a Front-End

Planning Process that Results in

Proven Operational Savings?Too often correctional facility projects begin at a detailed level or use a micro level of

analysis . Plans are made. Construction crews begin their work, and a mass of problems arise.

Gaps are seen. Errors were made. These problems aren't easily remedied and major

amounts of time and money are wasted or you end up in a facility that stunts the

effectiveness of your organization. Solving these problems in the front-end relies on

choosing an A/E firm that has a proven front-end planning process.

As an example, the macro analysis process breaks down the major concepts of a project; it

avoids drilling down into the micro level of detail. This method resolves avoidable problems

in the beginning. Downstream, you will avoid spending unnecessary funds and time and willin the beginning. Downstream, you will avoid spending unnecessary funds and time and will

receive a facility that enhances your organization.

4 Steps of Macro Analysis:

1111.... SetSetSetSet youryouryouryour overalloveralloveralloverall mission,mission,mission,mission, goals,goals,goals,goals, orororor objectivesobjectivesobjectivesobjectives withwithwithwith youryouryouryour teamteamteamteam....

2222.... CreateCreateCreateCreate aaaa setsetsetset ofofofof criteria,criteria,criteria,criteria, keykeykeykey concepts,concepts,concepts,concepts, thethethethe facilityfacilityfacilityfacility modelmodelmodelmodel mustmustmustmust embraceembraceembraceembrace....

3333.... CreateCreateCreateCreate anananan evaluationevaluationevaluationevaluation criteriacriteriacriteriacriteria forforforfor measuringmeasuringmeasuringmeasuring andandandand achievingachievingachievingachieving successsuccesssuccesssuccess....

4444.... CreateCreateCreateCreate alternativealternativealternativealternative facilityfacilityfacilityfacility modelsmodelsmodelsmodels andandandand evaluateevaluateevaluateevaluate themthemthemthem againstagainstagainstagainst thethethethe evaluationevaluationevaluationevaluation criteriacriteriacriteriacriteria....


2. Does the Firm Listen to All Users

and Owners and Separate Wishes

from Needs?Any firm can design a building, but it takes shared understanding to create an environment

that will help your organization achieve its strategic objectives today, tomorrow and in the

future. A firm that shows they listen will ask the following questions during first encounters

with your organization:

• How will the project support or enhance your strategic business vision?

• How will a capital investment enable or enhance a growth strategy?

• How will this project bridge capital assets with the long-term business strategy?

• What impact do you want the new built environment to have on all employees?

• How will this project affect employee workflow to increase productivity?


• How will this project affect employee workflow to increase productivity?

• How will this project impact the working environment today, tomorrow and in the

future?

The answers to these questions defines the need behind brick and mortar. You believe the

facility shapes your organization, the firm you select should design accordingly.

3. Does the Firm Understand the

Value of Your Existing Facility

Before Building New?Rushing to build or expand without first understanding how your current facility assets can

be modified and reutilized to fit business decisions may result in a significant waste of

resources and capital.

As part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the existing Ramey Border Patrol

Station in Puerto Rico needed to support the growing demands of the Customs and Border

Protection Agency. Before building a new BPS, CBP wanted to know if an existing vacant

facility, adjacent to the station, Support Facility #723, could provide the space requirements

that were needed. The two-story building consisted of several office spaces, a

communications room, break room, arms vault, storage rooms, restroom and a large service


communications room, break room, arms vault, storage rooms, restroom and a large service

area.

A physical condition assessment was performed on the support facility, evaluating the

architectural, structural, plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems as well as the amount of

useable space within the facility. The assessment revealed that the functions identified by

CBP could be accommodated within the existing square footage of Facility #723 and the

systems would require minimal upgrades.

By spending the time to identify CBP’s needs and then assessing the capacity and condition

of the existing systems at Facility #723, DHS was able to reduce the overall schedule and

cost of the project.

4. Does the Firm Understand Your

Near-, Mid- and Long-Term Goals?

Before designing, the firm should devout adequate time on-site with key user groups. This

time should be spent understanding and mapping out current operating methods, workflows,

processes and facility utilization. From these interactions the following items should be

determined:

• Short-term and long-term staff and space forecasting

• Operational patterns assessment and development

• Critical adjacencies requirements for the site and within the facility

• Cost estimate of the identified requirements


In addition to understanding how the current facility operates, the firm should work with

your team to understand if any operational efficiencies can be captured in the new facility.

5. Does the Firm Recommend

Property Acquisition with the

Future in Mind?Feeling the pressure of the demanding need to house the ever-growing inmate population,

prison developers often rush to build and ignore how their biggest resource, land, affects

their facility strategy for the present and the future.

The shape and contour of the land you expect to build your facility on will bring with it

opportunities and constraints. A sober analysis of the land before it is purchased and a

designed facility will ensure your selection best fits your project objectives and works to

bring down your operational cost now and in the future.

Avoid being handcuffed by the land you choose:


Avoid being handcuffed by the land you choose:

• UnderstandUnderstandUnderstandUnderstand thethethethe constraintsconstraintsconstraintsconstraints andandandand buildbuildbuildbuild onononon thethethethe opportunitiesopportunitiesopportunitiesopportunities:::: Understanding

your organization's organizational, operational and functional requirements

and then developing a facility that minimizes dimensions between the physical

elements will result in a compact "lean" development plan that increases

productivity and drives down operation costs.

• DefineDefineDefineDefine thethethethe endendendend andandandand movemovemovemove backwardbackwardbackwardbackward:::: An ounce of prevention is worth a

pound of cure or, in the case of capital asset development, worth hundreds of

thousands of dollars in construction and operation costs. During the project’s

pre-thinking process, start at the end and then move backward. Keeping the

end in mind while land is purchased will ensure you have enough in order to

attain your end goal. Rushing to get a facility built to meet today's demands

does not ensure you will be able to grow to meet the demands of tomorrow.

During the project’s pre-

thinking process, start at

the end and then move backward.

6. Does the Firm Provide Employ

Facility Prototyping?

TheTheTheThe benefitsbenefitsbenefitsbenefits ofofofof utilizingutilizingutilizingutilizing prototypingprototypingprototypingprototyping includeincludeincludeinclude thethethethe abilityabilityabilityability::::

• ForForForFor staffstaffstaffstaff totototo movemovemovemove fromfromfromfrom facilityfacilityfacilityfacility totototo facilityfacilityfacilityfacility withwithwithwith minimalminimalminimalminimal trainingtrainingtrainingtraining andandandand easeeaseeaseease:::: The National

Institute for Corrections (NIC) reported that when direct supervision was introduced in

the 80s, most correctional officers had at least initial adjustment problems. Even though

direct supervision was proven to be safer, with fear at the root, officers were not trained

how to be in direct and solo contact with prisoners. Creating consistency within prison

systems will allow for easy facility transfers and standard training.

• ToToToTo promotepromotepromotepromote thethethethe samesamesamesame efficientefficientefficientefficient operationsoperationsoperationsoperations throughoutthroughoutthroughoutthroughout allallallall locationslocationslocationslocations


• ToToToTo promotepromotepromotepromote thethethethe samesamesamesame efficientefficientefficientefficient operationsoperationsoperationsoperations throughoutthroughoutthroughoutthroughout allallallall locationslocationslocationslocations

• ToToToTo solidifysolidifysolidifysolidify brandingbrandingbrandingbranding impactimpactimpactimpact:::: As a business, private or government-run prisons need to

brand their services and appearances in order to be recognized by both investors and

clients.

• ToToToTo reducereducereducereduce upupupup----frontfrontfrontfront constructionconstructionconstructionconstruction costscostscostscosts:::: When using a proven facility model, the cost of

designing is significantly reduced, as only minor tweaks to the standard need to be made.

• ToToToTo expediteexpediteexpediteexpedite construction,construction,construction,construction, movemovemovemove----inininin andandandand startstartstartstart----upupupup datesdatesdatesdates:::: A standardized design will be

repeated. After the first-of-its-kind is built, the construction team, already having had

experience with it and the materials, can move more quickly to build the facility.

7. Does the Firm Provide Design

Concepts that Allow for Multiple

Client Configuration Strategies?A design concept that supports the housing of multiple, diverse clients allows private or

government-run prison operators to get the most out the existing space. A diversified

housing strategy allows flexibility to house segregation, dormitory and cell units as well as

clients from completely different jurisdictions in one building. In a traditional model, each

section has its own building, which drives up cost and makes the facility more dependent on

today's inmate population versus future trends.

With a diversified housing strategies and design to support it, an entire building does not

have to be dedicated to one inmate type. For instance, if one inmate type only requires a

quarter or half of a building, then instead of the rest of the building sitting empty, the other


quarter or half of a building, then instead of the rest of the building sitting empty, the other

pods can be utilized for other inmate types, creating a facility that can be efficiently filled to

capacity.

Make Sure Your A/E Really Wants to

Save You Money

To discriminate a firm that wants to save you money and drive down long-term operation

costs, use this check list as a set of criteria:

1. Has a Front-End Planning Process that Results in Proven Operational Savings

2. Listens to All Users and Owners and Separates “Wishes” from “Needs”

3. Understands the Value of Your Existing Facility Before Building New

4. Understands Your Near-, Mid- and Long-Term Needs

5. Recommends Property Acquisition with the Future in Mind

6. Creates a Repeatable Design Concept for Multi-Facility Organizations

7. Provides Design Concepts That Allow for Multiple Client Configuration Strategies7. Provides Design Concepts That Allow for Multiple Client Configuration Strategies


Get Your Project Started on the Right

Foot

If you need to move your capital asset project from the "idea" stage to the "strategic

decision" stage and ensure it meets or exceeds cost/schedule and performance objectives,

such as reduced staffing costs, Performa would like to show you how with a free initial

planning workshop. David Robillard, President of Performa's Federal Programs Group, will

lead your team through a day-long work session that will help define a high level project

scope of work which will examine:

• Facility staff/space requirements

• Site selection and acquisition/evaluation criteria

• Site configuration/land use plan alternatives

• Project’s order or magnitude cost estimate• Project’s order or magnitude cost estimate

Learn more about the free initial planning session HERE.


Performa, Inc.Performa Inc. is a Wisconsin-based corporation licensed in 42 states in all areas of the

practice of Planing, Interior Design, Space Planning, Architecture and Engineering.

Performa was founded in 1995 by a small, tight-knight group of experienced planners,

architects and engineers for the single purpose of creating more practical solutions

for clients' business challenges- solutions that deliver measurably higher operational

and financial performance.

A strategic planning and design processA strategic planning and design processA strategic planning and design processA strategic planning and design process

Performa strives to understand the client- the business, the people, the operations

and the objectives.

To make this possible, Performa brings two key constituents together: the owners and To make this possible, Performa brings two key constituents together: the owners and

the users.

Project PlanningProject PlanningProject PlanningProject Planning focuses on the owners. Performa leads a one-day work session with

senior management and their team to clearly define and document their strategic

objectives and priorities for the project. The Performa team digs deep into the core

drivers behind the project’s expected outcomes and priorities.

Needs AssessmentNeeds AssessmentNeeds AssessmentNeeds Assessment focuses on the users: those individuals who work and function

within the facility. Performa's team facilitates a week-long series of on-site workshops

with the key user-groups. Performa maps all existing operating methods, workflows,

processes and facility utilization.

This collaborative approach ensures the owners achieve their strategic objectives for

the facility and that the users embrace the new facility and become champions of it,

rather than opponents.

www.performainc.com

David Robillard

David Robillard is the President of Performa’s Justice Program. He has worked with

numerous local, county, state, federal agencies and private sector clients, providing them

with strategic business, land and facilities consulting services.

David’s 25 years of commitment and dedication to justice work has allowed him to be a

strategic resource, helping clients achieve their goals by bringing to them the most recent

organizational, operational and functional standards/guidelines and industry trends. He is

personally involved in technical studies in the areas of design guidelines, proto-type facility

models, site master planning, needs assessment, architectural programming and design.

www.performainc.com

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7 Ways To Know Your Ae Wants To Save You Money