Schools nationwide are struggling with the burden of deferred maintenance, posing significant challenges for administrators and educators. But putting off needed upgrades leads to deteriorating buildings, increased costs on utility bills, inefficient operations, and less-than-ideal learning environments. These tight budgets are only forcing further deferrals and causing unexpected repairs and replacements to pop up.
The good news is that strategic preventative maintenance planning can help your schools!
Take Control with Proactive and Preventative Maintenance Planning
Using proactive and preventative maintenance can help address deferred maintenance. Did you know that an unplanned repair or replacement can be 2.5 to 3 times more expensive in the long run than planning for it? Here’s what you need to consider:
- Annual assessments to identify needs regarding HVAC equipment replacement and repairs
- Prioritization of systems needs like HVAC, lighting, and controls per facility and per unit
- Scheduling of routine maintenance tasks during breaks
- Budgeting for periodic upgrades based on lifecycles rather than failure
By implementing a strategic maintenance plan, schools can prevent deferred projects from snowballing into urgent reactive work.
Optimize School Facilities through Proactive Planning
Proactive planning ensures preventative maintenance activities align with district goals and budgets. Benefits include:
- More comfortable, distraction-free spaces for better learning
- Reduced utility bills through optimized equipment lifespans
- Well-maintained facilities that enhance district reputation
By taking a proactive approach, administrators can overcome burdensome deferred maintenance backlogs. So, the question becomes, what should you do next?
Overcome Deferred Maintenance through Partnership with ESG
Don’t let the deferred maintenance in your schools hold you back any longer. ESG brings decades of experience and expertise in helping school districts like yours implement customized plans to address facility needs.
Our team becomes an extension of yours, assessing your specific maintenance backlog and then collaborating to determine the optimal funding mix. The right mix of funding and financing (local, state, federal funds, energy and operations savings, and incentives) allows you to modernize learning environments, and we are here to help you every step of the way. We will look at all the possibilities, from local and state funding to federal support through programs like the Inflation Reduction Act.
By working together, we can create schools that can make you, your students, and your staff proud. Ready to ace facilities maintenance? Enroll with ESG for expert guidance!
