Guides for facilities management and maintenance

BSRIA is an ISO 9001 Registered test, instruments, research and consultancy organisation, providing specialist services in construction and building services, including facilities management and building maintenance.

As a non-profit distributing, member-based association, clients can be assured of an independent approach and authoritative reputation. Any profits made are invested in our on-going research programme, producing industry recognised best practice guidance. Some of the guides focussing on facilities management and building maintenance are outlined below.

• SPONS 2024 pricebooks (SPONSM24, SPONSA24) by AECOM (October 2023)

Published on the 22nd of September 2023 and is now available to order. These are the most comprehensive price books available. It provides pricing information across the full range of mechanical and electrical services and construction price information. Take advantage of discounted e-license bundles and share them with your team.

• Statutory Compliance Inspection Checklist (BG80/2023) by David Bleicher (May 2023)

This guide supersedes BG 80/2022 Statutory Compliance Inspection Checklist. It lists all the tests, checks and inspections that are required on building services systems required by legislation, Approved Codes of Practice and/or supporting guidance. In addition to the spreadsheet, the guide includes general information about legislation in the UK and guidance on how to use the spreadsheet.

• Handover information and operations and maintenance manuals (BG79/2020) by Nick Blake (August 2020)

This guide replaces BG 1/2007 Handover, O&M manuals and project feedback. It covers the various documentation delivered and activities carried out at handover of a building, with particular focus on operating and maintenance (O&M) manuals.

• Handover Information and O&M Manuals Set (HOM1) by Jo Harris, John Sands, Nick Blake, Salim Deramchi & Wilson A (July 2019)

This set comprises three publications: BG 26/2011 Building Manuals and Building User Guides, BG 78/2021 Project Information Process and BG 79/2020 Handover Information and O&M Manuals.

• Soft Landings Set of 5 guides (SL5) by BSRIA (September 2017)

BSRIA's set contains 2015 GSL guide, How to Procure Soft Landings, Soft Landings Framework, Soft Landings Core Principles and Pitstopping guides

• BIM Guides set (BIM1) by John Sands (March 2017)

This set comprises three BSRIA guides that help with understanding of BIM processes, covering classification, specifications and a roadmap for corporate BIM strategies.

• Maintenance Contracts: A guide to best practice for procurement (BG 66/2016) by Godfrey K & Groen (November 2016)

This guide is aimed at helping clients, facilities managers and their organisations to understand better the key success factors in procuring maintenance contracts

• Business-Focused Maintenance (BG 53/2016) by Jo Harris (May 2016)

Business-focused maintenance (BFM) provides a methodology for utilising maintenance budgets more effectively. The 2nd edition includes the latest methodologies for organisations to maintain critical assets effectively while other less critical assets are managed as well as possible within budget.

• Life Cycle Costing (BG 67/2016) by David Churcher & Peter Tse (March 2016)

This guide replaces BG5/2008, Whole Life Costing and presents a simple process for the calculation of life cycle costs. Life cycle costing complements the move towards use of information models to improve asset and project management.

• Carbon and Cost Analysis Set (CC1) by Churcher D, Jones C. - Editors Lowrie F. Tse P & Prof Hammond G (March 2016)

BSRIA's set of three guides covering carbon, cost and environmental analysis. Contains Life Cycle Costing (BG 67/2016), Life Cycle Assessment (BG 52/2013) and Embodied Carbon – the inventory of carbon and energy (BG 10/2011).

• Building Performance Evaluation in Non-Domestic Buildings (BG 63/2015) by Michelle Agha-Hossein, Sarah Birchall & Saryu Vatal (August 2015)

This guide explains how to use Building Performance Evaluation (BPE) to address issues of inefficiency and user dissatisfaction. It is a general introduction to BPE, and explains why it is important and how it can be carried out.

• Soft Landings and Government Soft Landings (BG 61/2015) by Ashley Bateson (August 2015)

This briefing note provides an overview of the Government Soft Landings (GSL) policy and a comparison with the BSRIA Soft Landings Framework.

• BIM Roadmap (BG 60/2015) by John Sands (May 2015)

This guide will help an organisation to chart or map their corporate BIM strategy (which meets the Level 2 requirement by UK Government) via a number of clear steps. It will put all the concepts such as PAS 1192-2 into a common framework to demonstrate how they relate to each other.

• Legionnaires' Disease - Operation and Maintenance Log Book (BG 58/2015) by Reginald Brown & Salim Deramchi (May 2015)

Legionnaires' Disease - Operation and Maintenance Log Book covers the recording of operation and maintenance data for risk systems. It includes a selection of editable forms for common risk systems that can be used to create the log book and covers the latest standards and guidance.

• Legionnaires' Disease - Risk Assessment (BG 57/2015) by Reginald Brown & Salim Deramchi (February 2015)

This guide provides a framework for a legionella risk assessment. It replaces AG20/2000 and has been updated to take account of later standards and guidance documents including the 2013 edition of the Approved Code of Practice and Guidance (ACOP) and associated guidance (HSG27)

• Legionnaires' Disease set of 2 guides (LWT2) by Reginald Brown & Salim Deramchi (February 2015)

This set contains Legionnaires’ Disease – Risk Assessment (BG 57/2015) and Legionnaire’s Disease – Operation and Maintenance Log Book (BG 58/2015). Save 30% by ordering both guides together.

• CIBSE Guide M: Maintenance Engineering and Management 2014 (GVM) by CIBSE (November 2014)
• Guide M: Maintenance Engineering and Management (CIBSE Guide M) Illustrated Guides set of 2 (ILL) by David Bleicher & Peter Tse (May 2014)

Set of two guides, Illustrated Guide to Mechanical Building Services 3rd Edition and Illustrated Guide to Electrical Building Services 3rd Edition. Provides basic reference information on mechanical and electrical building services systems for construction clients and building operators.

• HVAC Troubleshooting (BG25/2014) by Ralph Bell & Salim Deramchi (February 2014)

HVAC Troubleshooting guide replaces the previous edition AG 25/99 and provides step by step procedures to identify and solve problems found in typical HVAC systems. Covers refrigeration, ventilation, heating and common items.

• Asset Management and Maintenance Audits (BG 24/2012) by Bell R & Harris J (July 2012)

Effective management of assets requires feedback. A well planned audit will check management systems and maintenance to identify any deviations and make any necessary corrections. This publication provides guidance on types of audits, the audit process and also the role of an auditor.

• Condition Surveys and Asset Data Capture (BG 35/2012) by Bell R & Harris J (January 2012)

This guide replaces Condition Survey of Building Services AG 4/2000 and is aimed at those who have the responsibility for maintaining buildings. Maintenance is vital to ensure a building can operate in accordance with its core function and also plays an important role in reducing...

• Thermal Imaging of Building Fabric (BG 39/2011) by Pearson C (October 2011)

This guide includes information on updates to building regulations, advances in camera technology and improved methods of analysing images. It aims to help people involved in constructing, owning and operating buildings with thermal imaging.

• Building Manuals and Building User Guides - Guidance and worked examples (BG 26/2011) by Deramchi S, Harris J & Wilson A (July 2011)

BSRIA's latest guidance aims to help those responsible for creating the building log book and the building user guides. The complexity of modern buildings demands that we all have a greater understanding of how to operate buildings to achieve the optimum benefits and cost...

• Soft Landings for Schools Case studies (BG 9/2010) by Bunn R & Usable Building Trust (October 2010)

There is a major policy imperative to make buildings perform radically better and much more sustainably. It will be impossible to meet these expectations reliably unless the service given by the construction industry also changes, with more focus on actual performance in use....

• Handover, O&M Manuals, and Project Feedback (Superseded) (BG1/2007) by Bunn, Hastings & Pennycook K (October 2007)

This publication has been superseded by BG 79/2020 Handover information and O&M manuals

• Computer-based operating and maintenance manuals - Options and procurement guidance (Withdrawn) (BG 2/2004) by De Saulles T. (June 2004)

The guide is aimed at engineers involved in the procurement and use of computer-based O&M manuals for building services. It is intended to help procure and implement the most appropriate computerised O&M systems. The guide is in two parts: Part one - Guidance to using...

• BMS Maintenance Guide - Plus a model maintenance specification (BG 4/2003) by Martin A. (May 2003)

This guide details the issues involved in BMS maintenance and provides specification clauses to assist the procurement of a BMS maintenance service. It is aimed at facilities managers and others responsible for procuring BMS maintenance support services.

• Condition-Based Maintenance: Using Non-Destructive Testing (AG 1/2003) by Pearson C. Seaman A. (January 2003)

Presents a guide to the application of non-destructive testing (NDT) in condition monitoring regimes. Examines six, established NDT techniques, describing the testing methods and the effectiveness of each method in detecting faults in different types of building services plant....

• Building-related sickness: Causes, effects, and ways to avoid it (TN 2/2002) by Palmer A. & Rawlings R. (August 2002)

Identifies the parameters most likely to play a role in building-related sickness. Also provides a discussion and guidelines on good practice for all significant aspects of building-related sickness. Provides a checklist that addresses the adequacy of the working environment...

• Effective BMS - A guide to improving system performance (AG 10/2001) by Pennycook K. (August 2001)

Writes for facilities management/maintenance staff along with staff employed by companies providing BMS (building management system) support services. Provides guidance on how to improve the effectiveness of BMS. States that in particular the guidance will help determine whether...

• Condition based maintenance - An evaluation guide for building services (AG 5/2001) by Seaman A. (May 2001)

Notes that building services maintenance is predominantly based on a breakdown or time-based strategy, which do not always provide the plant reliability required in critical business environments. States that condition based maintenance (CBM) provides a means of improving the...

• BSRIA Power quality guide (AG 2/2000) by Pearson CC. (July 2000)

States that a number of high profile electrical failures have highlighted the importance of quality, in the electrical power delivered to equipment in commercial and industrial buildings. Power quality depends on at least a dozen key features of the electrical supply, including...

• Making natural ventilation work (GN 7/2000) by Fitzsimmons J. & Martin A. (June 2000)

Notes the operational, environmental and cost benefits provided by natural ventilation for non-domestic buildings, but points out that the increased implementation of natural ventilation is threatened by poor management and operation in the use of natural ventilation strategies....

• HVAC Troubleshooting - a guide to solving indoor environmental and energy consumption problems (AG13/99) (Withdrawn) by Fletcher J (September 1999)

This document is an HVAC troubleshooting guide to help facilities managers and maintenance personnel solve indoor environment and energy or water consumption problems. This is a withdrawn document.

• Building control and indoor environmental quality - a best practice guide (TN 9/98) by Fletcher J. (March 1998)

Writes to enable building operators 1) to compare their building with current recommended practice, 2) to identify whether occupant complaints are caused by poor control and 3) to rectify controls-related problems. Demonstrates the influence of building controls on indoor...

• BEMS as condition based maintenance tools (TN 4/95) by Barnard N. & Starr A. (January 1995)

Publication outlining the results of research into the applicability of condition monitoring techniques to the maintenance of building services. Notes the drawbacks of breakdown maintenance and time- based maintenance and states that condition based maintenance (CBM) has the...

• Operating and maintenance manuals for building services installations (AG 1/87.1) (Superseded) by Armstrong J (January 1990)

This document aims to improve the standard of operating and maintenance manuals available within the building services industry by providing a structured guide to their preparation. Superseded by BG 1/2007.

• Coordination of building services (TN 3/77) by Butler H (January 1977)

Reports BSRIA and others' research results indicating definite need for coordination in design and installation of building services. Considers areas where coordinati...

• Operating and maintenance manuals for building services installations (AG 1/87) (Superseded) by Armstrong J

This document was published to improve the standard of operating and maintenance (0 & M) manuals available within the building services industry. It has been deliberately written in direct terms and makes positive recommendations concerning manual content and the procedures by which manuals should be obtained. Superseded by AG 1/87.1