“Sustaining” Sustainability - Enabling Operational Excellence Through Strategic Asset Management

Tip #28

Mark Mochel, Strategic Account Executive at Brightly Software

Traditionally, sustainability in healthcare has been about energy reduction, efficient building operations, and continuous commissioning. However, sustainability is not just about mitigating external environmental impact—it's about fully optimizing internal operations, minimizing inefficiencies, and enhancing overall performance.

Operational excellence goes beyond having cutting-edge building automation systems and smart infrastructure—it's about the day-to-day operational finesse, the preventive maintenance, the filter changes, and every touchpoint where technicians interact with equipment. These seemingly routine actions contribute significantly to sustainability. In this context, strategic asset management emerges as an imperative for those aiming for both sustainability and operational excellence.

Leveraging Risk Ranking: A Pillar of Informed Decision-Making

Identifying high-risk assets — those critical to both operations and capital investment — becomes paramount. Whether it's an air handler servicing an operating room or the roof over an acute space, these assets demand heightened scrutiny. The risk ranking framework, complemented by predicted useful life data, acts as a potent tool for informed decision-making, guiding both operational and capital planning.

Paradigm Shift: Embracing Asset Lifecycle and Technological Obsolescence

Let’s draw attention to the paradigm shift facilitated by strategic asset management, seamlessly integrating asset lifecycle considerations and addressing technological obsolescence. Comparable to a phone's software requiring updates, facility equipment with outdated technology poses real risks. A strategic asset management system can recommend proactive replacements through calculated factors like deferred maintenance that can save your facility and its patients from additional stress.

Bridging Compliance to Sustainability: A Game-Changer

Strategic asset management acts as a transformative bridge between compliance and sustainability. Aligning data-driven risk ranking with operational and capital planning, it redefines facility management. It ensures not just compliance but also nurtures proactive sustainability initiatives. This approach sparks discussions on deep organization and efficiency improvements.

Nurturing Operational Empowerment

Remember, sustainability is not just about external impacts — it's about optimizing internal operations, minimizing waste, and achieving operational excellence. By leveraging strategic asset management, we, as facility leaders, can not only meet compliance needs but also proactively drive sustainability initiatives. As we navigate the ongoing journey of sustainability, let's empower our facilities with the right tools and strategies.