Setting a priority benchmark for building maintenance in Taiwan's National Universities

Managers of government-owned buildings, specifically in Taiwan, commonly face an urgent and difficult problem: how to create a building maintenance priority benchmark and, by doing so, distribute maintenance resources in the most beneficial way. This research investigated all 60 national universities in Taiwan. Through the use of expert interviews, focus groups, questionnaires, and AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process), this study analyzed 14 evaluation criteria (related to a building attributes and components on a daily and annual basis) influencing the creation of a building maintenance priority benchmark: (1) use necessity; (2) maintenance urgency; (3) impact on individuals; (4) impact on public; (5) current age relative to age/design limit; (6) exterior condition; (7) deterioration of components; (8) functional impairment of main structure; (9) functional impairment of walls and finish; (10) functional impairment Of electrical, air conditioning, communication, and monitoring/control; (11) functional impairment of plumbing, sanitation facilities, and fire protection; (12) value improvement rate; (13) maintenance management efficiency; and (14) use efficiency. The result of this research is the formulation Of a "Maintenance Priority Benchmark (MPB) for School Buildings in Taiwan National Universities," which can provide government-building managers a valuable reference for maintenance decision making.