Do your commercial buildings have the proper protocols in place?

CREtelligent offers Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Plan services to assist our clients in developing programs that minimize exposure to potentially harmful or toxic building materials.

While O&M Plans are not a substitute for statutory or regulatory requirements, they do provide a written plan to ensure compliance with applicable regulations and reduce the risk of building occupant exposure to potentially harmful or toxic compounds in building materials. Some of these include:

  • Asbestos Containing Materials

  • Lead-Based Paint

  • Moisture and Microbial Growth

Common Property Types

The O&M Plan provides building owners, facility managers, maintenance staff, and building occupants clear instructions on how to reduce the risk of exposure to these materials and compounds. Some of the more common property types include:

  • Schools

  • Multi-occupant residential buildings (apartments, dorms, assisted care, etc.)

  • Shopping centers

  • Office buildings

Protocol Planning

The presence of potentially harmful or toxic compounds in building materials does not need to be confirmed for an O&M Plan to be developed. Many O&M Plans are used to address materials suspected to be affected. This allows building owners and managers to be prepared and have proper protocols in place to reduce the risk of exposure for building occupants.

Who needs O&M Plans?

  • Property Owners

  • Property Managers

  • Brokers (for buildings which may have an identified risk of potentially harmful compounds in their building)

  • Borrowers (especially SBA loans) who may have an identified risk of potentially harmful compounds in their building (through a Phase I or other report)

Typical Red Flags for O&M Plans

Two of the most common red flags for needing an O&M Plan include:

Age of building

This especially applies to Asbestos and Lead Paint. While by the early 1980s these materials were no longer supposed to be used in residential buildings, they persisted in the supply chain and were used in commercial buildings well after this time. Any property constructed prior to 1985 carries an elevated risk of these materials being present.

Some states require asbestos testing any time friable building materials are disturbed regardless of the age of a building.

Water staining, musty odors or visible microbial growth

These are common indicators of mold and moisture issues. Properties at greatest risk are in wet environments or geographic areas of high humidity. Old buildings with poor plumbing or ongoing leaks can also experience mold and moisture issues.

Download Product Information Sheet
Lead-Based Paint Sample Report
Asbestos Containing Materials Sample Report
Moisture and Microbial Growth Sample Report