Queensland Department of Education and Training (DET)

Asset Life Cycle Assessment (ALCA)

Macutex was engaged by Queensland Department of Education and Training (DET) to undertake an Asset Life Cycle Assessment (ALCA) for all Government schools in Queensland between February 2016 and June 2018. The ALCA program informed school infrastructure planning and comprised building element replacement costs and the remaining useful life of facilities.

From April to June 2016 Macutex was appointed to assess 207 schools over 6 geographical regions conducting condition assessments on school buildings and site infrastructure and preparing building floor plans. Given the success of Stage 1, Macutex was contracted to complete the full ALCA program totaling 1175 schools throughout Queensland.

The project involved the collection of state-wide portfolio asset information to inform meaningful decision making. It required that Macutex ensure engagement with stakeholders during school operational hours whilst minimising disruptions to the operational environment.

Macutex successfully leveraged its logistical and resource management expertise to selectively engage, induct, train and manage a team of 40 staff including auditors, project managers, administrators, quality assurance technicians and drafting professionals. This was a critical factor in the successful delivery of the contract.

Macutex provided DET with consistent, clear and accurate data, as well as analytical tools to inform decision making across their portfolio of assets. Macutex formed partnerships with key stakeholders (School level and DET) to change their fundamental understanding of assets and budget allocation, whilst ensuring engagement with this new program and longer-term strategic planning.

Macutex assessed approximately 42,000 buildings/assets, condition rating over 700,000 building components across 1175 schools. Over 12,000 building plans were prepared to support ongoing operational management including and assist with space planning. The information collected by Macutex assisted DET to improve infrastructure investment decision-making through identification of infrastructure needs, informing long term strategic planning and budget allocation strategies.

Key outcomes included:

• The development of four-year and 12-year costed life cycle renewal program information as the basis for future planning and development
• Effective communication to schools regarding the change from former defect inspections to the new ALCA program
• Interactive, visual dashboards allowing interrogation of data and key summaries at a school, regional and state-wide level
• Preparation of building plans with an opportunity for improvement in ongoing FM practices, and
• A comprehensive, complete and accurate set of facilities asset data for strategic planning and operational decision-making, across the entire school’s portfolio

Positive feedback was received both from DET and schools noting the professional manner in which Macutex engaged with all stakeholders, a critical success factor for both DET and Macutex.