Basic Building Condition
Assessment – Part 1
Prepared for Delivery through AGLEARN
Course Training Objectives
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Gain an overview of the Forest Service portfolio of building assets
Understand the distinction between “basic” and “complex” buildings as
described by the agency protocol
Learn how to properly conduct condition assessments on “basic” Forest
Service buildings using new agency protocols
Learn how to properly document building condition assessments by
correctly recording the applicable header information, standard and custom
work items and quantities and accomplishment of tasks
Become aware of how building condition assessment data will be input
into I-Web for further processing, including automated costing of needs,
leading to a determination of building value that is adjusted based upon its
condition
Gain some insight in effectively operating, maintaining and managing
public facilities
Target Audience
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Forest Service engineers, engineering technicians, recreation
technicians and other forest, district and lab and station
employees designated to conduct building condition
assessments and input the related data into I-Web
Contractors employed to conduct condition assessments on
Forest Service buildings
Line Officers who desire an overview of the building condition
assessment process may also find this course of interest
Training - When and How
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Training on the new agency-standard protocols is needed prior
to conducting condition assessments of buildings beginning in
FY 2008
The AGLEARN short course is required for everyone
conducting assessments on “basic” buildings; a full 3-day
classroom and field trip course is required for assessors of
“complex” buildings.
There are no pre-requisites for the AGLEARN course, and
completion of it will be considered adequate preparation for
“basic” inspectors. “Complex” building inspectors need the 3
day course plus construction certification in the “Buildings”
category
Part I – Portfolio of Forest
Service Buildings
Summary of Forest Service
Building Inventory
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The Forest Service has over 40,000 buildings, most of
which are located on a National Forest, on an
Experimental Forest or at a Research Station
They range in size from less than 25 to over 100,000
square feet of floor space
Over 30,000 of these Forest Service buildings fall
toward the smaller end of the spectrum, being
classified in I-Web as “sheds”, “shelters”, “barns” or
“pit and vault toilets”
Definition of a “Building”
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From FSH 7509.11, section 05, a building is
defined as “a structure to support, shelter, or
enclose persons, animals, or property of any
kind.”
Bird houses and dog houses are not buildings
A tent is not a building
Buildings (FS-Owned)
31,3340,000 Square Feet
Current Replacement Value
(CRV) > $5.4 Billion
$464,000,000 of Deferred
Maintenance
8.6% of Total Value
Most are Old; Many are Historic
*Data from 2000
Forest Service Building Value and
Condition by Unit
https://iweb.fs.usda.gov/cdwreports/Buildings_subcategory_fci_fy04.xls
Note: this is a secure link, therefore you must be logged into eAuthentication for it to work.
Also note that the +’s on the left side indicate that you can drill down to the unit of interest.
More are Being Added Every Day
Basic and Complex
Buildings
Buildings classified as “Basic”
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“Basic” buildings generally coincide the ones
classified in I-Web as “sheds”, “shelters”, “barns” and
“pit and vault toilets” although certainly some barns
and shelters especially would be classified as
“complex” due to the presence of heating, plumbing
and/or electrical systems in them.
For the purposes of conducting condition assessments
“basic” buildings are defined as those buildings
having no HVAC (heating, ventilation and air
conditioning), no plumbing and no electrical.
Pictorial Examples of “Basic” Forest
Service Buildings
Storage
Barn
Shed
Storage
Shed
Vault
Vault
Toilet
Toilet
MolderingPrivy
Privy
Moldering
Trail Shelter
We really have a lot of basic buildings!
Complex Buildings
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For the purposes of conducting condition assessments
“complex” buildings are defined as those buildings having one,
two or all of the following components: electrical, heating,
ventilation air conditioning, or plumbing.
Only about 1/3 of the Forest Service’s 40,000+ buildings
recorded in I-Web would be classified as “complex” for this
purpose; the rest are “basic”
The AGLEARN course is the only required training for
performing condition assessments on “basic buildings”
To conduct assessments on “complex” buildings completion of
a 3-day course is required, as well as certification as a
“Buildings” construction inspector
Pictorial Examples of “Complex”
Forest Service Buildings
Office
Barn
Office
Kiosk
Labor Shed
Bath
VaultHouse
Toilet
Bunk
Shelter
House
Portable Buildings
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There has been some confusion and miscommunication over how to classify
portable buildings – sometimes they are classified as real property and
sometimes they are classified as personal property
Generally real property is defined as being “any interest in land, together
with the improvements, structures, and fixtures, including prefabricated
movable structures such as Butler-type storage warehouses and quonset huts,
and house trailers with or without undercarriages, and appurtenances thereto,
under the control of any Federal agency”
When designated by the agency for disposition separate from the land which
underlies them portable buildings convert from real to personal property
Portable buildings may still require condition assessments to inform their
value whether they are considered to be real or personal property
Portable buildings which are real property must be input into I-web and may
be assessed maintenance fees
Once they become identified for disposition and become personal property
they will no longer be assessed maintenance fees
Pictorial Examples of Portable Forest
Service Buildings
Real Property
Barn
Real Property
Vault Toilet
Kiosk or Shed
Portable Toilets
Not yet considered “Real”
Shelter
Not Real Property
Temporary Buildings
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May be simple, complex or portable, but are not real property
Portable storage buildings and tents are examples
No indication that the FSM addresses temporary buildings or
provides different construction or maintenance standards for
them
The assumption is that a temporary building would not be
stored in the I-Web Inventory System, be assessed CP09 or
other maintenance fees – How long is temporary? Maybe
one year, but surely not 10
Temporary buildings might require condition inspections, but
as the buildings would not be inventoried in I-Web, neither
would the condition surveys
Pictorial Examples of Temporary
Forest Service Buildings
Mobile Tanker Base
“Plastic” Storage Building
Tent
Temporary Office
Buildings (Leased)
How would you classify this one?
Hint: It does not have a permanent roof.
Review Question #1
Select the most correct answer from the following
choices:
a. All sheds are classified as “basic” buildings.
b. A barn with electric lights would be classified as a
“complex” building.
c. A moldering privy would be classified as a
“complex” building.
d. Most historically significant buildings are
classified as “basic.”
Review Question #2
Select the most correct answer from the following choices:
a. A mobile trailer intended for use as a technician office and
expected to be in place over a year does not require a
condition survey, since it is not classified as real property.
b. A large tent used to temporarily shelter competitors for an
Olympic event being held on a National Forest is real
property and therefore would be assessed maintenance fees.
c. A quonset hut used as a work center storage building is
real property and therefore would be assessed maintenance
fees.
d. A plastic toilet building being stored at the work center for
use later at a recreation site is real property.
Answers to Review Questions 1 & 2
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Correct Answer to Question 1 – “b”
Correct Answer to Question 2 – “c”