Buildings Are Worth the Investment

In 2007, the Washington Post featured a story about a musician wearing a baseball cap who picked-up his violin and took his position next to the trash cans during rush hour in a DC Metro station.  He played for roughly 43 minutes and made just over $30 in tips. End of story?  Nope. Read on.

A 2022 article (and source of the photo) that recounted the event noted that people passing him on their way to work likely didn’t notice that the violinist was playing some of the most difficult classical music from Bach, Massenet, Schubert and Ponce.

Neither did they notice (save one, apparently) that the subway station musician or “busker” was the famous virtuoso Joshua Bell, who regularly sold out theaters for concerts with symphony orchestras around the world, playing a violin worth more than $3 million.  The article continues:

Some people see it as a sorrowful tale of all the people who just walked by – of a world too busy, too preoccupied, too un-curious, or even simply disinterested in the best that classical music has to offer.

We’re not so sure.

Perhaps, it just is what it is. For those precious 40-something minutes there was music being made among us and for us; as it is every day – whether it be from a Joshua Bell, a future Joshua Bell, or a not-quite Joshua Bell (but who loves music just the same).

Many at the time also thought it a valuable reminder about the musical talent of buskers and informal performers, who are around us most days.

That may be true. But I like the take on this story provided by an anonymous Facebook post that offered the following lesson to be learned from Joshua Bell’s experiment:
 

The experiment proved that the extraordinary in an ordinary environment does not shine and is so often overlooked and undervalued.  There are brilliantly talented people everywhere who aren’t receiving the recognition and reward they deserve. But once they arm themselves with value and confidence and remove themselves from an environment that isn’t serving them, they thrive and grow.

This may seem a strange story to post in a blog related to campus buildings. But I think the phrase

“the extraordinary in an ordinary environment does not shine”

could also apply to the role that high quality facilities plays in creating an environment that fosters and showcases excellence among students, faculty and staff.  Attractive, well-maintained campus facilities provide the comfortable surroundings and functional support that allow the talent and hard work of their occupants thrive.  Never underestimate the value of that support and its worth to the success of the university as a whole.  Buildings are worth the investment!

Preventing Frozen Pipes in Buildings

Last December, a number of university buildings in Maryland suffered severe damage due to frozen pipes that broke and filled occupied spaces with water.  In some cases fire suppression systems were rendered inoperable.  The cause was a combination of very low temperatures, a loss of power (and thus heating) in some buildings, and the general age and condition of the plumbing systems. The photo (left) was sent to me by a campus facility manager.

Most students and faculty were on their holiday break at the time, but the damage at some institutions has been long-lasting and will impact the use of facilities long into the remainder of the 2022-23 school year.  Repair costs have ranged well into the $millions and institutions are looking toward ways to avoid these problems in the future.

In a recent article subtitled Frozen Pipe Damage, the Real Estate brokerage Re-Shield provides some prevention suggestions for facility managers:

Cold temperatures don’t have to pose as significant a problem as some think. Commercial property owners can take precautions to avoid frozen pipes and the damage they cause, including:

·         Drain and shut off pipes that aren’t used during cold months.
·         Keep temperatures at 40 degrees or above in all areas of the building.
·         Insulate pipes in unheated spaces, including sprinkler system pipes.
·         Maintain heating systems to ensure continued usage.
·         Monitor antifreeze concentration in sprinkler systems.
·         Conduct routine checks of fire pumps, sprinkler system equipment, and building plumbing.

Preventing cold weather issues is far more convenient and cost-efficient than cleaning up a mess. At the least, it’s best to be ready for a storm before it hits.

Chubb Insurance provides additional advice, including preparation of building equipment and roofs, as well as your employees, such as:

• Ensure all doors, windows, skylights, ventilators, and shafts are weather-tight to prevent cold air from entering any part of the building. Check areas of recent construction.
• Maintain a list of contractors, equipment/parts suppliers that can respond to building freeze-up problems.
• Maintain a list of employees with contact numbers to be utilized in the event work is canceled or delayed. Identify employees who can assist with recovery efforts.
• Inspect all emergency power sources such as generators to assure proper operation.
• Inspect emergency heating systems to assure proper operation.
• Ensure that idle cooling equipment such as cooling coils, chillers, and compressors are drained and/or installed in areas with heat. Cooling equipment operating year-round must have operating and de-icing procedures implemented to prevent freeze-ups and ice damage.
• Shield equipment and inventory that is located directly below susceptible frozen pipes with water-resistant coverings. 
• Keep snow and ice clear from access ways, control valves, fire hydrants, hose cabinets, smoke/heat vents, water motor goings, and fire department connections.  
• During the storm, initiate a periodic roof inspection program to monitor the conditions on the roof and drains.  
• Remove ice from skylights and around large heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment units, as well as facades, penthouses, and parapets. 
• Remove ice buildup along the eaves/troughs and edge of the roof line.