BUILDER Glossary

Term

Acronym

Definition

A

Architecture/

Engineering

A/E

Architecture/Engineering is the application of engineering principles and technology to building design and construction.  This will be used to identify a type of company that will often be performing assessments.

Area Cost Factor

ACF

The ACF is a factor between 0 and 2 that is applied to an area of the country. That number denotes areas where items are more or less expensive according in relation to that region. The ACF helps BUILDER accurately generate cost of repair.

Americans with Disabilities Act

ADA

Legislation passed in 1990 that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. Under this Act, facilities must comply with construction standards for access.

American Society for Testing and Materials

ASTM

ASTM is an international standards organization that develops and publishes voluntary consensus technical standards for a wide range of materials, products, systems, and services.

B

Building Component Condition Index

BCCI

The BCCI is the aggregate condition indexes of every section within the building’s components.

Building Condition Index

BCI

The BCI is the overall building condition score based on a roll-up of all section condition scores and weighted by replacement value.

Building Functionality Index

BFI

The BFI measures the functionality of a building as a whole through a functionality assessment. The higher the BFI the better. Sometimes annotated as simply, “FI.”

Building Performance Index

BPI

The BPI measures the overall performance of a building.  BPI is a combination of the CI and FI, weighted more heavily on the lower of the two. The split weighting is 0.71 and 0.29. Therefore, if CI is lower than PI the equation would be BPI = (CI*0.71) + (FI*0.29). Sometimes annotated as simply, “PI.”

BUILDER Remote Entry Database

BRED

BRED is a MS Windows application that facilitates offline field inspections for upload to the BUILDER software.

Built-Up Roofing

BUR

BUR is usually flat or slightly sloped roof that is covered with a special material applied in sealed, waterproof layers.

C

Condition Assessment

CA

CA is an industry term that describes the process of a qualified group of trained industry professionals performing an analysis of the condition of a group of facilities that may vary in terms of age, design, construction methods, and materials.

Computer Based Training

CBT

CBT is a course of instruction whose primary means of delivery is a computer. A CBT course may be delivered via a software product installed on a computer or over the Internet as Web-based training.

Coating Condition Index

CCI

CCI is used to adjust the remaining paint/coating life and estimate when the component-section should be re-painted or re-coated.  BUILDER allows users to assess the individual asset and coating separately.

Construction and Engineering Research Laboratories

CERL

CERL directs its research efforts toward increasing the Army’s ability to more efficiently design, construct, operate and maintain its installations and contingency bases and to ensure environmental quality and safety at a reduced life-cycle cost. 

Condition Index

CI

CI is BUILDER’s primary condition measure. The CI for each Component-Section is computed from inspection data that records the type, severity, and density of each distress found.

Component Importance Index

CII

The CII is a factor between 0 and 1. The number refers to a rating of importance for a specific section. This factor has been identified through research and is not editable.

Corrective Maintenance

CM

CM is a task performed to identify, isolate, and rectify a fault so that the failed equipment, machine, or system can be restored to an operational condition within the tolerances or limits established for in-service operations.

Computerized Maintenance Management System

CMMS

A CMMS software package maintains a computer database of information about an organization’s maintenance operations. This system will assist in the execution of maintenance, repair and replacement activities.

Component Section Condition Index

CSCI

CSCI is the fundamental metric used in BUILDER. The CSCI is a condition rating for the component section that is aggregated to every other level in the facility hierarchy.  

D

Defect Free

D/F

The D/F function is used in BUILDER to indicate a section has no distresses. Clicking the D/F checkbox within a specific section marks it as inspected.  

Database

DB

A Database is a structured set of data held in a computer, especially one that is accessible in various ways.

Department of Defense

DOD

The DOD is an executive branch department of the federal government of the United States charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government concerned directly with national security and the United States Armed Forces. 

E

Each

EA

EA is a unit of count defining the number of items regarded as separate units.

Enterprise Asset Management

EAM

EAM is the optimal lifecycle management of the physical assets of an organization. It covers subjects including the design, construction, commissioning, operations, maintenance and decommissioning/ replacement of plant, equipment and facilities.

Environmental Health & Safety

EHS/ ESH

The EHS is responsible for environmental protection, occupational health and safety at work. EHS management has two general objectives: prevention of incidents or accidents that might result from abnormal operating conditions, and reduction of adverse effects that result from normal operating conditions.

Estimated Paint Life

EPL

The EPL is BUILDER’s estimate of the length of time the paint will last before failure of the coating.

Engineering Research and Development Center-Construction Engineering Research Laboratory

ERDC-CERL

ERDC-CERL helps solve our Nation’s most challenging problems in civil and military engineering, geospatial sciences, water resources, and environmental sciences for the Army, Department of Defense, civilian agencies, and our Nation’s public good.

Emergency Service Call

ESC

ESC is used to flag the need for a quick, relatively inexpensive, emergency or service call to correct a problem found during the inspection. This is different than “Critical.” ESC is smaller in scope, represents unplanned work, and will be acted on with a few hours (emergency call) or days (service call).

Estimated Service Remaining

ESR

The ESR is the amount of life remaining on a Section based on the service life cost and condition.

F

Functional Area

FA

The FA is an area of a building that is designed for a purpose separate from the rest of the building. Functional areas are used to conduct Functionality Assessments in BUILDER.

Functional Area Functionality Index

FAFI

The FAFI is computed using the results of the active functionality assessment for the Functional Area.

Facility Condition Index

FCI

The FCI is the current maintenance, repair, and replacement deficiencies of the facility divided by the current replacement value of the facility. The higher the FCI, the better. The FCI calculation is (1-(Deferred Work/Current Replacement Value)) *100.

Functionality Index

FI

FI is the primary functionality measure and uses a 0-to-100 point scale in keeping with the SMS Sustainment Management System design philosophy. The functionality index is computed from assessment data that records the functionality issues present in the building and the severity and density of those issues.

Facility Manager

FM

An FM coordinates space, infrastructure, people, and organization often associated with the administration of buildings.

G

Geospatial Information Systems

GIS

GIS integrates hardware, software, and data for capturing, managing, analyzing and displaying all forms of geographically referenced information.

Gross Square Foot

GSF

The sum of all areas on all floors of a building included within the outside faces of its exterior walls, including all vertical penetration areas, for circulation and shaft areas that connect one floor to another.

H

Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning

HVAC

The HVAC system is used to provide heating and cooling services to buildings.

I

Internet Explorer

IE

IE is the web browser installed on MS Windows machines and is the approved browser for BUILDER.

Installation Status Report

ISR

The ISR measures installation condition against Army-wide standards.

K

Knowledge-based Condition Survey Inspection

KBCSI

The KBCSI approach looks at the expected CSCIs of all of the component-sections and uses that information to compute values for RSL, RML, condition zone location, and rate of deterioration and uses those criteria, plus others, recommends those component-sections for condition survey inspection in a given year.

Knowledge-based Inspection

KBI

KBI is designed to select from your entire inventory a subset of Component-Sections that should be considered for inclusion in the next round of condition assessments. Additionally, the feature is able to determine the type of condition assessments to perform.

Kilovolt-Amps

kVA

The kVA is 1000 volt-amperes. Electrical power is measured in watts (W): The voltage times the current measured each instant. In a direct current system or for resistive loads, the wattage and VA measurements will be identical.

L

Linear Feet

LF

LF is typically used to quantify components which are much larger in one dimension than the other. As examples: curbing, trim, flashing, and gutters are measures in linear feet. Measured in regular feet. No conversion is necessary. If something is 6 linear feet tall, it is 6 feet tall.

M

Maintenance and Rehabilitation

M&R

M&R activities are used to keep structures in their current condition and prolong their service lives.

Thousand BTU’s Per Hour

MBH

BTU is heat energy required to change one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit, so 100 MBH is 100,000 BTU’s.

Mission Dependency Index

MDI

The MDI is based on the mission owner’s assessment of the importance of each building to the accomplishment of his/her mission. The goal, as in the second view of the story, is to identify in an objective, quantitative manner how critical each facility is to the overall performance of the mission. Each building has an MDI score in the 0-100 range, where 100 is most critical and 0 is least critical.

Maintenance, Rehabilitation, and Repair

MR&R

MR&R include all actions which have the objective of retaining or restoring an item in or to a state in which it can perform its required function. The actions include the combination of all technical and corresponding administrative, managerial, and supervision actions.

O

Operations and Maintenance

O&M

O&M encompasses all the broad spectrum of services required to assure the built environment will perform the functions for which a facility was designed and constructed. Operations and maintenance typically includes the day-to-day activities necessary for the building and its systems and equipment to perform their intended function.

Office of the Secretary of Defense

OSD

The OSD is the principal staff element of the Secretary of Defense in the exercise of policy development, planning, resource management, fiscal, and program evaluation responsibilities. 

Office of the Under Secretary of Defense

OUSD

The OUSD is the principal staff office for the Defense Department on all budgetary and fiscal matters, including the development and execution of the Defense Department’s annual budget of more than $600 billion.

P

Performance Index

PI

The PI a combination of BCI and FI. The performance index is a useful metric that gives planners an idea of a building’s overall performance by assigning a point value calculated from both the condition and functionality of a building. The PI equation is: PI = (CI*0.71) + (FI*0.29).

Permanent

PERM

A PERM item is one intended to exist or function for a long, indefinite period without regard to unforeseeable conditions.

Paint Life

PL

The PL refers to the condition and longevity of coating that covers a section. For example, a painted railing on a staircase. PL is not related to the underlying condition index score.

Preventative Maintenance

PM

PM is maintenance that is regularly performed on a piece of equipment to lessen the likelihood of it failing. PM is performed while the equipment is still working, so that it does not break down unexpectedly.

Preventative Maintenance Inspection

PMI

PMIs are conducted periodically to inspect, clean, adjust, replace (or clean) filters, or otherwise maintain certain building components, particularly equipment. These PMIs provide an opportunity for PM inspectors to perform distress surveys of all of the subcomponents associated with a specific component

Point of Contact

POC

A POC is a person or a department serving as the coordinator or focal point of information concerning an activity or program. A POC is used in many cases where information is time-sensitive and accuracy is important.

Present Replacement Value

PRV

The PRV refers to the amount that an entity would have to pay to replace an asset at the present time, according to its current worth.  The building PRV is the cost to replace the entire facility.

Q

Quality Assurance

QA

QA is the maintenance of a desired level of quality in a service or product.  The owner of the facility would ensure the quality of assessment deliverables from a contractor through QA activities.

Quality Control OR Quality Check

QC

QC is a system of maintaining standards.  The contractor performing the assessment would perform QC activities.

R

Remaining Maintenance Life

RML

RML minus one year is a key time for performing a condition survey inspection. This forms the basis for the long range work plan. Scheduled year minus one year should be a condition survey inspection with distress quantities.

Return on Investment

ROI

ROI is the benefit to the investor resulting from an investment of some resource.  For BUILDER, any given work item has a ROI based on the value gained from an extension of service life and cost of that work.

Real Property Inventory

RPI

RPI is a record of an organization’s real property asset (land, building, or structure). 

Relocatable

RELO

A RELO item is constructed so as to be movable, portable, prefabricated, or modular.

Remaining Paint Life

RPL

The RPL displays the remaining paint life in years of a section.

Real Property Unique Identifier

RPUID

The RPUID is the unique identification number assigned to each facility in the Real Property Database.

Remaining Service Life

RSL

The RSL is displayed by the remaining service life in years of a section.

RSMeans

–

RSMeans is North America’s leading supplier of construction cost and service life information.

S

System Condition Index

SCI

The SCI measures the condition of a system as a whole. The higher the SCI the better.

Square Feet

SF

SF is a unit of area measurement equal to a square measuring one foot on each side.

Sustainment Management System

SMS

SMS is a suite of web-based software applications developed by ERDC’s Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL) to help facility engineers, technicians, and managers decide when, where, and how to best maintain the built.

Sustainment, Restoration, or Modernization

SRM

SRM provides funds to keep the DOD’s inventory of facilities in good working order, (i.e., day to day maintenance requirements). In addition, the program provides resources to restore facilities whose age is excessive or have been damaged by fire, accident, or natural disasters and alterations of facilities to implement new or higher standards or to accommodate new functions or missions.

Sample Unit Condition Index

SUCI

The SUCI is the condition of the sample itself. For example, if 50 doors were in a building, but only 10 were actually sampled for inspection, the SUCI would be the condition of the 10 doors.

T

Temporary

TEMP

A TEMP structure is one that lasts, exists, serving, or effective for a specific amount time only.

Tri-Service Automated Cost Engineering System

TRACES

TRACES consists of a suite of software applications designed to support the cost engineers throughout the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as well as the cost engineers with the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy.

U

Unit of Measure

UM

UM is a definite magnitude of a physical quantity, defined and adopted by convention or by law that is used as a standard for measurement of the same physical quantity.

UNIFORMAT

–

UNIFORMAT is a standard developed through an industry and government consensus for classifying building specifications, cost estimating, and cost analysis in the U.S. and Canada.