Purpose

Compiled by the Office of Facilities Management, these Standards
and Guidelines are intended to serve as a guide for renovation and
new construction projects at the University of Maryland College
Park.  They are the result of experience gained over a number of
years and reflect the University's judgement about what is needed
to obtain optimum lifetime performance from it's buildings in terms
of first time cost and maintenance.

The design and construction of buildings at the University of
Maryland poses a unique challenge to project designers.  It is the
University's intent to create facilities that shall remain useful
for 50 or more years.  It requires a commitment to the taxpayers
and users to understand the two major differences between a
building built at taxpayers' expense and used by an institution and
a building built for private industry use:

1.   The building shall remain in use for 50 to 100 years.

2.   The cost of operation is not passed onto the tenants or
     depreciated.

First, because of the long life expectancy and changing academic
environment, the infrastructure of a building must be designed for
flexibility and change.  Interstitial space has to be large enough
to accommodate mechanical and electrical system
additions/modifications brought on by an increase in the density of
use and the increased demands of technology.  Mechanical rooms,
though not viewed programmatically as assignable space, are
assigned to the Department of Physical Plant for the operations and
maintenance of a facility.  Proper maintenance must be possible
without requiring mechanics to jeopardize their safety or shut down
major parts of a facility in order to perform maintenance. 
Adequate space must be provided to allow for maintenance without
the use of special equipment.

Secondly, the State of Maryland system has not historically
provided maintenance funds for either equipment or personnel to
maintain a facility.  Many times, equipment and finishes that are
viewed as economical to replace in the private sector cannot be
replaced in the state system due to the lack of maintenance dollars
for personnel or materials.

It is therefore extremely important that the project designers
recognize these facts and do the most to provide proper analysis in
the selection of finishes, windows, doors, and equipment.