Church Facility Management Solutions

Of the nearly 350,000 church facilities in America only a small fraction have a full-time skilled facility manager.  Even less have proactive plans or tools for maintenance and management. To remedy this situation, Tim Cool, founder of Cool Solutions Group, has created Church Facility Management Solutions. This is a community of church facility practitioners, professionals, volunteers, paid staff, pastors, deacons, trustees and nearly every type of church personnel. 

Church Facility Management Solutions is an online membership community.  Member benefits include:

1. Weekly Information sent directly to you to help you be proactive and intentional with the care of your facility.
2. Online Community so that you can get input and feedback from hundreds of other church and facility leaders.
3. Monthly Webinars by industry professionals to provide relevant information and resources for your church facility management.
4. Vetted Vendors have a list of qualified vendors at your fingertips with the assurance that they have been pre-qualified by our team…and they do not pay to be on this list!
5. Free Resources will be developed and made available to members including worksheet, forms, policy docs, job descriptions, and more! 
6. Availability to Consulting and Training Services.

Church Facility Management Solutions is committed to providing the best and most timely information to church facility stewards across the nation, and is THE resource for your intentional facility stewardship.

Master Planning Your Organization

Tim Cool, is the founder of Cool Solutions Group, a company that helps faith-based organizations with planning, development, and life-cycle management of their facilities. I always enjoy reading what Tim puts out.  I find that his books, articles, and blog posts have wide application to other industries.  Sections of his writing have practical applicability to what we do in our fire prevention and life safety organizations.

In his most recent book, Plan 4 It: The 4 Essential Master Plans for Every Church,  Tim details the essential elements for creating a Master Plan.  As I read, I found that the master plan process is something that should be applied to, not just facilities and structures, but to our organization and its development.

A Master Plan can be defined as, a comprehensive study of an area/facility/industry that usually describes the short-, medium-, and long-term development plans necessary to meet future demand.  Tim's three dimensions of Master Planning can be described as:

• a programmatic study of current and long-range initiatives, and what facilities/resources may assist in accomplishing those plans.
• A vision of the future, beginning with today's realities.
• A clear and intentional big-picture view of the organizations future based on the hopes, culture, DNA, and desires of the organization.

When initiating a Master Plan process there are 4 plans that need to be created:

1. Organizational Master Plan
2. Financial Master Plan
3. Facility/Resource Master Plan
4. Sustaining Master Plan

Organizational Master Plan

This plan identifies who we are, why we do what we do, and how we do it.  The first step in the master-planning process is to know your organization, and be clear on what it provides or should be providing. There are 7 critical questions that can provide clarity and focus in this process.

1. What is the vision for our organization?
2. Who is our "target" audience/customer/client/people group?
3. What is our DNA as an organization?
4. How do we define "value" for our organization?
5. What is our "story", and how should it be communicated?
6. If space, resources, or finances were not an issues, what programs or offerings would be start, provide, or expand?
7. If we do not start, provide, or expand the above service, what impact will that have on our community/customer/client?

Apply these to your organization and current situation.  Based on your answers to the above questions, is your organization where it needs to be?  What needs to happen for it to get where it should be?  What needs to happen so that the impact and value added will be improved?

Financial Master Plan

This plan allows you to determine the financial feasibility of your organizations short- and long-term vision and goals.  How will the Master Plan effect the budget?  Is the Master Plan and goals set, financially attainable?  What facilities, personnel, equipment, or resources will be needed to accomplish the Master Plan?  How can we ensure that the finances are available for the plan objectives?  Do we need to adjust the plan (for a more realistic objective), or adjust our current expenses? 

 Facility/Resource Master Plan

This step of the the master-planning process can help to determine if your existing structures, resources, and facilities are compatible with your long-term goals and direction, or if changes will need to be made.  Do we need new items for the Master Plan to work? Or can we utilize or re-purpose what we already have?

Conduct an audit of your current resources.  Do you have the tools, equipment, and facilities currently available to achieve the Master Plan objectives?  Can current and future programs and service offerings be supported?  What resources are needed to provide that support?

Sustaining Master Plan

To sustain is "to provide what is needed for something or someone to exist and continue to exist".  What is your plan for ensuring the longevity of your organization, its resources, and its programs? How will the organization be sustained financially?  Is the funding source or business model viable?  How much will updates for program resources, hardware, or software cost?  How will you sustain the personnel necessary to run the programs? 

This process is essential for the continued health of your organization, its personnel, and the benefits it provides. A comprehensive Master Plan will put your organization on the right track to make the largest impact in the community you serve.  Lack of a Master Plan will produce an organization that is just maintaining, and will eventually lead to failure for lack or preparation of the organization, and will completely diminish the organizations impact in the world.  Make the time to go through this process to evaluate where you are, where you want to be, and how you will get there.

Related 'Tim Cool' Inspired Posts:

• Building the Church
• Why Church Safety Matters?
• 2015 Year-End Reading List

Why church safety matters?

In Why Church Buildings Matter, Tim Cool writes:

The condition of your facility will speak volumes to guests.  It will communicate what the church values, which may be an indicator of how a guest may be treated as well.  As a guest to dozens of church facilities a year, the condition of the space and campus are first clue indicators to me as to what is important to that congregation or the leadership.  While it may not always be indicative of the desired culture, vision, and mission of the church, it is an indicator that will influence my overall impression.

Does your facility value a culture of protection, safety, and stewardship?  Are your fire protection systems properly installed and maintained? Are emergency plans in place? Can guest rest assured that your worship facility is truly a place of sanctuary?

Fire Safe Worship Space

Is it important for churches to consider fire protection, life safety, and security?  With the recent rise in church shooting incidents, church arson occurrences, structural failures, and other house of worship related incidents, many congregations are starting to debate the merits of physical protection for their facility.  

The members of a church and community have the expectation that the church building, worship facility, will truly be a place of sanctuary.  Being a place of safety and refuge requires three principles: - shepherding, standing, stewardship.

Shepherding. Shepherding is spoken of all throughout scripture.  The Lord is our Shepherd, pastors act as a shepherd, congregations are referred to as a flock.  With the title of ‘shepherd’ comes a certain set of responsibilities.  These responsibilities include:

• Eliminating fear in dark and anxious times.
• Guarding and watching over the flock.
• Keeping the flock safe.
• Restoring, reviving, and refreshing the flock.

In an environment that neglects safety and security features, it is not possible for the shepherd to fulfill his duties.  

Standing.  Many places of worship serve as a beacon of hope and light within their community  It only takes one fire incident, loss of life occurrence, or structural failure for this light to diminish. If the incident results in the destruction of the facility, physically this beacon is snuffed out. If these incidents are a result of negligence or carelessness, hopes are dashed, trust is lost, and the church’s impact in the community will suffer.

Stewardship. The church facility and ministry has been built on the faithful and generous giving of the congregation members.  It is the church’s responsibility to properly care for, steward, what has been received.  Proportionately, the amount of funds that go to support the facility and personnel, should be invested in the care and maintenance of the same.

The guidance provided in this short document provides a good starting point for the effective stewarding of resources, shepherding of the flock, and maintaining right standing within your community.

Building the Church

from Visioneering Studios

Worship facilities can be much more to a community than just a building.  A church, or house of worship, can be a vital part of the culture in which it is placed. If you are a church leader, architect, consultant, or a municipal AHJ there is a deeper level of planning and thought that should go into your new worship facility.

Design Intervention, by Mel McGowan, and Why Church Buildings Matter, by Tim Cool, are two excellent resources that outline the importance of these structures, and how they should fit into the community.  When these authors refer to a church building and the importance of these structures they are not referring to big box buildings, or steepled structures that create a real estate "black hole" in the community.  These "black hole" structures are those church buildings that sit empty for most of the time (except for a few hours on Saturdays or Sundays), and are not contributing anything to the community (tax base, services, or otherwise).

Both of these books, compare the church building to the Biblical equivalent of the town well.  The well was the central meeting place for the towns people. The well was a vital part of the culture. Life, and interactions, happened everyday at the well.  Church buildings should be designed in this way.  Church buildings should be structures that people are drawn to, they should be facilities that are open to the public all week, and from these, services should be provided, and community needs met.  The church building should be a vital part of the community in which it is placed.

With these design goals and objectives in mind, the church becomes a 24/7 operation, rather than a 1/1 institution.  These ideas will paint a different fire protection and life safety picture than what is typically thought of when reviewing requirements for a "house of worship".

With this in mind we have created a new ebook resource, Fire Safe Worship Space.  This booklet is written for church leaders and worship facility managers.  The book covers such topics as:

• why fire protection and life safety matters
• maintaining safe worship environments
• considerations for church-based schools
• things to consider when reviewing building plans

15 Steps to Stop Church Arson

Annually, 1,300 church fires are reported, totaling more than $38 million in property loss.  Nearly 30% of church fires are the result of mechanical failures, or electrical issues.  This is most likely attributed to the fact that many churches tend to be older structures.  Of reported church fires 65% had no smoke detection systems, and 96% had no fire sprinkler protection.  However, the leading cause of church fires is arson.

To prevent church arson, having a plan is essential.  You can work with your local law enforcement, and fire prevention authorities to create a fire prevention/life safety plan for you church facility.  The first step in creating a plan is to assess your areas of vulnerability.  The most critical areas for church arson vulnerability are:

• Churches located in isolated or rural areas.
• Churches left unattended for extended periods of time.
• Churches with unsecured doors and/or uncovered windows leave weak points for foreced entry by intruders.
• The absence of an adequate fire/burglar alarm system provides a determined criminal with additional time for criminal activity.
• Heavy shrubs and outside vegetation, and/or the absence of sufficient perimeter lighting, provides security for criminals, not victims.

Here are 15 steps to reduce your churches vulnerability to arson:

1. Install perimeter floodlights outside the building.
2. Install an adequate fire and burglar alarm system.
3. Install fire sprinkler systems, and ensure there operability.
4. Solid wood or sheet metal faced doors provide more security than a hollow core wooden door.
5. Remove heavy vegetation and shrubs.
6. Participate in a formal Neighborhood Watch program.
7. Establish relationships with neighboring businesses. Ask them to watch your church during daily activities.
8. Educate personnel on how to properly deal with threats. Have a written plan available.
9. Document any strange or threatening activity or phone calls.
10. Avoid opening or disturbing suspicious packages or letters.  Contact your local law enforcement if these are received.
11. Have a member(s) of the congregation check on the church daily. Evaluate the need for security personnel, especially on nights and weekends.
12. Obtain a detailed description of any suspicious persons or vehicles noticed in or around your church facility.
13. Duplicate all documents, digital files, and records that are stored at the church.
14. Complete and maintain a comprehensive inventory or all furniture and equipment.  Record serial numbers, and the property value.  Frequently evaluate insurance coverage.
15. Remove all potential fire hazards from the church grounds (trash, lawn clippings, debris).  Properly store all combustible materials in a secured area/building.

Related post:
From Mall to Mega-Church

From Mall to Mega-Church

With the downturn of the economy and the exit of big-box retailers such as Sears and K-mart, an increasing trend is to turn these former shopping spaces into houses of worship. Making headlines locally (South Florida), is Christ Fellowship, which is creating a fifth campus in a vacated Dillard’s store . A current campus in Royal Palm is a former Target store. Perhaps, you have one of these moving into your jurisdiction, or maybe you're a pastor contemplating the future take over of your local Best Buy. In either case, here are a few things to consider.

No doubt, it takes much work to turn a mercantile occupancy (used for the display and sale of merchandise) into a place of assembly (used for a gathering of 50 or more persons for deliberation, worship, entertainment, etc.). The National Fire Protection Association, Life Safety Code (NFPA 101) states that when a building changes occupancy type (from mercantile to assembly) the space must meet the existing fire/life safety codes for the newly created occupancy (existing assembly), however, the fire alarm, automatic sprinkler, and communications systems must meet the requirements for new construction. (101:43.7.2.1)

One of the first things to consider before delving into the fire code is total occupant load. Typically, a house of worship will have fixed seating making the actual occupant load the total number of seats (to be shown on submitted plans). However, without fixed seating the calculation will be based on a less concentrated use, which allows for 15 sq.ft. per person. (101:7.3.1.2) These former shopping centers can easily exceed 100,000 sq.ft. (the aforementioned Dillard’s is 127,000 sq.ft.). Based on this calculation (without fixed seating), the allowed occupant load would be more than 6,500 occupants. This easily exceeds the system requirements that come into effect for occupant loads of over 300, and also requires a minimum separation between the assembly and mall area of 2 hours. (101:6.1.4.4.1)

The system requirements for new assembly occupancies include:

• Full fire alarm system with voice communication/evacuation. (101:12.3.4.1) 
• Automatic fire sprinkler system. (101:12.3.5.2) 

Mercantile occupancies of this size should already be equipped with fire alarm and sprinkler protection.

Every church has a stage (in church terms, a “platform”). The stage shall meet the requirements of NFPA 101:13.5, which include: 

• Inclusion of a proscenium curtain (a curtain separating the stage from the auditorium). 
• Stages over 1,000 sq.ft. shall be equipped with standpipes for fire fighting. 
• Fire sprinklers are required, including under the stage area (see exceptions in 101:13.4.5.10.3). 

In addition to spiritual feeding churches are providing physical feeding, by way of in-house restaurants and cafes’. (101:13.7.2) 

• Cooking equipment is required to be protected by a hood and suppression system. 
• Candles and flaming dishes are to be properly protected and approved by the local fire authority. 
• LP gas appliances are to be listed and installed per applicable codes (NFPA 58). 

Open flames and pyrotechnics are prohibited from use in all assembly occupancies except for ceremonial or religious purposes. The local fire authority should be consulted prior to use, and every precaution taken to prevent the ignition of flammable materials. For more information on regulations for the use of pyrotechnics see, NFPA 1126 and NFPA 160. (101:13.7.3)

Trained crowd managers are required at a ratio of 1 per 250 occupants. Assembly occupancies used exclusively for worship with an occupant load of less than 2,000 is exempt from the crowd manager requirement. (101:13.7.6)

Seats in areas accommodating more than 200 persons are to be securely fastened to the floor. In restaurant, and other entertainment areas where permanently fastened seats are not practical unsecured seating is permitted. (101:13.7.9)

Any assembly occupancy with an occupant load greater than 6,000 requires a life safety evaluation. This evaluation shall be performed by a person acceptable to the local fire authority, and is to include an assessment of building systems, features, and management. The evaluation shall contain an in-depth analysis of possible hazards, and emergency response plans. (101:13.4.1)

Related Posts:

• 7 Deadliest Violations
• 5 Impacts of Fire
• An Appeal for Fire Prevention
• Accessing Fire Codes