An evaluation of maintenance management and organization in commercial buildings

Abstract

The study is centred on maintenance organisation and management issues in commercial buildings with special reference to commercial buildings within Mukurwe-ini town. A proper understanding of the importance of maintanance management in preserving the value of buildings to render them habitable, acceptable as well as lengthening of their functional, economical and aethetic life-span is essential and form the greater part of the research. Commercial building are of fundamental importance to any Country economic development and their demand is increasing with time. In Kenya, the demand for commercial buildings has greately increased with the liberalisation of the economy and the high rate of population increase. Thus the demand has outstripped the supply, and as such conservation of the current commercial buildings stock is of great importance. The study has revealed that, maintenance of commercial buildings is an undertaking that needs to be taken more seriously, otherwise it might cause deterioration of the buildings to irrevesible levels'. Deterioration of the buildings is mostly caused by constant defferment of maintenance works that tend to have very little effect on the building performance in the shortrun. The study has gone further to Lderrt i f yot.he r factors that causes various defects I especially in the study area. Proper commercial buildings maintenance helps particular building will be put into and ensures on the use which a reasonable return on capital asset, while providing an acceptable working environment for the occupants, Hence more orientation is needed on this art.