M|O Perspectives
Check back here for our thoughts on the latest developments in our industry.
COVID vs. HVAC: What Building Owners & Operators Should Know
Apr 09, 2020
While it may take years for scientists to uncover exactly how COVID-19 can spread through building systems, it’s better to be safe than sorry. We can all do our part to make sure our working and living environments are as safe and sterile as possible. The World Health Organization (WHO) tells us...
Successful Scope of Work: Understanding An Architect’s Approach
Mar 06, 2020
Construction project costs continue to rise. In an environment where every penny counts, developers need to count on architects to deliver the greatest value. And sometimes that means spending more upfront to avoid costly pitfalls later on. Architects are highly educated, experienced individuals....
California Leads the Zero Net Energy Building Revolution
Feb 18, 2020
As building consultancy professionals, we are vested in the future of Zero Net Energy (ZNE). California’s ZNE has a direct impact on the entire industry and involves building owners, operators, and managers, as well as builders. Historically where California leads, other states tend to follow. But...
Drip, drip, drip: Why you can’t disregard maintenance
Jan 15, 2020
“Pay me now or pay me later…” A commercial from the early 70s made this phrase popular. And when it comes to the maintenance of building systems, the adage is still true today. You can pay incrementally now to preserve the life of a structure — or pay big later when you least expect it. Buildings...
FCA vs. PCA: Know what you need. Know what you are buying.
Sep 27, 2019
We are often asked what the difference is between a facility condition assessment or FCA and a property condition assessment also known as a PCA. Some clients use the two interchangeably, yet they are two very different services. Simply put, a FCA is a financially focused review while a PCA is a...
Older vs. newer buildings: What’s really better–and why?
May 31, 2019
Many people will tell you that buildings aren’t built the way they used to be. What does that really mean? And what do professionals in the field believe? Yes, it’s true, of course, that things we did decades ago are very different today. Just like about everything else, building technology has...
Staying on top of common accessibility fails–to avoid noncompliance …and lawsuits
Apr 12, 2019
An old proverb goes, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." As a building owner or operator, you know that accessibility-related lawsuits are not an everyday problem–but they happen frequently enough that you need to be on guard to protect against the expensive possibility of...
When cheap isn't cheap
Feb 01, 2019
I broke a Christmas gift on Christmas day. Actually, I broke part of a gift. I broke a plastic bucket filled with automotive cleaning supplies from a well-known, high quality company. When I went to put the bucket filled with bottles of fluids and micro-fiber rags into the garage closet, the very...
Why construction costs are on the (exponential) rise
Dec 13, 2018
Well before new construction projects break ground, we at Marx|Okubo are often asked to get involved in order to better and more proactively inform owners and lenders. We see a wide range of documentation on nearly every project, ranging from drawings and schedules to contracts and leases and...
Resilience: Proactive considerations will go a long way
Nov 15, 2018
More and more of our clients are asking, “How does my property stack up against others?...What can we do to increase our chances of avoiding new construction problems?...And what can we add to this existing building to improve its resilience?” If you are not aware of what building resilience is, or...