Capital Facilities - Primary building conditions
On this page:
Primary building conditions
Source: WSDOT Capital Facilities Office
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100 due to rounding. Primary buildings are agency-owned buildings that are 2,000 square feet or larger. WSDOT added one new primary building to its inventory from 2017-2019, two from 2019-2021, and one from 2021-2023.
Condition guide
- Good condition: System components are in good condition, with some elements showing minor signs of deterioration that may require attention. Building components are safe and reliable with minimal capacity issues and a low risk of failure. The building is highly functional and efficient.
- Fair condition: The facility shows signs of deterioration and requires attention. Some elements exhibit significant deficiencies in condition and functionality, and there is an increased risk of failure, with some components approaching the end of their service life.
- Poor condition: The building exhibits noticeable deterioration, with significant age and wear across multiple building systems. Repairs and replacements are necessary to restore functionality and safety. Attention is needed to prevent failures.
- Critical condition: The majority of systems exhibit significant deterioration, and functionality and capacity are noticeably impacted. There is a high risk of immediate component/system failure. Multiple major deficiencies will inevitably lead to unexpected repairs, unplanned costs, reduced operating capacity, and possible building closure.
Performance analysis
2023
WSDOT has 70% of its primary buildings in critical condition
As of September 2023, 200 (70%) of WSDOT's primary buildings were in critical condition, a slight improvement from 201 in September 2021 and better compared to 215 (76%) in September 2019.
Starting in 2022, Capital Facilities began to report building conditions in alignment with the International Facility Managers Association (IFMA) standards. This standard is widely used in the private sector and better reflects how building conditions support and impact the functional and operational needs of WSDOT facilities. The IFMA standard adds the designation "Critical" to the previously named conditions of Good/Fair/Poor and realigns these named rating tiers to the Facility Condition Index scale.
Due to worker capacity limitations, WSDOT's capital facilities division did not conduct any new condition assessments during the 2021-2023 biennium. Existing assessment data was updated to include newly constructed buildings and the removal of surplused inventory. This data indicated that 15 (5%) primary buildings were in fair or better condition in 2023, an improvement from 13 (5%) in 2021. Nine (3%) primary buildings were considered in good condition, an improvement over seven (2%) in 2021 and three (1%) in 2019.
WSDOT's Capital Facilities Program manages over 1,000 owned buildings that support staff—along with equipment and supplies—to maintain agency operations. Of those buildings, 287 are primary buildings (over 2,000 square feet). WSDOT focuses on these buildings for reporting because they represent the largest capital investment by the agency in its buildings and are the key infrastructure that supports staff and operations.
2021
WSDOT has 44% of its primary buildings in poor condition
As of September 2021, 126 (44%) of WSDOT's primary buildings were in poor condition, an improvement from 153 (54%) in 2019 and a slight improvement compared to 126 (45%) in 2017—when WSDOT owned three fewer primary buildings.
Capital facilities' 2021 biennial condition assessments showed that 132 (46%) primary buildings were in fair condition, an improvement from 110 (39%) in 2019, and 28 (10%) primary buildings were in good condition, an improvement over 21 (7%) in 2019 and 22 (8%) in 2017.
These improvements from 2019 reflect two key facts:
- The agency has spent over $100 million to replace/renovate a couple of aging primary buildings with new buildings as the needs of staff and the public have changed.
- WSDOT refined its condition assessment process during the 2019-2021 biennium and used a new IT application to support the process. This resulted in a more detailed picture of asset conditions.
WSDOT owns over 1,000 buildings that support staff—along with equipment and supplies—to maintain agency operations. Of those buildings, 286 are primary buildings (over 2,000 square feet). WSDOT focuses on these buildings for reporting because they represent the largest capital investment by the agency in its buildings, and are the key infrastructure that supports staff and operations.
2019
Majority of WSDOT's primary buildings are in poor condition as they continue to age
As of September 2019, 153 (54%) of WSDOT's primary buildings were in poor condition, a net increase of 27 over the 126 (45%) buildings in poor condition in 2017 when building conditions were last assessed. The agency owned 284 primary buildings (buildings over 2,000 square feet) as of September 2019.
During the 2019 biennial building condition assessment, 21 (7%) buildings achieved a good condition rating, one fewer than the 22 (8%) rated good in 2017. Primary buildings considered to be in fair condition decreased to 110 (39%), compared to 135 (48%) in 2017. The condition of agency-owned primary buildings directly affects the ability of staff to meet the agency's mission and strategic goals.
WSDOT owns over 1,000 buildings that support more than 6,000 staff and house equipment and supplies to maintain agency operations. Of these buildings, 284 are considered primary. WSDOT focuses on these buildings for reporting because they represent the largest capital investment by the agency in buildings, and are key infrastructure that supports staff and operations.
2017
As WSDOT's primary buildings continue to age, majority are in "fair" or "poor" condition
WSDOT strives to keep agency buildings and systems operating smoothly to support its workforce as it delivers services to the public. Twenty-two (7.8%) of WSDOT's 283 primary buildings (agency-owned buildings larger than 2,000 square feet) achieved a condition rating of "good" in 2017. The "good" rating means they are new construction and/or meet current industry standards. This is an increase from 6.7% (19) in 2014. Facility condition data, assessed biennially, was unavailable in 2016.
Forty-eight percent (135) of WSDOT's primary buildings received a condition rating of "fair" indicating that the facility does not meet current standards but remains functional and is in adequate condition, with some component deficiencies. This compares to 52% (147) in 2014. Forty-five percent (126) of WSDOT's primary buildings earned a condition rating of "poor." A poor rating indicates that a building is at or beyond its service life, with multiple major deficiencies that could lead to unexpected repairs and resulting costs. This value increased from 42% (118) in 2014, continuing a 10-year upward trend.
Out of its inventory of nearly 1,300 owned and leased buildings and structures, WSDOT owned 283 primary buildings as of September 2017. These buildings support the majority of agency staff. They may also provide shop and storage space for vehicles, equipment and supplies. Primary buildings represent approximately 21% of WSDOT capital facilities and 63% of total building area by square footage.