Capital Asset Management Plan 2006-2009

The University of Southern Queensland commenced operations, as the Queensland Institute of Technology Darling Downs (QITDD), at its Darling Heights, Toowoomba campus on 2 February 1967. In 1967, 140 students and 20 staff were accommodated in one 1,661m² building on a bare green-field site with few services or amenities. In 2006, the University occupies 95,950m² GFA/80,546m² UFA of buildings on its 78.7ha Toowoomba campus providing space for academic, administrative, library, computing, student support, health, student residential, commercial services and activities.

The University also provides extensive sporting and recreational facilities including:

• The Clive Berghofer Recreation Centre which accommodates three international standard indoor courts for basketball, volleyball, netball etc, a weights training room, aerobics area, sports medicine rooms, change and shower facilities, a coffee shop and a travel agency.
• Sporting fields for soccer, rugby union, rugby league, Australian football, touch football, cricket, hockey, athletics, baseball, archery.
• Outdoor courts for netball, volleyball, basketball, tennis.
• The Japanese Garden which is Australia’s largest and most traditionally designed.
• Extensively landscaped grounds with themed areas eg. palm court, Australian native woodlands, indigenous medicine/food plants.

In addition to its main campus the University operates at a number of other locations:

• Springfield Campus provides 8,700m² GFA/6,150m² UFA of academic and administrative space.
• Fraser Coast campus situated on the Hervey Bay Civic Precinct at Pialba which provides academic and administrative space totalling 2,868m² GFA/2,278m² UFA. Space is also provided in the adjacent Hervey Bay Municipal Library for the University's reference collection and a computer laboratory.
• The University leases land at Mt Kent, 40km South of Toowoomba, on which the Centre for Astronomy and Atmospheric Research occupies facilities constructed by the University.
• The University utilizes Crown land at Ravensbourne, 46km North of Toowoomba, for ecological studies purposes. The old Ravensbourne State School building on site has been refurbished to provide short-term residential and study accommodation for students and staff from USQ and other universities.
• The University leases 416m² of space in the Brisbane CBD at 333 Adelaide Street at which it provides tutorial, study, computing and support services to Brisbane residents studying by distance education.

Management Strategy

The University has a Campus Master Plan to guide development 5, 10, 15, 25, beyond 25 years from 2001. Additionally, the Capital Asset Management Plan is revised annually.

Buildings, Facilities and Services

Building stock varies in age from over 30 years to recently constructed with the majority being in the 10-20 years age bracket. Buildings are in a variety of architectural styles ranging from multi-level, brick clad, reinforced concrete structures to single level, fibrous sheeting clad steel framed modular buildings.  All buildings are structurally sound, however many have undergone or require some upgrading or refurbishment.  At 31 December 2005, insurance valuations for buildings ($159.239.m), land ($22.00m) and equipment ($43.85m) totalled $225.088m. The University has comprehensive policy cover with a $10,000 per claim excess.

USQ Design Standards set the minimum technical requirements for the design and construction of University facilities in compliance with relevant legislation including the Building Act, the Building Code of Australia, Workplace Health & Safety Act, Fire Safety Act, Disability Discrimination Act and the Integrated Planning Act.

The University is a participant in the Tertiary Education Facilities Managers' Association (TEFMA) annual Benchmark Survey which surveys 54 universities in Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong.

The University has implemented Activity Based Management to its provision of services and facilities, including capital assets.

Maintenance

The University has, since its inception in 1967, operated a facilities maintenance programme. The requirement for buildings, grounds and plant maintenance has grown to the extent that maintenance is now a major operation with a heavy funding demand. Maintenance is undertaken on a programmed basis, or as-required to maintain operations and safety standards. In common with many other Australian universities, this University has found it extremely difficult to provide adequate funding for all maintenance requirements while still supporting core academic and administrative programmes. Historically, maintenance funding allocations have allowed for only basic maintenance to be undertaken with essential services, painting, carpeting and furnishings being afforded highest priority.  Larger scale maintenance involving repairs and/or modifications to structures and services often was unfunded and thus deferred.

In late 2000 the University completed a condition audit of all buildings, facilities and services. Deferred maintenance liability was estimated to be approximately $5.0m. Many of the requirements relate to the upgrading of infrastructure including electrical systems, data networks, water and sewerage mains, fire services including ring-mains. Over the period 2002-2006 the University intends to reduce the deferred maintenance listing through its Major Refurbishments project, Minor Works Programme and Deferred Maintenance Reduction project. The University’s deferred maintenance was estimated at $3.00m as at December 2005.

Space Utilisation

University buildings are designed and constructed to provide the following efficiencies:

• Sciences/Engineering 65%
• Humanities/Business 70%
• Library 80%
• Administration 80%

The University has no unallocated staff or administrative space. Utilisation of centrally timetabled teaching accommodation over the 50 hour teaching week (Mon-Fri, 8.00am - 6.00pm) is 55%-75% for teaching rooms and 65%-75% for lecture theatres.

Energy Management

The majority of Toowoomba campus buildings and the Fraser Coast campus buildings have been sited to maximize passive thermal control. Design briefs to architects stipulate the inclusion of sun control measures such as awnings, slab projections, overhangs, fins and blades. Roofs are insulated to a minimum R rating of R2.5.

A global energy management system sheds electrical loads at peak demand periods to maintain demand below contracted maximum demand. In new and recently refurbished buildings centrally controlled Building Management Systems (BMS) manage air-conditioning systems. The University has negotiated with Ergon Energy for discount rates on electricity supply.

Capital Assets Disposal

The University does not intend to dispose of any major capital assets in 2006-2009.

CAPITAL PROGRAMME

Refurbishment Programme

In 2003 the University commenced the refurbishment of a number of older buildings (A, C, D, G & L Blocks) and to upgrade/refurbish infrastructure. Programme cost estimated to be $11.00m in 2003-2007.

Fraser Coast Campus, Stage 3

Stage 2 of the University's Fraser Coast facility, situated on the Hervey Bay Civic Precinct at Pialba, was completed on 28 February 2003 and occupied for the start of Semester 1, 2003. Campus buildings now provide a total 2,868m²GFA/2,278m² UFA of space which can accommodate up to 860EFTSU/1200 students. Predicted enrolment growth is such that it is anticipated that accommodation capacity will be reached by 2007. A new Stage 3 building of 2,100m² GFA/1,700m² UFA will be constructed September 2006 - June 2007 for Semester 2, 2007 occupancy. The new building will provide additional teaching space, staff accommodation, postgraduate space, space for student support services (health, counselling, welfare, housing, career guidance, religious observance), bookshop and a refectory. Estimated project cost is $7.0m. The University has successfully applied for Capital Development Pool (CDP) funding of $1.21m in 2006 and $2.00m in 2007. The Queensland Government has provided $1.5m in 2006 to further develop the Nurse Education facility through the provision of nursing wards, laboratory preparation room, storage space / for medical equipment and teaching aids, a technicians work area, office space, and fitout including hospital beds, nursing models and medical equipment.

Queensland College of Wine Tourism

The University will construct a 325m²/GFA/1,300m² UFA laboratory facility on the Stanthorpe Campus of the Queensland College of Wine Tourism, construction March - July 2006. Project cost of $1.67m will be funded by the University pending the receipt of 2008 CDP funding.

J Block Replacement Building (B Block, Northern Wing)

In early 2008 it is planned to commence demolition of the existing Northern Wing of B Block prior to the construction of a new three storey building of 1,880m² GFA/1,630m² UFA. Construction March - November 2008. Estimated project cost, including carparking is $5.50m. Staff from the existing J Block and Northern Wing of B Block will be relocated to the new building.

Relocation of J Block

Following relocation of staff from J Block to the new B Block, Northern Wing building in late 2008, J Block will be relocated. Works are planned for February - April 2009 at an estimated cost of $0.50m.

Indoor Recreation Centre, Stage 2

Construction of a Stage 2 of the Indoor Recreation Centre is under consideration, subject to funding availability from non-University capital resources. It is anticipated that these additional facilities will be a resource for sports medicine, sports psychology, sports business management and physical education programmes.

The $9.0m project would include:

• Heated indoor 25m swimming pool
• Additional indoor court
• Additional toilets and change rooms
• Outdoor synthetic surfaced athletics track and hockey fields.

Springfield

Based on projected student numbers the second building at Springfield is planned in 2009. Fitout costs estimated at 8 million will be met by the university. At this stage it is planned to fund this expenditure fully through borrowings from Queensland Treasury Corporation. However, provided that the University has surplus funds available it would be prudent to fund this expenditure, partly or wholly, from internal funding sources.