Reliability centred maintenance
NRM3: Order of cost estimating and cost planning for building maintenance works, defines ‘Reliability centred maintenance’ (RCM) as: ‘…a process used to determine what must be done to ensure that any physical asset continues to do what its users want it to do in its present operating context.’
This requires a mix of preventative maintenance, proactive maintenance and reactive maintenance designed to optimise reliability whilst minimising costs. It is based on the principle that using any one of these three types of maintenance alone would be somewhat arbitrary and unlikely to minimise failures.
There is a detailed description of different types of RCM at https://www.wbdg.org/resources/reliability-centered-maintenance-rcm
Business-Focused Maintenance (BG 53/2016), written by Jo Harris and published by BSRIA in May 2016, defines reliability-centred maintenance (RCM) as: ‘…a methodology that has been developed to ensure assets continue to fulfil their design function. It is introduced to achieve improvements to availability of assets and establish the level of maintenance required. Successful implementation of RCM is designed to lead to an increase in cost-effectiveness and asset uptime, and a greater understanding of the level of risk that the organisation is managing.’
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Building owner's manual.
- Business focused maintenance.
- Construction inventory management.
- Cost plan.
- Enterprise asset management.
- Facilities management.
- In-house or outsource maintenance.
- Predictive maintenance.
- Preventative maintenance.
- Proactive maintenance.
- Resource management.
- Unplanned maintenance.
- Scheduled maintenance.
- Soft landings.
[edit] External references
Featured articles and news
We're expanding our collaborative mission by launching DB Intelligence, an exclusive market research advisory panel. Built environment professionals can now get paid to share their expertise on industry trends, products and services.
Panel members receive direct financial incentives for participating in research projects like short surveys, 1-2-1 interviews and focus groups. Register today to shape the future of the construction sector.
Planning condition discharge in England and Wales
A brief exoplanation from a building compliance expert, with further links.
Overheating guidance and tools for building designers
Guidance for dealing with element of building fabric control that have increasing importance.
Shading for housing, a design guide
From the Good Homes Alliance and British Blind and Shutter Association.
UK Standard Skills Classification (SSC)
A shared framework for describing skills needs.
Social media ban consultation comes to close
CIOB urges UK Government to consider social media’s role in careers guidance in ban debate.
The latest of eight Skills England apprenticeship units
The addition of battery manufacturing welcomed by ECA with a warning about the risks of fast-tracked apprenticeship units.
Building Control Independent Panel final report
A precis of a key report led by Dame Hackitt with full recommendations and link to the government response.
Building Safety recap April, 2026
A short and longer run-through of the month, with links to further information and sources.
CIAT May 2026 briefing.
From medieval scribes to modern word art.
ECA welcomes crackdown on late payment and push for clean energy, whilst CIOB seek fixed cladding removal timeframes.
Cyber Security in the Built Environment
Protecting projects, data, and digital assets: A CIOB Academy TIS.
Managing competence in the built environment
ITFG publishes new industry guide on how to meet the ICC principles.
The UK's campaign to reduce noise pollution: Mythbusting, articles and topic guides.