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knowledge builders knowledge builders knowledge builders knowledge builders A PPA's Center for Facilities Re- search (CFaR) continues to sup- port a number of exciting projects. Established in 2002 by APPA to promote, organize, and consolidate research in educational facilities management, CFaR's mission is to advance the body of knowl- edge of facilities management through research, discovery, and innovation. By providing mechanisms to promote and share knowledge in a coordinated manner, CFaR provides an important function for APPA, APPA members, and the facilities management profession. The information and knowledge developed and disseminated by CFaR is an important part of our profession's and APPA's growth and prosperity. By staying current on the many technical, manage- rial, and leadership issues, APPA and its members maintain their credibility and ability to communicate strategic issues with our stakeholders. Information and knowledge developed through CFaR's activities can be found in the Body of Knowledge (BOK) (now available to all staff at an APPA member institution), the Institute for Facilities Management, the Leadership Academy, the Facilities Manager magazine, and other APPA resources. HOW IT WORKS There are several ways projects are developed by CFaR. Most often, a member comes forward with an idea for a project. Their reasons for involv- ing CFaR can vary, but often include being able to contribute to the profes- sion, support for access to members as part of their research, or to fulfill the requirements for APPA Fellow. CFaR also undertakes projects that the APPA Board feels are important, such as the implications of LEED and integration into a university's design processes, the study of the sometimes mutually exclu- sive goals of total cost of ownership and carbon footprint reduction, and an up- dated evaluation of higher education's deferred maintenance backlog. Projects are categorized into one of APPA's four main domains of 1) General Administration, 2) Operations and Maintenance, 3) Energy, Utilities, and Environmen- tal Stewardship and 4) Planning, Design, and Construction. Upon acceptance of a proposal, a CFaR Advisory Council member famil- iar with the subject matter is assigned to support the project. When the penulti- mate report is completed, a select panel of peer reviewers is chosen to review the submission and make recommendations about acceptance of the project. The final product includes a final report and dissemination to our members through the various APPA venues. Much of this information can be found at http://www.appa.org/research/CFaR. REAPING THE REWARD Having conducted a CFaR research project myself, I found it to be reward- CFaR: A History of Sharing and Gaining Knowledge By Gary Reynolds 38 | may/june 2014 | Facilities Manager