A decision-support framework for building maintenance prioritization in higher education institutions

Purpose The purpose of this study is to propose a decision-support framework for building maintenance prioritization in higher education institutions (HEIs) aimed at assisting facility managers in decision-making regarding maintenance interventions. Design/methodology/approach The research method was based on the Design Science Research approach, structured in three phases: development of the Framework; application of the Framework in two buildings; and validation of the Framework. The Framework is structured into four stages: Planning, Investigation (including user questionnaires, document audits and building inspections), Prioritization and Technical Results Document. Findings The Framework application proved practical in producing results for the facility manager, using the GUT+R (gravity, urgency, tendency and recurrence) prioritization matrix. The validation was successful. Practical implications This study offered a decision-support framework for building maintenance prioritization, integrating user perception assessment, document auditing and a GUT+R prioritization matrix to support facility managers in resource-constrained HEIs, potentially enabling strategic maintenance decision-making and improving built environment quality. Originality/value This research introduces an innovative decision-support framework for building maintenance prioritization in HEIs, combining technical tools and human perception for enhanced decision-making. Key features include user-perception assessment methodology, the use of unmanned aerial vehicles for external inspections and an improved GUT prioritization matrix with a recurrence criterion.