CRECI Building Operations and Maintenance 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A commercial building's chiller plant is experiencing reduced cooling capacity. Which metric should a property manager first examine to diagnose the problem?
- Chilled water supply and return temperature differential (Correct answer)
- Outdoor ambient temperature readings
- Tenant thermostat setpoints
- Electrical panel amperage draw
Correct answer: Chilled water supply and return temperature differential
The chilled water delta-T (supply vs. return differential) directly indicates whether the chiller is transferring heat effectively and is the primary diagnostic metric.
Question 2: Under OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom 2012), how must chemical hazard information be conveyed to maintenance staff?
- Safety Data Sheets (SDS) must be readily accessible and staff must be trained on their use (Correct answer)
- Verbal briefings from the facility manager are sufficient
- Chemicals must be stored in locked rooms with no further documentation required
- A single posted warning sign near chemical storage satisfies all requirements
Correct answer: Safety Data Sheets (SDS) must be readily accessible and staff must be trained on their use
HazCom 2012 requires that SDSs be accessible to employees at all times and that workers receive training on hazards and protective measures.
Question 3: A property manager is reviewing a service contract for elevator maintenance. Which contract type transfers the most maintenance cost risk to the vendor?
- Full-maintenance contract (Correct answer)
- Examination-only contract
- Oil-and-grease contract
- Time-and-materials contract
Correct answer: Full-maintenance contract
A full-maintenance (comprehensive) contract covers all parts, labor, and callbacks, placing the maximum cost risk on the vendor rather than the building owner.
Question 4: What does a building's Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) ratio measure?
- Total facility power divided by IT equipment power, indicating data center energy efficiency (Correct answer)
- Kilowatt-hours consumed per square foot of rentable area
- The ratio of renewable energy to total energy consumption
- Peak demand load compared to contracted utility capacity
Correct answer: Total facility power divided by IT equipment power, indicating data center energy efficiency
PUE = total facility energy / IT equipment energy; a ratio of 1.0 is perfect efficiency, meaning all power goes directly to IT loads.
Question 5: When a fire sprinkler system undergoes a five-year internal inspection per NFPA 25, what is the inspector primarily looking for?
- Pipe corrosion, tuberculation, organic growth, and foreign material obstruction (Correct answer)
- Correct sprinkler head color coding and heat ratings
- Proper signage on fire department connections
- Adequate water pressure at the main riser
Correct answer: Pipe corrosion, tuberculation, organic growth, and foreign material obstruction
NFPA 25's five-year internal inspection targets obstructions inside piping—corrosion, biofilm, scale, and debris—that could impair water flow.
Question 6: A commercial lease requires the tenant to maintain HVAC equipment serving their suite exclusively. The tenant fails to replace air filters for 18 months and the unit fails. Who is typically liable for the replacement cost?
- The tenant, because the lease assigned them maintenance responsibility for that unit (Correct answer)
- The landlord, because HVAC is a building system regardless of lease language
- The HVAC manufacturer under implied warranty
- Both parties equally under comparative negligence principles
Correct answer: The tenant, because the lease assigned them maintenance responsibility for that unit
When a lease explicitly assigns HVAC maintenance to the tenant and neglect causes the failure, the tenant bears the replacement cost under that contractual obligation.
Question 7: Which preventive maintenance task is most effective at extending the life of a commercial rooftop HVAC unit's compressor?
- Maintaining proper refrigerant charge and keeping condenser coils clean (Correct answer)
- Lubricating the supply fan bearings quarterly
- Replacing the air filter monthly
- Calibrating the thermostat annually
Correct answer: Maintaining proper refrigerant charge and keeping condenser coils clean
An improper refrigerant charge forces the compressor to work harder, and dirty condenser coils raise head pressure—both are leading causes of compressor failure.
CRECI Building Operations and Maintenance 2
A commercial building's chiller plant is experiencing reduced cooling capacity.
Which metric should a property manager first examine to diagnose the problem?