The Customer: Uniting Church in Australia, Queensland Synod
The Uniting Church in Australia, Queensland Synod manages property across Queensland to support congregations, mission and community services. Its properties are located across metropolitan, regional and remote communities, and play an important role in supporting local congregations and the people they serve.
Recognising the need for a clearer and more consistent understanding of property condition, the Queensland Synod licensed SPM Assets software and commenced a Synod-wide Property Condition Assessment programme.
The programme was designed to establish accurate, up-to-date property information while also building capability within the Synod’s own team. Rather than outsourcing the entire assessment programme, SPM Assets and the Queensland Synod adopted a collaborative delivery model. We completed approximately half of the property surveys, while we trained Synod staff to complete the remainder.
This approach provided the Synod with both improved asset information and practical experience that could support the ongoing management of its property portfolio.
The Queensland Synod’s goals
The Synod wanted to:
- Establish accurate and up-to-date condition information across its property portfolio.
- Create a consistent approach to assessing properties and use that information to support future maintenance, planning and investment decisions.
- Build internal capability so Synod staff could undertake detailed property assessments and continue improving asset information over time.
- Strengthen the long-term stewardship of properties that support congregations, mission and communities throughout Queensland.
The Challenge
Delivering a property assessment programme across Queensland presented a number of practical challenges. Properties were geographically dispersed, so the programme needed to accommodate metropolitan locations as well as regional and more remote communities.
Consistency was also important. The Synod needed condition information to be captured using a common methodology so properties could be considered on a comparable basis when planning future works and investment.
At the same time, the project was not intended to be entirely dependent on external resources. The Synod wanted to develop the knowledge and capability of its own team, while still drawing on SPM Assets’ experience in property condition assessment and asset management.
The assessment process also needed to recognise that these properties are more than physical assets. Many have strong connections to their local congregations and communities, and decisions about their future need to take this wider context into account.
The Solution
SPM Assets worked with the Queensland Synod to establish the software, assessment methodology and internal capability required to deliver the programme.
- SPM Assets software was established as the central platform for property condition information and future asset planning. A consistent approach to condition assessment was agreed so information could be captured in a structured way across the portfolio.
- Synod staff received practical survey training before the wider programme commenced. This included on-site training in detailed property assessments, helping the internal team develop the confidence and capability to undertake surveys themselves.
- The assessment programme began with pilot assessments and progressively moved through locations across Queensland. SPM Assets and Synod staff worked alongside local representatives to gather current information on property condition and understand the context in which individual buildings were being used.
- Survey delivery was shared between SPM Assets and the Synod. We completed approximately 50% of the property assessments, while the trained Synod team completed the balance using the agreed methodology. This allowed the programme to combine specialist assessment experience with the Synod’s own organisational and local knowledge.
- The resulting property information created a stronger foundation for future planning. With the survey phase completed, the Synod can now use the data to better understand property needs, inform maintenance priorities and support longer-term investment decisions.
The Results
The assessment programme has given the Queensland Synod a more current and consistent understanding of the condition of its property portfolio. Information gathered across the programme can now provide a stronger evidence base for decisions about maintenance, planning and future investment.
Importantly, the project has also developed capability within the Synod itself. By training its team and sharing delivery of the surveys, knowledge was transferred during the project rather than remaining solely with an external provider. The Synod now has first-hand experience in undertaking detailed property assessments and maintaining the information collected.
The collaborative model also brought together two important sources of knowledge: SPM Assets’ property assessment and asset management experience, and the Synod’s understanding of its properties, congregations and communities.
As the information is used and improved over time, it provides a foundation for a more proactive approach to property stewardship and better-informed decisions about where resources are needed most.
From assessment to long-term stewardship
Completing the Property Condition Assessment programme marks an important milestone, but the value of the work extends well beyond the survey phase.
The Synod now has a stronger understanding of its properties and an improved basis for considering their future requirements. The next stage is to continue using that information to guide planning, maintenance and investment decisions across the portfolio.
As the Queensland Synod’s project lead reflected at the completion of the programme:
“While today marks the end of the survey phase, it is also the beginning of a better-informed approach to caring for the property resources entrusted to us.”
“The insights gathered will help inform future planning, investment, maintenance, and decision-making across the Synod.”
The assessment programme also reinforced the wider purpose behind the Synod’s property portfolio. Throughout the rollout, visits to congregations and communities demonstrated that decisions about buildings ultimately relate to the people who use them.
“Yes we are surveying buildings, but people matter. Their stories, their commitment, and their care for their communities are what truly stand out.”
Contact SPM Assets for further information
Australia
Phone: +61 2 9880 2955
Email: sales@spmassets.com.au
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