Total Cost of Ownership (APPA TCO)
Make the case for every capital dollar
Aging assets, constrained budgets, and rising expectations are pushing facilities and finance leaders to justify every capital dollar. APPA's Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) standard gives them a transparent, common framework to do it. Instead of judging an asset by its purchase price, TCO accounts for the full cost of owning it across its entire life cycle — revealing how an investment is performing, what it will demand over time, and when to renew or recapitalize it.
Written for owners, financial operators, and facilities professionals, the standard turns building data into well-timed, predictive decisions that hold up in front of a CFO or a board. It establishes a shared language and a repeatable process for the three choices that shape any capital plan: what to acquire, what to renovate or retire, and how to budget, forecast, and report over the short and long term — a more defensible, financially sustainable way to steward your institution's assets.
Online access only. APPA TCO standards are read in your browser through your APPA account. They are not downloadable.
APPA TCO Standard — Complete Edition (Parts 1 & 2)
The full Total Cost of Ownership standard in a single purchase — from the foundational key principles through implementation and the data elements that put TCO into practice. The most complete way to adopt TCO end to end.
- APPA 1000-1 · Part 1: Key Principles
- APPA 1000-2 · Part 2: Implementation & Data Elements
Best value — both parts included
Buy Complete Edition
Part 1: Key Principles
The foundational elements and structure of TCO — a transparent, holistic approach to asset management and resource allocation for owners, financial operators, and facility professionals.
Buy Part 1
Part 2: Implementation & Data Elements
Putting TCO into practice — implementation guidance and the critical data elements for making well-timed, current, and predictive investment decisions across the asset life cycle.
Buy Part 2