APPA's Operational Guidelines

For decades, APPA's three Operational Guidelines have been the reference standard for educational facilities operations, trusted by thousands of institutions to benchmark performance, build staffing cases, and raise service levels. Each guide — Custodial, Grounds, and Maintenance — is packed with figures, case studies, glossaries, and ready-to-use frameworks designed to move straight from the page to your operation:

• Custodial Guidelines: The industry benchmark for custodial staffing, with service-level standards, task frequencies, and matrices covering every space type on campus.
• Grounds Guidelines: Staffing models and service-level standards across six campus space types, from athletic fields and sustainable landscapes to snow removal and seasonal planning.
• Maintenance Guidelines: A complete staffing and management framework, spanning FTE calculations, reliability-centered models, compliance, outsourcing, crisis operations, and technology integration.

Purchase APPA Operational Guidelines

APPA's Operational Guidelines are available for purchase as online digital books and in print.

Digital Books and Supplemental Materials

Purchase access to APPA's digital books online through APPA's website. Digital books include:

• Access to the digital books online — easily access your purchased books and materials through your APPA account at any time. Books are viewable within your browser.
• Additional digital downloads and materials — as part of your digital book purchase, you'll have access to downloadable files and online materials to help you apply the guidelines.
• Member-only Discount — APPA members receive discounted member pricing on all digital book purchases.

Shop Digital Books & Materials

Print Books (no digital materials) - available via Amazon

Print copies of APPA's Operational Guidelines are available through Amazon. Print copies are stand-alone (do not include digital downloads and materials). Pricing for print books is the same for everyone (no member discount available).

Print Books Only (Amazon)

License APPA's Guidelines

APPA provides a licensing model that allows Business Partners to integrate APPA’s Operational Guidelines into their solutions and services.

Licensing Details