Facilities

The west side of campus blossomed during this past year as many months of work came to fruition in the fall when two of our new buildings opened: Simmons Hall and the Zesiger Sports and Fitness Center. Also adding beauty to the northwest campus is the 70 Pacific Street Dormitory. Our department continues to lead the major building program while at the same time maintaining more than 10 million square feet of buildings as well as 153 acres of grounds. During the past year, Facilities coordinated an unprecedented $300+ million in expenditures on the operations and the new building program.

Views on the east side are not yet fully developed, as that side of campus remains a bed of large-scale construction and disruption. Intense work will continue in the coming year as we complete the three-year renovation to the Dreyfus Chemistry Building, undergo an explosion of major construction with the brain and cognitive sciences project, and complete the spectacular Ray and Maria Stata Center for Computer, Information, and Intelligence Sciences. In addition, we expect members of the community to finally see an end to the massive inconvenience they have experienced for almost five years along Vassar Street and to witness the emergence of a dramatically improved passageway between Massachusetts Avenue and Main Street.

Facilities also continues to be a major player in MIT's environmental initiatives. Our collaboration with the Environment, Health, and Safety Office (EHS) led to expansion and improvements in MIT's recycling program. In addition, we work closely with the Working Group on Recycling, a group of MIT staff committed to promoting recycling and outreach.

Together with the Environmental Programs Office, we formed a follow-on committee to the Green Building Task Force. The purpose of this committee is to pull together the groups responsible for supporting the Institute's 10 environmental goals in order to establish action plans related to the goals. Each goal is being examined, achievements documented, objectives developed, and each will be followed by the development of specific attainable action plans. The plan should be drafted by the end of 2003.

We were very proud when the US Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy awarded the Energy Star Award for Combined Heat and Power to the William R. Dickson Cogeneration Plant. The presentation was made at MIT and created an opportunity to recognize the MIT senior management, Utilities staff, academic staff, outside professionals, and regulators who made the construction possible.

Another accolade received by our department occurred when the Lobby 7 Restoration project was presented an award for Lighting Design Effort and Results of Excellence at the International Association of Lighting Designers International 2003 meeting in New York City in May.

Facility Protection

The Department of Facilities continues to participate in the Institute-wide emergency preparedness efforts led by EHS. Joseph Gifun, assistant director of Facilities for infrastructure and special projects, led the Emergency Communications, Evacuation, and Shelter-In-Place Project team, whose charge was to develop preliminary integrated process designs. Moreover, the Department of Facilities reconvened its Facility Protection Team to supplement the Institute-wide activities underway. The Facility Protection Team focused on aspects of protection and security that are under the control and influence of Facilities. It determined how the Institute's facilities, facility operations, and the Department of Facilities could withstand and recover from the impact of select major threats to the campus.

The following are examples of improvements initiated by the Facility Protection Team:

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Infrastructure Renewal

A number of infrastructure renewal projects were funded through the Committee for the Review of Space Planning (CRSP) process. Projects included the replacement of an air handler in Building 13 and repairs to the exterior of Building 26.

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Client Orientation

Operation of our core business units has been enhanced to meet known needs of the Institute community as well as anticipated needs that have not yet been articulated. Paying greater attention to the needs of clients has had an impact on the operation of our business units and has offered an opportunity to make changes in our financial practices. To improve reporting for client services, we continue to actively promote our email address (plant-finacc@mit.edu) with a guarantee of same-day response to client inquiries. We ended the year working tirelessly to process all client billings, allowing them to report the use of their funds in the current fiscal year.

In addition to improving our financial practices, we continued several other client-oriented initiatives. Operations management met on a formal basis with leaders from the Campus Activities Complex, Housing, Athletics, Registrar's Office, and selected other departments to proactively deal with issues and concerns.

Our computerized maintenance management system was upgraded to provide work status information to the requestor. Currently, when a work request is submitted to Repair and Maintenance, the requestor will receive an email acknowledging the request and a reference work order number. The reference number will allow the user the ability to access a page that displays the status of the request.

Throughout the year, our staff conducted tours and programs to familiarize the MIT community with our department and its functions.

Grounds staff provide interpretive tours of campus gardens two times a year through the MIT Activities Committee. Maps of the tour routes along with lists of highlighted plants are now available on the Department of Facilities web site.

The Central Utility Plant continued its program of presentations and tours of the cogeneration plant. Tours were provided to MIT departments including Mechanical Engineering, Aeronautics and Astronautics, and Architecture. Among the groups from outside the Institute who visited the plant were attendees from two Department of Energy conferences that were held in Boston, students from several local universities, and a Cambridge community environmental group.

The director of Design and Construction Services (DCS) developed an informational presentation, "A Space Change Primer" that is intended to describe the major elements and aspects of renovation projects to prospective space change customers. The presentation also provides an overview of the administrative procedures associated with the CRSP process.

Several efforts to obtain customer feedback are underway. For example, in March, Building Services began a building-by-building custodial conditions audit. Customer surveys are also being performed in Building Services to obtain client feedback, and corrective measures are being taken as required.

In an effort to improve the level of service to end-users, DCS continued to solicit post-project evaluation forms on space changes. The questionnaire requests feedback on project manager's customer service orientation, communication skills, follow through, and accountability for cost control. We also solicit comments on the quality of the design and construction consultants' performance.

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Collaboration

By a joint effort of Laboratory for Energy and Environment staff and Utilities staff, a grant of $450,000 was awarded by the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust for photovoltaic (PV) installations at the MIT campus and on roofs of staff members' homes in the communities of Cambridge, Watertown, Arlington, Lexington, and Waltham. The MIT campus installations will be used as pilots for demonstration, research, and educational purposes. MIT also has developed a cooperative relationship with the Cambridge Public Schools that will result in several PV installations on public school buildings. MIT expects to oversee approximately 40 PV installations through this grant.

A pilot program on the East Campus was developed, implemented, and evaluated throughout the academic year. This program combined the Repair and Maintenance zone staff with the custodial staff servicing the East Campus buildings under one operations manager. The prime intent of the program was to provide customers with "one-stop shopping" for all repair, maintenance, and cleaning services. We have been asked for many years to find a method to simplify service requests for the departments. This pilot program, which we hope will fill the customers' wishes, will continue during the 2003–2004 academic year.

The Cambridge-MIT Institute (CMI) collaboration was designed to enhance the educational mission of MIT and the University of Cambridge through effective management of the teaching and research environment and to further strengthen the facilities management function of University of Cambridge Estate Management and Building Service (EMBS) and the MIT Department of Facilities. Two workshops were held, July 22–24 at MIT and September 25–26 at Cambridge, with the intent of enabling better practices within each organization and facilitating its transfer. Three themes emerged from the first workshop and were explored at greater depth before, during, and following the second workshop. The objectives are: whole life costing in higher education capital projects, management of design and construction processes in institutions, and working effectively through collaboration.

Although CMI funds are no longer available, MIT, Cambridge, and the Department of Energy continue to collaborate on the model, the latest iteration of which will be introduced and discussed during the MIT/Cambridge/Department of Energy Rebuild America charrette, July 21–23, 2003.

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Sustainability

Capital Project teams continue to find innovative methods to make our buildings more sustainable. Four projects will be submitted for the US Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certification—Stata (Silver or Gold), Simmons (Certified), the brain and cognitive sciences project (Silver), and the East Campus Project (Silver or higher). The East Campus team took a highly interactive, integrated systems design approach to look at environmental quality for the occupants, energy use, first cost and life cycle cost together and achieved a building with the anticipation of the highest occupant satisfaction with lowest energy usage and both lowest first and life cycle costs. This ongoing evolution of our design processes will continue to yield better and better buildings for the Institute at lower long-term costs.

The first major piece of the campus beautification initiative, the redesigned Vassar Street corridor from the east to the west edges of campus, is rapidly coming to fruition. The eastern portion of Vassar Street between Main Street and Massachusetts Avenue will be completed this fall. This streetscape revitalization will transform an industrial throughway into a bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly street. The design includes reduced automobile parking, traffic calming, new bikeways and walkways, and street trees.

A construction and demolition waste recycling program, which the department initiated in 2001, requires contractors to maximize the recycling of construction waste on new projects and when buildings are demolished. This year, the new system was employed on the Building 45 and East Garage demolition projects, resulting in 96 percent of the materials being recycled on Building 45 and 100 percent anticipated on the garage.

The campus recycling program continued to improve in FY2003. Excluding Housing, the recycle rate climbed from 13.90 percent in 2002 to 23.50 percent in 2003. Types of recyclable materials include all papers, plastics, aluminum, glass, food waste, grounds waste, cathode ray tubes, metals, and wood. In addition, pilot programs have been initiated in a number of buildings designating a specific recycling day. One day each week, custodians concentrate their waste removal efforts on recyclable materials. The only areas where trash is removed are within food preparation and public areas. The program has received favorable reviews and is being expanded to other buildings.

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Accountability

Repair and Maintenance initiated performance metrics in sales work-order completion, repair work-order completion, and preventive maintenance completion. They also began a biannual classroom inspection program and an annual building inspection program where areas are inspected, deficiencies noted, and appropriate repairs made as required.

In our Building Services area, Mike Picardo, formerly a night supervisor, was moved into a new quality control position and will perform building custodial audits. Mike also will work closely with Repair and Maintenance in reporting building deficiencies.

Grounds, Building Services, Mail Services, and Repair and Maintenance managers worked as a team to develop a consistent set of guidelines for sick, personal, and vacation time across the operational groups.

Using the new evaluation forms, the performance of operational group managers and supervisors was examined on a consistent basis. As a result, performance goals were established for each of the groups.

In conjunction with the Capital Project Development Group, Design and Construction Services further developed a database that is significantly enhancing the department's ability to track the development of project budgets from preliminary estimate, to approved budget, to final reconciliation. In response to increased cost sharing by departments, staff members are currently developing a project controls capability (linked to SAP) to provide final project accounting in a timely and consistent manner. The overall functionality of the project tracking system has greatly enhanced our ability to communicate up-to-date information for both internal departmental use and for better communicating the status of our projects to the end users.

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Professionalism

In April, we cohosted the annual conference for the New England Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA). I was honored to speak at their plenary session at the Park Plaza Hotel. Walt Henry, our director of systems engineering, presented a seminar on our sustainable building program. In addition, Walt presented at an Ilabs conference with our director of Design and Construction, David Myers.

Utilities staff members are well represented on the International District Energy Association (IDEA). Peter Cooper, director of Utilities, continues to serve on its board of directors; Laxmi Rao, senior project manager, participates in its measurement and control forum; and Roger Moore, superintendent of Utilities, presented at the IDEA College and University Conference.

Members of our Capital Projects group and Drawing Information Systems team presented at national conferences including seminars held by the Society of Marketing Professionals, Build Boston, and the Society of College and University Planners.

On campus, Mike Sherman, manager of our Application and Desktop Services group, served on the IS Windows 2000 deliverables team and presented that group's findings at the spring quarterly meeting of the IT Partners group.

Initiatives in our Operations area placed an increased emphasis on the training of supervisory and management personnel. Programs included managing in a union work environment, progressive discipline, maintenance best practices, budget analysis, interpreting union contract guidelines, performance evaluations, and goal setting. In addition, both administrative and hourly staff attended a number of workshops to learn techniques to manage newly implemented building systems and improved health and safety work practices.

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Capital Projects

The Institute is at the midpoint of its $1.4 billion construction program, which is dramatically changing the look and feel of the Cambridge campus. Four major projects supporting student life already have been completed: NW30 graduate housing in the fall of 2001; and Simmons Hall undergraduate dormitory, Sidney/Pacific Street student housing, and the Zesiger Sports and Fitness Center, all in the fall of 2002. The renovation of the Chemistry Building (Building 18) will be completed in summer 2003. The dramatic Stata Center has taken final form and will open during FY2004.

Completed Projects

Undergraduate Dormitory—Simmons Hall

Named in honor of Richard P. Simmons '53, his late wife Dorothy, and their family, this new 350-student dormitory is located across from the Briggs Field on Vassar Street. The new residence, designed by Steven Holl of New York, in association with Perry, Dean, Rogers and Partners of Boston, has received numerous awards for its innovative design. It received a Progressive Architecture award in 2000 before construction began; was included in the 2000 National Design Triennial "Design Culture Now" at the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum of the Smithsonian Institution; and was recently awarded a 2002 New York AIA Design Award. The dormitory was occupied by students in August 2002 and dedicated in October 2002. Since opening, it has been the subject of a number of articles in publications all over the world.

Graduate Housing at 70 Pacific Street

This residence hall provides housing for approximately 750 graduate students on the MIT campus. The residence hall was designed to promote community. Surrounding an expansive landscaped courtyard, the 346,000 square-foot complex offers recreational and retail services at street level, giving the building a lively neighborhood presence. The building also features a large multifunction room, a resource center offering computing and communications services, a game room, fitness center, lounges, music rooms, meeting space, and apartments for two faculty housemasters. Parking is located above and below ground. Michael Owu from the MIT Real Estate Office was the project manager for the design and construction of this building, which was dedicated in September 2002.

Zesiger Sports and Fitness Center

This beautiful building is named for Albert '51 and Barrie Zesiger in honor of their commitment toward the center. The facility is located on the West Campus between the Johnson Athletics Center and the Stratton Student Center. The Olympic-class 50-meter pool is the centerpiece of the facility. Other features include seating for approximately 450 spectators, a multi-activity court, six squash courts, recreation and team locker rooms, a state-of-the-art health fitness center, and a sports medicine training facility. The center was dedicated in October 2002 and already has proved to be a significant community amenity.

Work in Progress

Ray and Maria Stata Center for Computer, Information, and Intelligence Sciences

With the successful opening of the underground parking garage in June 2003, the demolition of the East Garage is underway. Work continues at several locations simultaneously on the Stata Center, including some remaining steel erection, exterior closure, interior fit-out on all floors, site work, landscape, childcare fit-out, and basement construction. The Dreyfoos and Gates towers are substantially weather-tight. Millwork installation has started in the classrooms. Waterproofing installation is substantially complete on all tower elements and skin installation is ongoing. Completion of the Stata Center is scheduled for the late winter/early spring of 2004.

Building 18 Renovation for Chemistry Department

The comprehensive, multi-phase renovation on the Dreyfus Building will conclude in summer 2003. The project entailed the complete renovation of Building 18, including wet labs, offices, exterior façade repair, and window replacement, all of which occurred while the building continued to be fully operational. The project has been ongoing for three years because researchers occupied the building during the entire duration of the gut/renovation. The refurbished labs include new fume hoods and custom features that reflect the state of the art in academic and corporate chemistry labs. The project also improves researcher safety by conforming to current codes and accessibility standards, increasing the amount of daylight in labs, and increasing flexibility of lab and support areas.

Soldier Nanotechnology and Biological Engineering Renovation

This fast-paced and rapidly executed project involved the conversion of four floors of the 500 Technology Square building for lab and office space for the Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies (ISN) and for members of the Biological Engineering (BE) Department. The ISN project was completed in May 2003. The BE project was completed in June 2003.

Renovation for the Picower Center for Learning and Memory and the McGovern Institute for Brain Research

Located on the fifth floor and part of the third floor of Building E19, the 20,000 square feet of renovations were completed in the spring of 2003. The areas will accommodate researchers until their new spaces in the brain and cognitive sciences project are completed.

Brain and Cognitive Sciences Project

Construction is just beginning on the state-of-the-art 400,000 square foot facility for the Picower Center for Learning and Memory, the McGovern Institute for Brain Research, and the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences. Each of the three entities will occupy its own building, while grouped around a large central atrium that will help facilitate communication among faculty and students. The project will be constructed on parcels of land running between Albany and Vassar streets, including frontage along Main Street opposite Technology Square. Expected completion of the project is the early fall of 2005.

Required utility expansion projects

A new 5,000-ton steam-driven chiller has been added to the Central Utility Plant (CUP) to support the expected load increases from the buildings currently under construction. In addition, the underground municipal utilities plus distribution systems for chilled water, steam, electric power, and telecommunications are being extended along Vassar Street to connect the new buildings to the CUP.

Vassar Street Streetscape

The planned redevelopment of Vassar Street into a tree-lined boulevard from Memorial Drive to Main Street (linking the campus across Massachusetts Avenue) will include more generous sidewalks, cycle tracks, two travel lanes, parallel parking, contemporary lighting, new pavement, and tree planting. Construction on east Vassar between Massachusetts Avenue and Main Street is ongoing. Expected completion of the East Vassar project is November 2003. West Vassar is delayed until construction on three municipal roadway projects in the vicinity of the campus is substantially complete.

Other Projects in Planning or Design

East Campus Project

New facilities are planned for the MIT Sloan School of Management and the Department of Economics. Master planning and concept design for the new facility are ongoing, with the cost, scope, and schedule all under review.

Media Lab Extension

An addition has long been planned for the site adjacent to the Media Laboratory's existing facilities in the Wiesner Building (E15). It is being designed by a team headed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Fumihiko Maki and executive architects Leers Weinzapfel Associates. Construction is currently on hold pending completion of fundraising for the project, but we hope to begin construction within the coming year.

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Design and Construction Services

In consideration of an increasing number of complex renovations in existing buildings, Design and Construction Services (DCS) furthered its collaborative effort with Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) personnel. DCS and EHS further refined the duties and responsibilities of the position of Construction Safety Officer within EHS, who is assigned to DCS. The purpose of creating the position was to ensure that MIT continues to be proactive in guaranteeing safety during construction phases of projects. In the course of the year, our efforts helped to develop more standardized and explicit expectations for contractor conduct during the construction phase of projects. As a result, we experienced a significant decrease in nuisance alarms to the Cambridge Fire Department due to the heightened awareness and attention we have brought to this issue.

This year, collaboration continued between DCS and the Capital Project Development Group. Consistent with the new mandate from CRSP relative to committee structure and goals, we have focused on a holistic approach to asset management. The efforts have entailed a fundamental reevaluation of the nature of campus improvement and, strategically, we have identified and focused on a new process of receiving, evaluating, and prioritizing work requests. The directors of Capital Project Development and DCS have partnered in the development of a new process for evaluating, assigning, and tracking projects.

In addition to the specific projects noted below, approximately 75 space changes, both large and small, as well as numerous small interior design projects and a number of ADA accessibility projects across the campus were completed during the year.

Lobby 7 Café

As a continuation of enhancements made to Lobby 7, renovations were completed for a lobby café. This provides carryout service to the MIT community, and chairs and seating have been made available adjacent to the café. In addition, information kiosks have been installed in Lobby 7. The kiosks gather together informational pamphlets, newspapers, and other handouts that were previously distributed casually within the lobby.

Main Group Access Control Gates

A card access gate was installed between Buildings 24 and 31, off the Vassar Street vehicular entry. This project installed a card reader in lieu of a parking attendant, which allows automated monitoring and control of vehicular access. In addition, significant landscape enhancements were incorporated into the project, including paving materials and other landscape elements consistent with the Vassar Street upgrade.

77 Massachusetts Avenue Accessible Entry

This project introduced an accessible entry adjacent to the 77 Massachusetts Avenue steps. The project entailed a carefully detailed ramp and new entry on the north side of the main steps. In addition to providing ready access into Lobby 7 via the elevator in the basement, this route has provided a long-needed means of allowing goods and materials on push carts to be transported from the Main Group to the West Campus.

Bush Room

Renovations for the Bush Room are slated for completion in August 2004. This important Institute resource is undergoing a full renovation to replace all finishes and systems. The renovation of this historically significant space will benefit a broad spectrum of the MIT community from student groups, to alumni, faculty and staff, and visiting dignitaries.

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Finance and Accounting

Our February 2003 move to 600 Technology Square (NE49) has fostered better communication and closer collaboration among all the units of Facilities. The Finance and Accounting section has been working with DCS to develop a process for closing out projects on a timely basis. This new process will allow clients to get an accounting of their projects more quickly. Since the building also houses the Controller's Accounting Office (CAO), we have been able to reduce the time it takes to resolve open issues and get vendor invoices processed.

The volume of construction on campus has changed the way the department does business. We continue to improve our vendor selection and documentation procedures while establishing more interactive relationships with departments whose work aligns with the construction process. We have worked to cultivate strong relationships with the diverse group of planning and construction professionals now working in the capital, design and construction, and engineering areas. This combination of efforts is making it possible for us to integrate financial practices while maintaining strong accountability.

Our business processes have been enhanced through increased use of the credit card, ECAT, and SAPweb. Purchase orders done online reduce effort and turnaround time. The use of ECAT and the credit card have eliminated thousands of invoices and companion purchase orders. Using new SAP functionality, we have automated the payment of stockroom invoices, saving the handling and storage of 6,000 pieces of paper. In the year ahead we will continue to look for ways to improve our purchasing and vendor payment processes, which affect client accounts.

During FY2003, Finance and Accounting continued to utilize SAP to streamline and improve our business processes and work to reduce costs and maintenance of stand-alone systems. We have introduced an automated comprehensive tool tracking system, replacing a time-consuming manual process. With Financial Systems Services (FSS), we have just identified a discovery team for the SAP Plant Maintenance module. Having close collaboration with CAO and FSS has allowed us to make "quick fixes" to SAP problems and be active participants in pilots, such as SAPweb, which allowed us to use new improved functionality before rollout to the Institute.

Like most other Institute departments, Facilities spent a considerable part of late fall and early winter in an intensive collaborative effort working to reduce our budgets for FY2004. Our endeavors were successful and now we have just entered the year that will require us to constantly review, plan, and control our spending to see that we live with the funds allocated.

On a happier note, our administrative and operations units finished FY2003 within .2 percent of our $36 million budget, not unlike successfully guiding an ocean liner into the dock. Although the Utilities budget was over expended, due to volatile prices and the harsh winter, we were able to reduce our projected spending through creative and aggressive efforts to reduce costs. It was evident that many people in the department played active roles in helping us successfully close the fiscal year.

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Information Technology

The Facilities Information Technology (IT) group continues to support the wide range of departmental activity. Among the outstanding issues addressed in FY2003 were SAP enhancements, improvements to the Maximo work-tracking system in the Repair and Maintenance group, and the development of new project tracking systems. We completed implementation of Kronos, a new automated time and attendance system, as a means to increase accountability in the Operational groups. The team continued providing training and support for these and other applications.

Implementation of the team's strategic plan continued in FY2003 with further development of the Local Area Experts program. This program provides department-wide peer support on IT issues.

Several enhanced PC and Macintosh programs have been developed for use by Facilities employees. A new web interface for the Maximo system was implemented to allow the MIT community real-time reporting and tracking of repair issues to the department. A version of this interface was also developed to allow the Environment, Health, and Safety office to report and track issues to Facilities more efficiently. In addition, Maximo was upgraded to a new version (4.11) to facilitate expanded use of the system.

The department has upgraded its local area network environment with new servers and upgraded hardware. In addition, the IT group coordinated the information technology aspect of the department's move from NE20 and 45 to NE49. This was done with minimal downtime and appeared "seamless" to users.

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Operational Units

This year as in past years, the Facilities Operational areas of Building Services, Grounds, and Repair and Maintenance worked closely with many other MIT community groups to complete another successful Commencement. Throughout the year, these same Operational areas assist the MIT community with support of numerous events on campus.

Another Operational group, Mail Services, worked closely with the Controller's Accounting Office to ensure a smooth transition from E19 to NE49.

Members of Mail Services and Repair and Maintenance worked on the development of an emergency response plan and materials handling plan for the new Stata Center garage.

The position of Operations Manager for Grounds Services was established this year, separating the management of two major units of Facilities—Building Services and Grounds. Providing a manager for each unit ensured a concentration of work effort and expertise.

Facility upgrades to the Bates Linear Accelerator Complex in Middleton included installation of a number of new HVAC systems, installation of a new fire alarm system, and the initiation of a project to upgrade the facility fire protection system.

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Clean Campus Initiative

Through the funding of the clean campus initiative in FY2003, Facilities began a campaign to improve custodial services and initiate projects that upgraded the appearance of designated buildings and sections of the campus. Through this program, 28 new custodians were added to provide improved floor and carpet care, detail cleaning, and restroom care primarily to high-traffic, high-profile areas. Custodians were added to buildings where the custodian to square-foot ratio was much higher than industry standards. In addition, two new supervisors were hired, and a quality control/training position was implemented to provide greater coaching and consistency.

Clean campus maintenance projects included the painting of the E25 atrium; refurbishment of restrooms in Buildings 50, E25, N51, NW17, and E40; painting of the Building 31 exterior; painting and repair work to the Sailing Pavilion; new entry doors for the Chapel; painting the Building 10 Lobby ceiling; and installation of new entry mats in W20.

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Utilities

The Utilities group in Facilities concentrates its effort on providing various utilities to the Institute cost efficiently while establishing conservation methods whenever possible. Several initiatives in both areas were conducted this past year.

A major overhaul (55,000 hours) of the gas turbine was accomplished in October and November. The turbine was moved to rented industrial space in Cambridgeport for work by the manufacturer's technicians. Other opportune maintenance was accomplished in the plant, and new inlet air-cooling equipment was added.

Steam, chilled water, power and telecom duct banks as well as hot water piping were completed in the railroad right-of-way and Briggs Field, and municipal storm drain, sewer, and water lines completed in Vassar Street itself. The new NW30, Simmons Hall, the Zesiger Sports and Fitness Center, and the Stata garage initiated service using these new facilities, as well as NW21 and NW14, which also connected and could retire aging and unreliable building chillers and boilers.

The West Campus fire protection loop was completed and made operational in time for the opening of Simmons Hall and the Zesiger Sports and Fitness Center. The loop includes fire pump stations in Johnson, Simmons, and Burton/Connor, and piping encircling Briggs Field capable of serving all West Campus buildings.

Water conservation projects included upgrading a reverse osmosis pure water system in Building 39 to reduce wasted backwash water, control of tempering water in steam sterilizers (in 56, 68, E18, E25), and elimination of pass-through cooling for process and analytical equipment on campus (in 13, 26, 12).

Facilities is working with the Institute to develop an Environmental, Health, and Safety Management System. The department's training program, inventory tracking system, and environmental team's relationship with the EHS department have been used as models for the Institute to expand upon.

Implementation began on the lab wastewater neutralizing master plan to pump lab waste from several surrounding buildings to central neutralizing equipment for code-compliant handling. This will reduce the number of existing limestone chip tanks under each lab sink, which are costly to maintain. It also will avoid the use of chemicals, daily inspections, permitting fees, and inspection costs associated with the installation of new neutralization systems at each building that now will not be required. To date, Buildings 6, 8, 18, and 66 have been piped to a central neutralizing system in 56. A central system also has been completed for E17, E18, and E19.

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Administration

In order to make room for the new brain and cognitive sciences project, demolition of Building 45 was scheduled for spring 2003. As a result, new space had to be found that could house the occupants of Building 45. This created an opportunity to consolidate three major portions of the department into one new location by relocating personnel in Building NE20 as well. Members of the Design and Construction and Capital Project teams together with the Administrative and Operational teams moved into space at 600 Tech Square in February 2003. Facilities staff now occupies the second floor and portions of the third floor in NE49. Since CAO was relocated to the same space, the two departments have demonstrated opportunities to work collaboratively.

Due to this relocation, the department's Application and Desktop Services team, led by Michael Sherman, worked closely with the building management, interior designers, contractors, telecommunications and data teams, and building occupants to ensure a successful move.

The Learning and Performance team, led by Laura Lucas, continues to offer instruction for all members of the department on the tools that each needs to effectively perform their tasks. Technical as well as professional development courses continue to be offered to members of the department on a regular basis. A pilot harassment awareness course was conducted as well as work on a new manager training initiative to acclimate newly promoted or new hires to the management ranks in the department. Upgrades to Maximo (our work order system) and Kronos (time clocks) are two efforts where the IT trainer, Lisa St Croix, spent time fine-tuning the system application and training the users.

The Human Resources and Labor Relations team continues to work at improving the processing of information between the department and central Human Resources. This past year has seen an effort at a collaborative approach to the internal HR tasks and a review and streamlining of internal processes related to HR issues.

Our Communications team, led by Ruth Davis, began an initiative that includes a complete redesign of our department's web site. When completed later this year, the web site will be more customer focused with portals to allow the community to order our services with greater ease.

The Rewards and Recognition (R&R) program continues to be a success. The formal R&R program is coupled with the department quarterly meetings by announcing strategic goal award winners at each quarterly meeting. This past year the amount of the awards was increased as follows: "WOW" ("Wonderful and Outstanding Work") awards are $50 gift certificates, the Strategic Goal awards are a $300 check, and the Excellence in Service awards are $1,250 checks. During 2003, the following awards were given out: 260 WOW awards, 65 Strategic Goal awards, and two Excellence in Service awards.

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Personnel Changes

Effective July 1, 2003, the DCS and Capital teams will merge into one team called Development, Design, Engineering, and Construction (DDEC). As we move toward a consolidated way of looking at managing construction projects, this new organization will be ready to service its customers effectively and efficiently.

On the operations side of Facilities, James Wallace was promoted to director of Facilities Operations and Administration, effective November 1. Jim is now responsible for all operational, administrative, and financial functions within the department. Additionally, David McCormick was promoted to assistant director of operations, having previously served as the structural services manager in Repair and Maintenance. Pat Kennedy Graham was promoted to director of administration and assistant director of Facilities. Pat is a representative on several Institute committees including the Administrative Advisory Council II, for which she will serve as vice chair in the upcoming year.

Several promotions occurred in the Operational areas. Two trades people were promoted to coach/supervisors in Repair and Maintenance: Chad Haskell and Mike Correira. Gary Saffie was promoted to be the assistant operations manager for the Stata Center. In Grounds Services, Norman Magnuson was promoted to operations manager of Grounds Services and Dan Caterino to coach/supervisor. Finally, John Carroll, formerly of the United States Postal Service, was hired to be the second-shift supervisor in Mail Services.

We were pleased to see Randy Preston, formerly a member of our Capital Projects group, return to the Institute to fill the position of structural manager, Repair and Maintenance. He and his counterpart on the mechanical, electrical, and piping side, Bernard Richard, will play an integral role in taking care of the buildings on campus. Another important position in our operations area was filled when Patty LeClair was hired to the role of manager of the Operations Center.

Conclusion

The past year was extremely active and very demanding for our department. We faced building challenges of many varieties. We managed expectations while trying to mitigate the disruption that the community had to endure. However, although challenging, it was exhilarating and will continue to be so in the coming year, especially as we look at diminishing operating resources. Nevertheless, we will continue to provide the MIT community with the grounds and facilities that this world-class institution deserves.

Victoria V. Sirianni
Chief Facilities Officer

More information about the Department of Facilities can be found on the web at http://web.mit.edu/facilities/www/.

 

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