Facilities Management

With UNC Charlotte’s campus footprint continuing to grow, the University is taking the steps to ensure one of the its most valued natural resources is being sustained — trees.

Beyond a source of shade, trees help clean the air and add an aesthetically pleasing element to campus. UNC Charlotte’s commitment to effectively manage its tree population has led to it being named a Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation.

Faculty, staff and students interested in construction projects that are planned for or are ongoing in campus buildings can utilize a new online communications tool – the UNC Charlotte Facilities Conditions Customer View Map.

The website map provides a color-coded Facilities Condition Index (FCI) about each campus building (Firefox or Google Chrome are recommended browsers for the website).

Solomon Franklin is enthusiastic about making a difference, not only at UNC Charlotte but in the greater community.

A member of the 100 Black Men of Greater Charlotte Inc., Franklin mentors two young men, one in middle school, the other is in high school. He also is on the organization’s board of directors as chief operating officer.

Bringing two major facilities online – the PORTAL Building and Richardson Stadium – requires a collaborative effort by the teams involved. The State Construction Office recently recognized the two projects and named them “best managed.” UNC Charlotte was the only state agency to have multiple construction projects earn such recognition this year.

State Construction Office personnel, known as monitors, determine which capital projects are deemed “best managed.”

The University is planning a number of infrastructure projects that will provide long-term benefits for vehicular and pedestrian flow. Several construction initiatives will begin in the coming weeks and months and will add or enhance roadways, sidewalks, bike lanes and ADA access.

Some project timelines will overlap causing traffic congestion in different areas; however, the ultimate goal is to make the campus more fluid for vehicles and pedestrians. The University is overseeing these projects carefully, with a targeted ending date for all projects by August 2015.

UNC Charlotte is committed to becoming a regional model of sustainable stewardship, and toward that goal, the University recently earned two Clean Fuel Advanced Technology Project grants totaling $64,000. 

The University City area continues to grow with new apartments and retail centers, and UNC Charlotte, along with the city, is making plans to accommodate alternative ways to get around.

“As the University improves existing roads and builds new ones, we are adding lanes to our existing bike lane system,” said Peter Franz, the campus landscape architect. He added the Charlotte Department of Transportation (CDOT) has been a great partner in identifying the need for more bike lanes and sidewalks around the campus.

Before leaving for holiday break, employees are encouraged by facilities management to take these energy conservation steps:

Lights – Lighting is the second-largest use of energy in most commercial spaces. Turning them off is a simple and effective way to conserve resources. Don’t forget about desk lamps, overhead lights and those in common spaces such as kitchens, bathrooms and hallways.

Chancellor Philip L. Dubois noted during this year’s Convocation that the University is recruiting a Director of University Space Management and Utilization, a new EPA position. The director will report to Phil Jones, associate vice chancellor for facilities, with a dotted-line report to the senior associate provost of academic affairs.

Due to a storm drain relocation project, Parking Lots 25 and 26 and North Deck will be closed from Monday, Dec. 15, through Tuesday, Dec. 23.

All vehicles must be moved prior to Dec. 15 as there will be no access to these lots during their closure (click to see the map). Students who leave their cars on campus during winter break are encouraged to use the Union Deck.