A portion of the facilities, particularly the mechanical systems, is covered by a preventive maintenance program, whereby the components are inspected, tested, and serviced on a scheduled basis. Required periodic tests and inspections of elevators, fire protection systems, and boilers are performed under contract in accordance with applicable codes and regulations.

Building users are encouraged to report any deficiencies as they occur. Requests for emergency or routine service will be received at the Facilities Management Complex during normal working hours (7 a.m. – 4 p.m.) by telephone, in person or fax. The telephone number is 809-4291. Facilities Management is located behind the General Services Building on Chestnut Street. The fax number is 809-6270.

After normal working hours (4 p.m. to 7 a.m.), on weekends or holidays, requests for emergency service only, will be received at Public Safety at 809-2222. Security relays the message to the Shift Supervisor at the Central Plant. The Shift Supervisor will determine the nature of the emergency and react appropriately based on Emergency Policies of the Department for Facilities Management. A determination will be made to repair with personnel on duty, call in a technician for after-hours repair or record for assignment on the next normal work day.

Access Control
The Department for Facilities Management is responsible for the maintenance, monitoring and control of all locking systems throughout the campus. This includes the access for almost 2,000 residential rooms, more than 3,000 academic and staff classroom and office doors, and all access for seven satellite facilities throughout the region.

A request for keys or new locks is processed through a faxed memo stating the department’s name, account number, responsible person, phone number and key core number. This is a chargeable service. Facilities Management’s fax number is 809-6270. Repair to an inoperable lock should be reported to 809-4291 during normal working hours (7 a.m. – 4 p.m.).

Renovations/Reconstruction/Capital Construction
The Department for Facilities Management has the capability to plan and carry out all renovation requirements for all University facilities. There are several different classes of renovation/reconstruction/capital construction projects. The classes are as follows:

Minor Renovation/Reconstruction
Less than $500 -- does not require a Renovation Request form. Work will be accomplished by in-house work order. Over $500 and Less than $10,000 with no significant change in building use -- requires Completion of a
Renovation Request form; work will generally be accomplished in-house; Facilities Management can obtain three bids for outsourced services.

Major Renovation/Reconstruction
Over $500 and Less than $10,000 with significant change in building use -- requires Completion of a Renovation Request form; work will generally be accomplished in-house; Facilities Management can obtain three bids for outsourced services. Over $10,000 and Less than $50,000--requires completion of a Renovation Request form; consulting and construction work will generally be outsourced; Procurement Services administers construction bidding process.

Capital Construction Projects
Any new Construction Projects--requires completion of a Capital Construction Project Request form; work will be accomplished in-house and/or outsourced; most generally administered by Facilities Design and Construction. Any Renovation/Reconstruction Project Over $400,000--requires completion of a Capital Construction Project Request form; consulting and construction work will generally be outsourced; Procurement Services administers construction bidding process.

* * In some cases, a certain amount of planning and estimating will be required to determine the class project. Facilities Design and Construction can help with this.

In-House Forces or Contracted Labor
Department for Facilities Management employees are trained in most principal trades required for maintenance, repair, construction, and renovation services in such areas as: building trades, electrical, elevator, environmental systems, painting, and plumbing. Maintenance and repair programs, routine and emergency, can be met by these skilled employees. Renovation projects of limited scope can be performed under authority granted in the Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS).

The scope, cost, time, or specialized nature of some proposed projects will require contracted services for design and construction. The decision to use in-house forces or contracted services rests with Facilities Management for adherence to KRS and administrative regulation of the Department of Finance of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Other Murray State University departments or operating units are not authorized to perform maintenance, repair, renovation, or alterations on any University facility or installed unit.

Utility Services
The Department for Facilities Management operates and maintains all power generation and distribution systems except telephone service.

Steam and chilled water are produced at the Central Heating and Cooling Plant for heating buildings and domestic hot water and for cooling all buildings except the residential colleges and College Courts apartments. The residential colleges and College Courts apartments have self-contained heating and cooling systems. All heating and cooling systems are operated and maintained by the Building and Equipment Maintenance Division.

On the main campus, Electric power is purchased from the Murray Electric System and is distributed by means of University-owned distribution system. Gas is purchased from the Murray Gas System and distributed by University-owned distribution systems. Water and Sewer services are purchased from the Murray Municipal Utility System for distribution and collection.

All utility services are managed by Facilities Management. Any malfunction associated with these systems or services should be reported to the department at 809-4291 during normal working hours (7 a.m. – 4 p.m.) and to Public Safety at 809-2222 after normal working hours (4 p.m. – 7 a.m.).

Energy Management
The University has long-range use goals, temperature and lighting standards, and facilities improvement programs to enhance buildings and systems efficiency for energy management. These goals were established in 1978. Building occupants are encouraged to turn off lights when rooms are unoccupied or when natural light is adequate and to maintain building temperatures of 70 degrees F or cooler when heating or 78 degrees F or warmer when cooling. When temperature cannot be maintained within these limits, Facilities Management should be notified by a service call to 809-4291 during normal working hours (7 a.m. – 4 p.m.) and at Public Safety at 809-2222 after normal working hours (4 p.m. – 7 p.m.).

The University received the Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award in 1997 by Governor Paul Patton for Energy Conservation. Since 1978, the University has reduced its total energy consumption by 25 percent and educated the students, staff and faculty about energy awareness.

Building Trades
The building trades shop is comprised of carpenters, masons, locksmiths, glaziers and concrete craftsmen. It is responsible for key production; glass repair; cabinetry construction, installation and repair; masonry; and walk repair.

Central Heating and Cooling Plant
The Central Heating and Cooling Plant houses and operates three 1,200 ton chillers; two 2,100 pounds-per-hour natural gas fired boilers; and if needed, three 35,000 pounds-per-hour electric boilers to supply chilled water and heated steam, as required, to most academic and office buildings on campus. Most dormitories are heated and cooled by smaller, self-contained systems unique to each facility.

The Central Heating and Cooling Plant operates a computer-based Honeywell Delta DPC Series Energy Management System which monitors and controls heating and cooling in most University buildings. This system also monitors smoke and heat alarms, pull fire alarms, and elevator emergency alarms. An operator is on duty 24-hours a day, 365-days a year. The staff manages all utility related matters after normal working hours.

Electric and Elevator Services
The electric shop regularly maintains three high voltage substations, electronics including circuit boards, fire alarm systems, and outside and inside lighting. The shop also works on the Delta 1000 Energy Management System installed in 1996. The installation and maintenance of four thousand feet of conduit from the Central Heating and Cooling Plant to Sparks Hall was required for project.

Prior to 1994, elevator maintenance was handled by contractors. Since then, University employees repair and maintain the more than 50 elevators and wheel chair lifts on campus. These lifts include 14 different manufacturers and 23 different types of control systems. The control systems designs range from 1948 relay controllers to 1998 microprocessor computer controllers. Because of the continued changes, the elevator shop is constantly involved in keeping up with new technologies. This would not be possible without the support of all the other crafts.

Environmental Systems Services
The environmental systems services shop is responsible for the maintenance and repair of all heating, air-conditioning, ventilation and refrigeration equipment in the residential colleges, College Courts Apartments, and academic and administrative buildings on campus.

The shop must maintain nine building specific Centrifugal Chillers, totaling 1800 tons of cooling capacity (The average size house is equipped with a 3-ton unit.); 13 boilers for producing hot water to heat the buildings during the winter months; nine high capacity water heaters for domestic hot water; fan coil units with associated controls in each room; and restroom ventilation systems for the residential colleges. The shop is responsible for the self-contained heating and cooling systems in the College Courts Apartments.

Ice machines, refrigerators and window style air-conditioning units are serviced by the environmental systems services shop, as well.

Paint
The paint shop routinely provides maintenance and repairs consisting of painting, plastering, removing carpet and covering floors.

Exterior and interior painting are scheduled on a cyclical basis and modified based on actual need. Exterior painting is scheduled frequently enough to adequately preserve facilities. Interior painting schedules may be modified as funding is made available. Colors are selected from a standard color scheme except for major public spaces which may utilize special color treatment.

Plumbing
The plumbing shop is responsible for miles of piping infrastructure that provides portable water for domestic use, chilled water for cooling and steam for heating. Waste water and storm tunnel water is also removed from campus with this pipe network. The installation and maintenance of these systems are the primary responsibility of the plumbing shop.

The shop coordinates and works with all department crafts with such tasks as locating and marking utilities for excavation work and repairing a broken water main. The plumbing shop also maintains a variety of equipment including: pumps for sewage, storm weather and feed water; air handler bearings for exhaust fans, air return fans and air supply fans; and belts for rotating equipment.

For the safety of University students, staff and faculty, the plumbing shop maintains the fire protection sprinkler systems, updates lab equipment and installs commercial kitchen equipment.

Welding repairs and metal fabrication projects are done by the plumbing shop staff as well.