Zone Maintenance

In July 2009, the Physical Plant department was reorganized into a Zone Maintenance structure. Prior to this change, UVM's maintenance approach, like many other universities, was rooted in a 1960's model of stand-alone craft shops with specialized master craftspeople. Zone Maintenance is a systematic approach which assigns a team of multi-disciplined craftspeople to specific buildings and areas of campus. Each zone has a Manager and a team of personnel who are highly technically trained, more customer-focused, quicker to respond, and more effective in providing maintenance services for our ever-changing campus environment.

Click on a building to view its zone's page:

Each Zone provides the following maintenance services:

• Carpentry & Painting - building and repair of walls, ceilings, cabinets, stairs, floors, trim, and some furniture, flooring, sheet rock, door hardware, insulation, exterior siding and windows, bookshelves, exterior fences, and exterior and interior masonry maintenance and repair.
• Electrical - emergency, routine work and preventive maintenance on electrical panels, switches, receptacles, light fixtures, electric heat, electric motors.
• Heating & Ventilation - routine and emergency repairs and preventive maintenance on all equipment and systems.
• Plumbing - installation, repair & maintenance on drinking fountains, showers, drain lines, faucets, garbage disposals, toilets, hot and cold water lines, water valves, submersible pumps, steam machines, water softener units, hot water heaters, dish machines and the like.
• Air conditioning & Refrigeration - repair and maintenance on air conditioning systems for computer rooms, PBX equipment and buildings, walk-in coolers and freezers, refrigerated water coolers and air dryers, ice machines, dehumidifiers and humidifiers, heat pumps, cooling towers and the like.

Zone Maintenance has achieved the following:

• Our staff are more localized and focused in their efforts. Staff were relocated physically closer to the buildings they support so service is provided in a more efficient way.
• We've reduced vehicles in our department fleet and shortened travel time between jobs.
• We provide better customer service through quicker response and increased accountability.
• There is increased "stewardship" for the buildings as staff remain focused in their zone. We've increased reliability of UVM's mechanical infrastructure as a result.
• Better coordination of work among different craftspeople.
• Greater emphasis on preventive maintenance (PM) and reduction of deferred maintenance (DM)

Last modified September 14 2010 01:15 PM