Wednesday, December 16, 2009

WasteAudit 2009


WasteAudit2009b
Originally uploaded by Brandon Watson
Members of EnviroWestern sort recyclables from bags of trash collected from buildings on campus. The waste audit is the first of the new academic year and kicks off Western's Recycling Challenge. The website is being developed to launch from Physical Plant's new recycling page ( uwo.ca/ppd/recycling ) once the audit data is tabulated.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Groundbreaking raises a few eyebrows

Physical Plant's Glen Armstrong is no stranger to leading large development projects, but is the first to admit the Ivey building will be unlike any on campus. Here he signs the guest book as he arrives to the ground breaking ceremony held on the site of construction on September 10.

Physical Plant has devoted two project managers to lead the development. Along with Glen, Architect, Mike McLean will oversee the various phases of the $100 million project.

For more info, check out Western News' story: http://communications.uwo.ca/com/western_news/stories/major_ivey_family_donation_highlights_groundbreaking_20090910444765/

And the official release: http://www.ivey.uwo.ca/media/2009/Press/090713.htm

Friday, September 4, 2009

LED: Lighting the way


LEDLighting_Aug09
Originally uploaded by Brandon Watson
Electrical Designer, Mike LaHey displays a new LED fixture that will replace the overhead lights on the canopy above Alumni Hall's main entrance.

LED technology provides better light quality and uses only a quarter of the energy when compared to incandescent counter-parts. The LED also lives about six times longer than current CFL technology and is 100% recyclable - ie: no mercury.

Mike has been adding LED lights to a number of renovations over the past year or so and estimates that seven buildings are currently sporting the new technology.

Mike's efforts were featured in PPD News (page 5): www.uwo.ca/ppd/documentation/ppdnews_sept07_webversion.pdf

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Campus Tour Aug. 2009


CampusTour_Aug09b
Originally uploaded by Brandon Watson
Western's Vice-Provost, John Doerksen, President & Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Amit Chakma, Vice-President Resources & Operations, Gitta Kulzcycki, and Associate Vice-President Communications & Public Affairs, Helen Connell take an intimate tour of campus.

The group travelled to all corners of the campus to discovered some of the unique features of Western's property.

Physical Plant's Grounds Manager, Jim Galbraith (hidden by the tree) led the tour and provided some great historical info, introducing the group to some of the lesser known spots on campus. Here he shows off some of the recent upgrades to the Althouse College courtyard.

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Two wheelin' in the Power Plant


Power Plant Bikes
Originally uploaded by Brandon Watson
An intiative to increase travel time on campus provided Physical Plant's Power Plant with a 'green' solution. Three bikes were purchased for general maintenance and service calls.

Pictured: Operators Iain Findlater and Simon Baarbe participate in cycle safety training offered by campus police.

Get the full story in the PPD News (page 5): www.uwo.ca/ppd/documentation/ppdnews_may09_webversion.pdf

Getting the new program on its feet

For Physical Plant, there is more to enhancing the recycling program than just modeling it after the municipal service. An education iniative that is currenlty underway includes the revision, production and installation of new signage for each and every blue bin on campus.

Darren Jones, Physical Plant Sheet Metal Mechanic, has fabricated dozens of brackets to frame some of the larger recycling decals for the wheeled blue bin. From his shop the signs will be collected and hung on bins around campus by Recycling Driver, Keith Arnold.

The mid-sized blue bins (generally found in hallways) will feature updated decals, as well. Caretaking Services and the grounds summer students will be applying those over the next few weeks.

By the end of the summer, most of the nearly 1000 bins on campus will feature the new program information.

For more information on the new program, check out the Western News article; http://communications.uwo.ca/com/western_news/stories/western_adopts_london's_recycling_model_20090723444615/

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Claudette MacKay Lassonde Pavilion model of green


CMLP_July2009_03
Originally uploaded by Brandon Watson
Media Tour - Claudette McKay-Lassonde Pavilion

Physical Plant Project Manager, Mike DeJager examines the newly installed 'green roof' high atop Western's first LEED certified building, the Claudette McKay-Lassonde Pavilion.

When this picture was taken, he was leading a media tour through the facility, highlighting some of the more impressive features. The $20 million project will be completed this fall.

For more information on the roof, check out: http://communications.uwo.ca/com/western_news/stories/rooftop_garden_helps_with_heating,_drainage_20090722444611/

For building information, the Faculty of Engineering has developed a dedicated site: www.eng.uwo.ca/cmlp/

On The Move - Western Student Services Building




Western Journalism students catch up with Physical Plant Project Manager, Fred Janzen on the first day of the move for the new Western Student Services Building.

Similar to the relocation plan for the Support Services Building, the WSS tenants will be moving in at different times, staggering the incoming departments over the next few weeks.

For more info on the move, check out the Western News article: http://communications.uwo.ca/com/western_news/stories/on_the_move_-_student_services_20090720444605/

For building and services information, check out the WSS move website; wss.uwo.ca/

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Congratulations to the Western Green Award recipients!
Physical Plant organized the second annual Western Green Award and hosted a reception for the recipients on April 2, 2009.
The selection committee had a very difficult task in narrowing the field. A total of 30 nominations were submitted - up by nearly 50% from the year before - and two outstanding submisisons were selected.

Denis O'Carroll, WGA Recipient
Dr. O’Carroll has been involved in a number of initiatives that support positive environmental outcomes and a sustainable environment. He joined Western in 2005 and immediately became involved in the new engineering green building design (CMLP building) as the course coordinator for fourth year civil and environmental engineering students developing preliminary designs for the new building. The goal of this project was to have a building “designed by students for students”. <Read more>




Undergraduate Medical Students from the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, WGA Repicients
The medicine classes of 2009 and 2010 initiated a project which has had a tremendous impact on the lives of students, faculty and staff at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry. In 2005-2006, The Dr. Don Rix Clinical Skills Learning Building was constructed along the face of Elgin Drive, adjacent to the Medical Sciences Building. <Read more>