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Facilities | Maintenance and Operations

Overview

Section Contents

Vanderbilt University Maintenance and Operations, VUMO, provides facilities support for all construction, renovation and routine maintenance of all university spaces; custodial services oversee approximately 5.8 million square feet of academic, administrative, residential and recreational space; grounds cares for 330 acres of the Vanderbilt University Arboretum and turf care for the Frist Athletics Village; and innovative utilities for the university and Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC).

Services

  • Building Automation
    • Maintain JCI and ALC building automation systems across campus  
    • Write, program, and implement control strategies for different systems across campus  
    • Aid maintenance zones in troubleshooting and service calls  
    • Perform controls projects for Planning, Design, & Construction on an as needed basis 
    • Analyze fault detection in order to improve energy performance and equipment reliability 

    Learn more about Building Automation 

  • Carpentry
    • Repair and replacement of doors, windows, glass, screens, ceiling and floor tiles, and drywall 
    • Repair, constructing and assembling of furniture and custom cabinets 
    • Mirror, white board and bulletin board installation and replacement 
    • General carpentry maintenance services 
    • Roof repairs 
    • Masonry work (outsourced) 
    • Interior and exterior painting touch-up work 
    • Staining of doors, door frames, etc. 

    Learn more about Maintenance & Energy Management 

  • Custodial

    Building Services is responsible for the daily cleaning of campus academic, administrative, and residential buildings. Building Services also provides cleaning services in support of special university events and floods. Administrative and academic buildings are cleaned during the first and second shifts Monday through Friday and the third shift Sunday through Thursday. Student housing and Greek housing is cleaned during the first shift, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., seven days a week. The following services are provided by Building Services: 

    Routine Services:

    Additional Services 

    • Trash removal beyond normal items and frequency, heavy or bulky materials, or excessive amounts. 
    • Cleaning of appliances, upholstery, area rugs, and window treatments. 
    • Carpet cleaning and stripping/re-finishing of hard floor surfaces beyond the typical once per year. 
    • Events support/coverage. 
    • Special cleaning of buildings beyond the standard coverage. 

    Learn more about Campus Services 

  • Distributed Water
    • Maintain chilled water to all of campus  
    • Perform annual preventative maintenance on chillers and cooling towers each winter  
    • Chemical treatment performed by Nashville Chemical 

    Learn more about Maintenance & Energy Management 

  • Electrical
    • Maintaining campus electrical infrastructure 
    • Rewiring 
    • Light bulb replacement 
    • VUMO staff replaces building light bulbs and fluorescent tubes at no charge. However, for any light fixtures replacement at requiring specialized equipment, the customer may incur charges. To have a light replaced, please fill out a Facilities Services Request or call SIS at 615-322-9675. 
    • Wiring, maintenance and repair of life safety systems 
    • Campus security lighting 

    Learn more about Maintenance & Energy Management 

  • Events Services Guide

    The purpose of this guide is to provide Vanderbilt University staff, faculty and student organizations with information that will assist them in determining the requirements for events and activities held on campus. All events will need to submit a Facilities Event Form via ReADY using the “Events” Tile. 

    Event Guide Book 

    Log into ReADY 

  • Fire & Life Safety

    The Fire & Life Safety team roles and responsibilities: 

    • Troubleshoot and maintain fire alarm, sprinkler, camera, panic buttons, and lighting controls systems.  
    • Conduct all quarterly, semi-annual, and annual life safety system testing.  
    • Coordinate and direct contractor and project work that affects fire alarm or sprinkler systems.  
    • Install security systems and panic buttons by request.  

    Learn more about Maintenance & Energy Management 

  • Grounds

    The VUMO Grounds team is responsible for maintaining 336 acres of landscape and hardscape across the university's campus, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital, and various real estate properties managed through the Vanderbilt University Real Estate (VURE) office: 

    • General Grounds Maintenance 
    • Turf Maintenance and Management as well as game-day preparation 
    • Irrigation system operations and maintenance 
    • Tree Maintenance, including the planting of new trees and removal of dead trees 
    • Parking Lot and Street Sweeping 
    • Hardscape maintenance and repair 
    • Routine trash/litter policing 
    • Snow and Ice Removal 
    • Events Support including trash/litter policing services 
    • Landscape composting 
    • Horticultural Care: Maintains campus annual and perennials flower beds decorative plantings and ornamental beds proper maintenance of shrubs flowers young trees and ground cover. 

    If you have a grounds maintenance concern or question contact Building Systems Control (BSC) at  615-322-2621. 

    For non-emergency requests please submit via ReADY. 

    SNOW AND ICE REMOVAL 

    During the winter season, Maintenance & Operations is responsible for snow and ice removal from all campus pedestrian walkways, handicapped ramps, patios and interior campus roads. Our primary emphasis is to maintain our walkways and primary driving routes to the safest possible conditions. Snow and ice removal operations are conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the Snow and Ice Removal Plan 

    Click here to view the Snow and Ice Removal Map 

    Learn more about Campus Services 

  • Key Shop

    The Key Shop maintains all door hardware and locks as well as door signage for Vanderbilt University. Requested key pickup occurs at the Peabody Maintenance Building on Mondays Wednesdays & Fridays 9:00 am - 12:30 pm and 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm.  

    The shop can provide the following services: 

    • Door, desk and cabinet lock installation and maintenance 
    • Panic hardware 
    • Door closers 
    • Automatic operators 
    • Access control systems 
    • Duplication of keys (with proper authorization) 
    • Re-keying of buildings, departments, and individual locks 
    • Building signage 
    • Exterior and parking lot signs 
    • Signs for special events 

    When a craftsman does work for you, they will leave a Service Notice to indicate they completed the work. 

    Learn more about Campus Services 

  • Move Crew

    The moving crew handles the moving of items for most faculty and staff at the University as well as collection of surplus items to be delivered to the Surplus Program. They also handle set-up of chairs, tables, tents, etc. for special events such as The Party and Commencement. The Moving Crew is a fee-for-service operation, so there will be a charge for their services.  

    Learn more about Campus Services 

  • Pest Control

    The Pest Control team is certified to handle most pest control problems. All team members are certified by the State of Tennessee Department of Agriculture, either in structural pest control (i.e., general pest and rodent control), bird control, and/or wood destroying organisms. 

    Vanderbilt University practices Integrated Pest Management (IPM) which means that chemical applications are not the first line of defense to control insects and rodents. Instead, we use a combination of mechanical, sanitation, and exclusion methods to alter habitat and remove environmental conditions that would propagate a pest population. Only after these remedies are exhausted are pesticides or other chemicals used. 

    Learn more about Campus Services 

  • Plumbing
    • Repair and maintenance of pipe and valve leaks, plumbing fixtures, hot & cold water systems, and back flow preventers 
    • Perform fire extinguishers recurring inspections and maintain fire suppression systems 
    • Inspect for gas leaks 
    • Maintain fire suppression systems 
    • Water conservation fixtures installation projects 
    • General plumbing project 

    Learn more about Maintenance & Energy Management 

  • Public Utilities Commission (PUC) Services Guide

    PUC stands for Public Utilities Commission, a framework for providing cleaning, maintenance, and operational services across the university for a nominal fee. All Vanderbilt schools and departments pay this fee and receive Basic Services. 

    Basic Services are performed by the Offices of Facilities Maintenance and Operations (VUMO) and Environmental Health, Safety, and Sustainability (EHS&S) departments for university-owned buildings and grounds. Basic Services are sometimes referred to as “PUC funded” services. Special Services are services above and beyond Basic Services. Special Services requested from schools or departments are not PUC funded and are billed directly to the requestor. Also, any Basic Service that exceeds $20,000 per incidence is billed directly to the school or department. 

    This guide details the services that Facilities provides, and how to access these services. 

    View the PUC Services Guide 

  • Storeroom

    The storeroom strives to meet and, whenever possible, exceed customer service expectations. The storeroom maintains a catalog of 4,600 parts in stock, has the ability to find and purchase parts from anywhere in the world, and provides all the parts and supplies for the skilled trades staff that maintain Vanderbilt’s buildings. Stock level accuracy and inventory integrity is monitored via monthly cycle counts to minimize errors and emphasize the importance of using our systems and other business tools to track activity. 

    Learn more about Campus Services 

  • Waste & Recycling

    In 1992, Vanderbilt University formally established the Vanderbilt University recycling program which has evolved and grown through the active involvement and participation of its student body, staff and faculty. In 2015, Vanderbilt recycled 8.7 million pounds of material, an increase of 13 percent over the year before and just over triple the volume since 2010. 

    VUMO operates the university recycling program. We provide recycling services to campus academic and administrative buildings and manage recycling initiatives for large events such as student move-out, student move-in, Commencement, and athletics events. Vanderbilt accepts five major items through the main campus recycling program: paper, cardboard, plastic, aluminum, and glass. Non-traditional recycling is also available at specific locations across campus and includes ink/toner cartridges, batteries, light bulbs, scrap metal, etc. Locations of recycling centers for residential housing can be found here. To learn more about Vanderbilt’s recycling program. 

    With such a large community, Vanderbilt has the potential to generate large quantities of waste on a daily basis. In an effort to reduce the institution’s impact on the environment, Vanderbilt faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to find ways to reuse, reduce waste and recycle. 

    Reducing your consumption of resources and products, whether it is using a reusable coffee mug instead of a disposable one or printing double-sided copies to save paper, also reduces the amount of waste you produce. 

    Reusing items that you might normally dispose is also a means of reducing waste generated.  Look for ways to repurpose items or for places to donate unwanted products so that others can reuse them.  Products that cannot be reused should be recycled whenever possible. 

    Recycling involves taking used materials and making them into new products.  This process prevents the use of raw materials and reduces energy consumption and water and air pollution involved with the production and transportation of new items.  Recyclable materials include traditional items such as paper, aluminum, plastic, glass, and cardboard, as well as nontraditional items such as computers, electronics, toner cartridges, batteries, fluorescent light bulbs and much more!  Materials from campus that will be recycled are collected by recycling vendors and taken to a recycling center were they may be sorted, cleaned, and processed into new materials. 

Resources

  • Facility Report
  • Facilities Review Committee (FRC)

    The Facilities Review Committee serves the campus community by reviewing all proposed temporary modifications and installations for any purpose to the Vanderbilt and VUMC campus built environments and refers permanent modifications and installations to the appropriate committee or university office.  Examples include, but are not limited to, exterior displays, special events, food trucks, temporary structures, signage, banners, student projects, drone flights, impacts to pedestrian and vehicular traffic, and construction activities outside of the contractor’s limits of construction. The committee addresses operational and physical impact to the university including safety, accessibility, stewardship, aesthetics, and sustainability. 

    Learn more 

  • Facility Renewal Report
  • Policies and Procedures
  • Services Guide

    PUC stands for Public Utilities Commission, a framework for providing cleaning, maintenance, and operational services across the university for a nominal fee. All Vanderbilt schools and departments pay this fee and receive Basic Services. Basic Services are performed by the Offices of Facilities Maintenance and Operations (VUMO) and Environmental Health, Safety, and Sustainability (EHS&S) departments for university-owned buildings and grounds. Basic Services are sometimes referred to as “PUC funded” services. Special Services are services above and beyond Basic Services. Special Services requested from schools or departments are not PUC funded and are billed directly to the requestor. Also, any Basic Service that exceeds $20,000 per incidence is billed directly to the school or department. 

    This guide details the services that Facilities provides, and how to access these services. 

ReADY Request

Service Request

Accessibility Card Reader | Carpentry | Custodial | Refilling Dispensers | Electrical | Elevator | Fire, Life, & Safety | Grounds Internal Maintenance | Inter Office Move | Key/Door | Leak/Gas Leaks | Paint | Pest Control | Plumbing Fixtures Recycling/Waste Services Signs/Banners | Space / GIS (Maps) / Library | Surplus | Temperature/HVAC | Research Biowaste

All work orders should be submitted using the ReADY applicationFor emergency built environment issues please call 615-322-2621.

Submit a Service Request