will invest a $100,000 grant from (JCI) in training and educational opportunities to support future workforce leaders across the HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), fire and security industries. As an estimated are projected to leave the workforce each year over the next decade due to heightened retirements or career changes, 糖心Vlog官方 Maui College continues to prioritize investments in workforce training and recruitment to bridge the skilled trades gap.

“This generous grant from JCI gives Maui residents the opportunity to make a good living and support their families either here in Hawaiʻi or wherever they may go,” said 糖心Vlog官方 Maui College Chancellor Lui Hokoana. “Folks with this training are highly sought after everywhere. We鈥檙e thrilled to have been selected for this four-year program.”

Since 2021, the Johnson Controls has annually distributed $1 million across 10 community colleges in North America with a focus on vocational programs to inspire the next generation of workers.

“Because of the grant more of our community members will be able to receive opportunities to learn important trades that can lead to valuable careers, contribute to our community, and benefit our islands鈥� future generations,” said Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen. “Each student who benefits from the financial support of the grant will have a chance to become a part of a critical workforce that helps our island鈥檚 large and small businesses succeed. We appreciate the contribution by Johnson Controls and value the role that the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College will have in this exceptional opportunity.”

Grant recipients have the opportunity to receive a renewed grant for up to three years, creating long-term opportunities for program development. Each college has the option to receive the grants in full monetary value or to receive partial monetary funds along with technical equipment donated by Johnson Controls. 糖心Vlog官方 Maui College will get $70,000 in cash and $30,000 in equipment.

“糖心Vlog官方 Maui College plans to use the funding to provide student internship stipends, support subject matter expertise from our industry professionals to ensure relevant training, and extra funding to support students with tutors and basic needs,” said Laura Lees Nagle, dean of career and technical education and accreditation liaison officer.

Johnson Controls employees will also work with 糖心Vlog官方 Maui College to mentor and encourage students to join the skilled trades workforce. Students will be able to ask questions and get a glimpse into career trajectories following training completion.

“Not only are we investing in the next generation of workforce leaders, but the mentoring associated with this initiative reminds our employees why we do what we do,rdquo; said Julie Brandt, president of Building Solutions North America at Johnson Controls. “We鈥檙e looking at our future and through partnership with these colleges we鈥檙e all contributing to a better supported trades industry.”

While the campus was still not at full capacity over the summer due the COVID-19 pandemic, the Office of Campus Operations and Facilities completed a special project on the third floor of Kuykendall Hall and took advantage of the empty space to do a total refresh of three general classrooms.

In three classrooms on the third floor—rooms 301, 306 and 310—the project team replaced the carpet, cove base, window blinds, chair guards, patched and painted all surfaces in each room, installed new LED lights, repaired and replaced ceiling soffits and tiles, replaced all air conditioning system air devices, replaced light switch and outlet cover plates, repaired projector screens and other miscellaneous items.

Ceiling tiles in the corridor were repaired and replaced, new LED lights installed, and wall surfaces were patched and painted. The restrooms had work done to repair damaged wall and floor ceramic tiles, replace mirrors, patch and paint wall surfaces, replace damaged plumbing fixtures, install hands-free faucets and paper towel dispensers and replace damaged lights.

In the Diamond Head lobby area on the third floor, existing classroom tables and concrete benches were relocated along the lobby perimeter to allow for extra study, seating and gathering areas.

“Our facilities team did a phenomenal job spearheading this special project and were able to take advantage of the empty space in Kuykendall Hall this summer to make sure everything was ready for classes in the fall,” said Blake Araki, director of campus operations and facilities.

• Related 糖心Vlog官方 News story: Major uptick in Mānoa campus upkeep during pandemic, June 2, 2020

Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa operations and facilities team were able to complete a number of campus improvements including:

• Repaving and resurfacing of approximately 290,000 square feet (6.5 acres) of roadways and parking lots
• Repairs to air conditioning cooling towers and chillers that serve the Campus Center Complex鈥擟ampus Center, Hemenway Hall and the Warrior Recreation Center
• A deep cleaning to the Campus Center meeting rooms and courtyard, including the benches

This effort is an example of 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa鈥檚 goal of (PDF), one of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

When the COVID-19 pandemic closed the , multiple units went into overdrive and took advantage of the empty campus to get ahead on basic maintenance and projects, big and small. The 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 Office of Campus Operations and Facilities, the 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 Student Life and Development, which manages the Campus Center Complex, and the 糖心Vlog官方 Office of Project Delivery all made the most of the empty buildings and grounds.

The most noticeable example may be the completion of the repaving project on lower campus where athletics and most of student housing is located. Originally scheduled to start in the summer, the project came in under budget and ahead of schedule as approximately 290,000 square feet (6.5 acres) of roadways and parking lots were resurfaced and improved.

Another 300,000 square feet (7.0 acres) of roadway and parking lots work on the Upper Main Campus has begun and hopes to be completed by October 2020.

More than 20 other construction projects on campus, from the Life Sciences Building to generator upgrades, were able to continue uninterrupted. In some cases, projects like the fire alarm replacements at Miller and Everly Halls and 糖心Vlog官方 Community College Offices on Dole Street, were able to finish ahead of schedule. The design-build project for Bachman Hall renovations proceeded and was recently awarded.

糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 tree maintenance crew was able to trim 30 percent more trees with the reduction in pedestrian and vehicular traffic as well as the restriction on noise during school hours, which was no longer in effect during the campus closure.

The building services crew were able to increase floor care—stripping and waxing—threefold in public areas such as hallways and corridors. Crews were also able to pressure wash exterior entrances and courtyards at Hawaiʻi Hall, the historic quad between Hawaiʻi Hall and the School of Architecture and the College of Education.

Repairs were made to the air conditioning cooling towers and chillers that serve the Campus Center Complex—Campus Center, Hemingway Hall and the Warrior Recreation Center—which would have been an inconvenience for all of its users had school been in typical session.

The entire complex underwent a deep cleaning including the meeting rooms, hard to reach areas and the courtyard, where the benches were re-finished by the maintenance staff. The Warrior Recreation Center was able to thoroughly inspect more than 100 pieces of fitness and cardio equipment with repairs being made, where needed.

custodian Marc McClintock has been honored with the President鈥檚 Award for Excellence in Buildings and Grounds Maintenance. The award is given to an individual who has exhibited sustained superior performance in a maintenance, landscaping, custodial or trucking position.

McClintock is known for going above and beyond his janitorial duties at the Campus Center Complex, from ensuring buildings all had proper air conditioning, to leading repair projects for the Meetings and Events office and Warrior Recreation Center.

Here鈥檚 what his fans have to say:

• “He truly is a ‘one-stop-shop,’ because he can be counted on to be assigned a project, determine the solution, research the best value parts and order them and efficiently complete the project.”
• “Marc has become the glue that keeps all the buildings going as he dependably dedicates his skills towards keeping our facilities running and looking good.”
• “He is someone who truly cares about what he does, and he shows it through the quality of his work and wonderful attitude.”

McClintock demonstrates high standards and expectations of himself, serving as a shining example for his team. He is dedicated to the Campus Center and the students they serve.

With hundreds of employees working on campus to keep operations online, a call for masks was sent out. And 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa community members responded in a big way.

The College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTHAR) and the Department of Theatre and Dance provided Buildings and Grounds Management teams and facilities employees with about 500 masks.

“Our employees appreciate the aloha these volunteers provided with their own hands and hearts,” said Blake Araki, director of Office of Campus Operations and Facilities. “Our employees have never left. They鈥檝e been here the whole time to make sure our campus is safe and that essential operations can continue.”

The department was able to purchase several hundred more masks, allowing front line employees to have a mask for almost each day of the week.

To help the cause, CTHAR alumna Sylvia Kop and husband Mark, owners of Hula Supply Center, donated more than 500 yards of fabric for the masks.

• Related 糖心Vlog官方 News story: Volunteers needed to sew masks for 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 facilities crew, April 7, 2020

The University of Hawaiʻi has taken an important step forward in its mission to create while addressing its deferred maintenance backlog with the issuing of a request for proposal (RFP) for the turn-key delivery of the Life Sciences building project on the .

The state-of-the art facility will provide new facilities for the biology, microbiology and botany departments along with the and the . The 45,000-square-foot structure will include teaching and research laboratories, laboratory support spaces and office spaces. Tentatively scheduled to open in fall 2019, the building will serve 1,000 students weekly and house 23 faculty members and 60 graduate students.

“The Life Sciences building is designed for interdisciplinary collaboration and will support modern teaching, learning, innovation and scholarship in step with sustainability through LEED certification,” said 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa Chancellor Robert Bley-Vroman.

The entire project will include a new building to replace Snyder Hall and be built on the current site of Henke Hall. The demolition of both buildings is included in the project, which is expected to eliminate $19 million of 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa’s deferred maintenance backlog. Budget estimates for the total project are approximately $50 million, making this one of the most significant capital projects on the upper campus in the past 10 years.

Updates to the capital improvement processes

“The Life Sciences building project also represents a different approach to the way the university has been undertaking major capital improvement projects,” said 糖心Vlog官方 President David Lassner. “This is 糖心Vlog官方’s first design-build project for many years.”

Design-build is an integrated delivery process that maintains a single contractor and contract for both the design and construction of the project with a fixed, upfront cost. Design-build projects are more likely to be completed on time and with fewer cost overruns than the typical design-bid-build process.

The RFP was issued through the Hawaiʻi Electronic Procurement System, which 糖心Vlog官方 recently transitioned to as its centralized online system for issuing solicitations and receiving proposals or bids for university projects. The university will also be using a newly implemented project management system to better administer the project.

State support

The state legislature appropriated $35 million for the project in the 2016 session, which is being combined with funding from the 2015 糖心Vlog官方 appropriation to complete the project.

“We want to thank state lawmakers and the governor for their support,” said Lassner. “糖心Vlog官方 leadership knows that the money appropriated for this and future capital improvement projects must be spent in an efficient, effective and timely manner to advance 21st century teaching, learning and research.”

The President’s Award for Excellence in Building and Grounds Maintenance is a systemwide award that recognizes the dedicated efforts of an individual from any facilities management office who has exhibited sustained superior performance in a maintenance, landscaping, custodial, shop or trucking position.

Individuals are now invited to submit nominations for the 2016 University of Hawaiʻi, President’s Award for Excellence in Building and Grounds Maintenance. The award recipient will be recognized at a Board of Regents meeting with a medal, a certificate of recognition and a $1,000 monetary award.

The 2016 eligibility, criteria and nomination form can be found on the 糖心Vlog官方 System faculty and staff awards website. Information about past award recipients can also be found on the site.

Nomination deadline July 1

Nominations can be submitted via:

• Hard copy to 糖心Vlog官方 President’s Award for Excellence in Building and Grounds Maintenance Committee, Office of the President, Bachman 202, Attention: Janelle Murakawa
• Electronically to jmurakaw@ hawaii.edu
• Fax (808) 956-5286

The deadline to receive nominations is Friday, July 1, 2016 by 4:30 p.m.

For more information or if you have any questions please contact Janelle Murakawa at the Office of the President at (808) 956-8207 or by email.

Neal Nagao was honored with the University of Hawaiʻi President’s Award for Excellence in Building and Ground Maintenance.

The award is given to an individuals who has exhibited sustained superior performance in a maintenance, landscaping, custodial or trucking position.

Nagao, a building maintenance supervisor, has worked at 糖心Vlog官方 Hilo for more than 27 years. He began as 糖心Vlog官方 Hilo’s only electrician and was later promoted to the campus’ only maintenance supervisor.

His peers and supervisors describe Nagao as having a positive attitude and excellent customer service skills.

糖心Vlog官方 President and Board of Regent Chair presented Nagao with his award during the meeting at 糖心Vlog官方 Hilo on February 25.

“Neal Nagao has been praised for keeping 糖心Vlog官方 Hilo one of the best maintained campuses while working with limited resources. He has also mentored a great team here,” said Lassner. “Congratulations and thank you for your dedication to the University of Hawaiʻi.”

Leeward Community College’s Joseph Tan and University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu’s Erline Vasconcellos were honored with the University of Hawaiʻi President’s Award for Excellence in Building and Ground Maintenance.

The award is given to an individuals who has exhibited sustained superior performance in a maintenance, landscaping, custodial or trucking position.

Joseph Tan

Joseph Tan is a custodian at Leeward Community College.

Tan is called the “energizer bunny” and the “Leeward McGyver” for his never-ending dedication to his work and his innovative solutions to campus custodial problems.

His colleagues praise his efforts to go above and beyond his job duties with a positive attitude.

Erline Vasconcellos

Erline Vasconcellos is the building and grounds supervisor at 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu.

Vasconcellos is a dedicated worker who can sometimes be found on weekends working in the parking lots when there are fewer cars in the way.

She is praised for her diligence, resourcefulness and commitment to making West Oʻahu a safe, beautiful and well-maintained campus.

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2013 and the 2013 . Both are systemwide awards that recognize employees for their dedicated service to the university.

Award recipients will receive a medal and/or certificate, and a $1,000 honorarium.

Building and grounds maintenance award

The President’s Award for Excellence in Building and Grounds Maintenance annually recognizes an individual who has exhibited sustained superior performance in maintenance, landscaping, custodial, shop or trucking position at any 糖心Vlog官方 campus. A nomination form must be completed and submitted.

Willard Wilson service award

The Willard Wilson Distinguished Service Award recognizes a 糖心Vlog官方 employee from any campus and any occupational classification with 20 or more years of service. Nominees should be widely recognized for serving a wide breadth of the university and as someone who willingly went above and beyond the call of duty. To submit a nomination, please write a letter explaining how the nominee meets the award criteria along with any supporting documentation. Three to five letters of support addressing the nominee’s record of distinguished service to the university may be included.

Nomination information

Nominations may be sent to Keala Monaco, Office of the President, 2444 Dole Street, Bachman Hall 202, or faxed to 956-5286. The deadline for nominations is Friday, April 5, 2013.

For eligibility criteria and nomination forms and procedures for both awards, email Janelle Murakawa in the Office of the President or call (808) 956-8207.