Facilities

Year: 2024

July 2024 Facilities Employee of the Month – Karim El Mekhfioui

Congratulations to Karim El Mekhfioui, General Maintenance II, Zone 4 for being recognized as the July 2024 Employee of the Month! Mekhfioui was nominated by Said Bouiftilen, Facilities Management Housing Manager.

Mekhfioui has made a significant impact on his team by being readily available and is "so dedicated to the mission, vision, and the values of the organization." He frequently volunteers during breaks and responds quickly to situations both after hours and on weekends. "Mekhfioui provides an extraordinary and professional example of Facilities Management's commitment to service, safety, and everyday operations of the George Mason University community." Says Bouiftnonr.

Mekhfioui is also known to excel in difficult situations and his passion, ambition, and willingness to go the extra mile have led to a positive impact on the services provided by Mason Facilities. 

Interested in submitting a GMU Facilities Employee of the Month nomination? Check out the new process here!

June 2024 Facilities Employee of the Month – Marcus Lambert

 

Congratulations to Marcus Lambert, General Maintenance Technician II, for being recognized as the June 2024 Employee of the Month! Marcus was nominated by Zone 3 supervisor, Jose Lopez.

Marcus is "a good collaborator, and effectively supports his supervisor when work-related parts are needed to be ordered" says Lopez. Marcus consistently completes his work orders in a timely manner while demonstrating a positive attitude. Marcus is also extremely helpful to his colleagues and assists them without hesitation.

Interested in submitting a GMU Facilities Employee of the Month nomination? Check out the new process here!

Earth Month 2024 Recap

In April 2024, Mason Facilities, University Sustainability, and their university partners celebrated Earth Month! Here are a few highlights from the events that took place during the month. Remember that you can celebrate the Earth, all year round – not just in April! Thank you for helping us #sustainMASON! 

Earth Month 2024 Highlights:

  • Earth Month 2024 Video:  In partnership with Mason Student Government, a long-form video and a series of reels were produced to encourage on-campus sustainability actions and educate about different ways we can all be more sustainable on campus.
  • Land Development Earth Day Stream Cleanup:
  • Mason Facilities’ Land Development Team hosted a Stream Cleanup event on April 22. Participants picked up litter around the Mason Pond area. This year, over 20 pounds of trash and recyclables were collected!
  • Wellness Walk: Steps to Plant Trees: Hosted by Mason Facilities, University Sustainability, and University Dining, the Wellness Walk: Steps to Plant Trees was a collection of three events consisting of tours around Mason's food-producing sites, discovering the sustainability features around campus, and planting trees in Presidents Park, and around the Johnson Center.
  • Sustainable Cooking Event: University Sustainability offered a hands-on, Residence Hall Cooking 101 event in April. The event took place Friday, April 19th in the Art & Design building and provided students with cooking tutorials on making tasty meals in residence halls!
  • Bioblitz 2024: Hosted by University Sustainability’s Greenhouse & Gardens program, Bioblitz is a month-long event to assess Mason's biodiversity. This month, two animal ID workshops took place to learn about the birds and frogs around Mason Pond.
  • Farmer's Market: A Farmer's Market featuring a variety of local and regional vendors, student groups and organizations tabling to educate Mason Patriots about appropriate waste disposal.
  • Mason Facilities Complex Tour: This month, Mason Facilities held a tour of the Facilities complex. Participants had the opportunity to learn about the the 24-hour operations that keep Mason campuses thriving.
  • Bike to Mason: In partnership with Parking & Transportation to encourage sustainable commuting, Bike to Mason was a 3-day event on all Mason campuses, including Mason Korea.
  • Patriot Packout 2024: Patriot Packout (PPO) has begun and is currently ongoing until May 10th! Donate like-new and gently used items at various locations on the Fairfax campus. Volunteer signups are still available.

Residence Hall Cooking 101 Highlights

The University Sustainability’s Greenhouse and Gardens Program hosts Residence Hall Cooking 101, where they show simple and sustainable dorm-friendly recipies in the Art and Design building's sculpture studio. Photo by: Ayman Rashid/Creative Services/George Mason University

University Sustainability’s Greenhouse and Gardens Program hosted the Residence Hall Cooking 101 as one of the Earth Month 24 events. The event took place Friday, April 19th, and provided students with cooking tutorials on making meals in residence halls.

 

Patriot Packout 2024: Mason Human Resources’ Faculty and Staff Engagement Team Leads the Way


Human Resources’ Faculty and Staff Engagement team members volunteering at one of the outdoor donation collection sites during Patriot Packout 2024 on April 18 are pictured from left to right: Adrianne Jones, Andrew Lane, Stacey Ellis, Diane DiPietro, and Tamira Colbert.
Photo credit: Colleen Regan 

Mason Patriots, Engage with Patriot Packout 2024!  

Patriot Packout (PPO) is George Mason University’s annual, end-of-the-year donation initiative and it’s back from April 15 – May 10 at the Fairfax, Science and Technology, and Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation campuses.  

PPO collects new, like-new, and gently used donations during move-out and redirects them for free into the hands of Mason students, faculty, staff, and community members who need them.  

PPO is a success – year after year – because of volunteers. More than 45 volunteers collected, sorted, organized, and freely redistributed 5,700 pounds of donated items during PPO 2023! 

Human Resources’ Faculty and Staff Engagement Team (HR FSE team) chose to volunteer during this year’s PPO to highlight how faculty and staff can participate.  “Taking the time to step outside of our normal work tasks, to volunteer, allows us to feel an increased sense of connection to the larger Mason community," said Diane DiPietro, Faculty and Staff Engagement Assistant "It’s an opportunity to enhance our community well-being, further supporting our workplace engagement.”  

HR FSE team volunteers began their shift outside of Piedmont Hall, a residence hall with an indoor drop-off location, where they were greeted by Colleen Regan, Zero Waste Specialist with University Sustainability and Facilitator for Patriot Packout 2024.  

“I’ve seen an increase in faculty and staff volunteer participation during the past two years of Patriot Packout,” said Colleen. “This is crucial support that makes PPO’s free redistribution to Mason Patriots and on-campus resources possible since students are often not able to volunteer due to finals, move-out, and Commencement.” 

Colleen provided the team members with a brief overview of what to expect and then the group departed. The volunteers traveled on a pre-assigned route, checking PPO 2024’s residence hall lobby drop-off donation locations and outdoor drop-off donation locations. Volunteers collected donated items, organized donation boxes and bins, and added additional PPO promotional materials.  

Stacey Ellis, Faculty and Staff Engagement Program Manager shared that “Patriot Packout (PPO) is a testament to Mason's commitment to sustainability and community. By diverting usable items from the landfill and redistributing them to those in need, PPO empowers every Mason Patriot to make a meaningful impact, turning the busyness of move-out into an opportunity for generosity and environmental responsibility." 

Like the HR FSE team, faculty and staff members are encouraged to speak with their supervisor about volunteering during their work hours after referencing volunteering guidance.  

“We encourage Mason teams to volunteer together to support various initiatives on campus. It’s great quality time spent as a team while also giving back,” stated Andrew Lane, Director of Performance Management and Employee Engagement. 

Students and local community members are also invited to volunteer during PPO 2024. If you’re a student and you need to earn service-learning or volunteer hours, volunteering with PPO 2024 will count!  

All Mason Patriots are invited to donate or volunteer during Patriot Packout 2024! But you don’t have to volunteer or donate to make an impact. 

Here are some ways everyone can become Patriot Packout supporter: 

  • Chat with your friends and colleagues about Patriot Packout 
  • Post Patriot Packout flyers and share information on social media  
  • Donate your new, like-new, and used items you no longer need 
  • Volunteer with your friends and colleagues 

Explore Patriot Packout 2024’s webpage to learn more about accepted donations, donation locations, and volunteer opportunities: https://go.gmu.edu/PatriotPackout      

Patriot Packout 2024’s Mason partners include the Patriot Pantry, Trans Clothing Closet, Art Supply Sharing Closet, the First Gen+ Center, Parking and Transportation, INTO Mason, Mason Innovation Exchange (MIX), and Mason Dining’s collaboration with Move for Hunger, among others. Local community partners include the Committee for Helping Others, Food For Others, Immanuel’s Hope, Shelter House (Katherine Hanley), Women Giving Back, and the Fairfax County Animal Shelter, among others.   

PGF Feature: Energy Efficiency Innovators

Story by: Kelsey Naupari, Patriot Green Fund Coordinator 

Mason Innovators: Engineering Students take on Energy Efficiency through Data Center Power Monitoring System Initiative

Data Centers are crucial to information management and technology infrastructure, yet many struggle with outdated energy monitoring systems. A team of forward-thinking undergraduates from Mason’s College of Engineering and Computing have stepped up to address this issue. Their Senior Design project, the Data Center Power Monitoring System, aims at enhancing energy efficiency in older data centers by introducing an advanced, user-friendly monitoring solution that provides real-time insights into power consumption at the individual server level.  

Driving this innovative initiative are Fuad Fatani (BS in Electrical Engineering ’24), Nicolas Green (BS in Electrical Engineering ’24), Ethan Vo (BS in Electrical Engineering ’24), Benjamin Adams (BS in Computer Engineering ’24), Luis Niño Walder (BS in Computer Engineering ’24), and Vi An Nguyen (BS in Computer Engineering ’24). This team of six is not just addressing a technical challenge, they are contributing to a future where data center efficiency and sustainability go hand in hand, demonstrating the power of collaborative innovation to drive meaningful change in the tech industry.  

Delving deeper into the project, the inception of the Data Center Power Monitoring System was sparked by an AWS initiative, as the students mentioned: “Originally, AWS approached our faculty supervisor, Dr. Tolga Soyata, for a project about a monitoring system for a data center at a more precise level for older data centers.” Despite lacking direct access to a data center, the students developed an emulation environment, creatively overcoming this limitation to meet the project’s goals. 

On the projects impact, the students emphasized its potential for sustainability: “Data Centers are notoriously expensive, power and cost wise, and any help in reducing their consumption would not only save money, but emissions too.” Their system aims to enhance efficiency and quicken the identification of power issues, offering a significant step toward energy and cost saving that has the potential to influence beyond the University’s campus.  

Navigating the projects' technical demand and complexities, the students encountered challenges, especially in the hardware integration phase, which involved a network of 20PCs and 60sensors. They shared how intricate the process was, noting, “We faced countless issues with wiring and integration.” Their solution to overcome this obstacle— utilizing Ethernet cables to power and ground the sensors— showcasing their abilities and commitment to innovate under constraints, to carry out their project.  

External support for the team’s research initiative played a crucial role in ensuring their projects success. The team gratefully acknowledged the role of the Patriot Green Fund, stating, “PGF’s support was instrumental to this project’s success, as without it, we would not have the main two sensors of the project and the main ‘brains’ of our system, the Raspberry Pis.” With PGF’s $750 funding, the team was able to acquire crucial equipment, supporting the project’s journey towards its ambitious goals.  

As the team wraps up their implementation phase, the team shared some wisdom for those interested in pursuing and executing their sustainability projects: “Start early!” they emphasized. Their advice highlights their experience, demonstrating that proactive planning and time management are crucial for the success of any project.

2024 Outstanding Achievement Awards

President Gregory Washington poses with the Patriot Pathbreakers Award recipients Team WRITe: Waste Redesign and Implementation during the Outstanding Achievement Award Ceremony 2024. Photo by Evan Cantwell/George Mason University

Human Resources is excited to announce the 2024 Outstanding Achievement Awards recipients! Please join us for the awards ceremony on Tuesday, April 16 from 10 AM - 11:30 AM in Dewberry Hall.

The ceremony was by GMU-TV and a link of the recording is on the Outstanding Achievement Awards website before the event. As we enter awards season at Mason, it's important to us at Mason Facilities to recognize our fellow Patriots for their success. Congratulations to the following award winners with Mason Facilities!

Goldie and Dianne Hattery Award for Excellence

  • Seidy Cruz, Facilities Custodial Services 

Patriot Pathbreakers Award

  • FamilyU Cohort 
  • Team WRITe: Waste Redesign and Implementation Team (Facilities Recipients)
    • Amber Saxton, Sustainability Progress Manager
    • Colleen Regan, Sustainability Zero Waste Specialist
    • Kevin Brim, Recycling and Waste Management Supervisor
    • Shawn Andrews, Recycling Worker
    • Kwame Adomako, Recycling Worker
    • David Cooke, Recycling Worker
    • James Cox, Senior Recycling Worker
    • Fausto Diaz, Recycling Worker
    • Daniel Hughes, Waste/Recycling Worker
    • Edward Johnson, Recycling Lead Worker
    • Tan Nguyen, Recycling Worker
    • Ravy Pho, Recycling Worker
    • Yaw Tenkorang, Recycling Worker
    • Darren Ward, Waste/Recycling Worker
    • Buford Jenkins, Structural Trades Technician II
    • Jerry Lang, Structural Trade Supervisor
    • Steward Tolentino, Structural Trades Technician II
    • Federico Rubio, Structural Trades Technician
    • Corey Verrill, Electrician II
    • Hampton Robinson, Warehouse Supervisor
    • John Forgy, Manager, Environmental Graphic Designer
    • Benjamin Auger, Engagement Coordinator
    • Ariel Sierra, Communications and Marketing Manager
    • Christian Williams, Associate Director of Housekeeping
    • Amanda Parnell, Operations Manager Mason Square
    • Ronald Scott, Associate Director of Housing Facilities

Sustainability Hero Award

  • Karen Akerlof, Environmental Science and Policy 

OLLI Mason Scholarship Award

  • Joseph Romeo, Intern, Land Development
  • Audrey Kwayke, Intern, Communications & Marketing
  • Kundayi Senderayi, Intern, Facilities Human Resources
  • Sven Jansen, Garden Coordinator
  • Christian Ubial, Intern, Land Development
  • Lakshita Dey, University Sustainability
  • Zachary Kim, University Sustainability

PGF Feature: Turning Trash Into Treasure

 

Photo Credits: Zachary Lane, Isabella Jones, Nura Behgoman
Story by: Kelsey Naupari

Mason Students Spearhead Residential Composting Pilot: Turning Trash into Treasure

As Mason’s commitment to sustainability grows, so does the ambition of its students to contribute to this vital journey. A group of visionary students, known as the Trash Pandas, is taking steps towards researching composting in a campus residential setting. Their sense of collaboration and deep commitment to sustainability is simple and yet offers an opportunity for students to turn their trash into treasure through composting.

In their EVPP 480 class, taught by Dr. Jen Sklarew, students – Zachary Lane (BA in Environmental and Sustainability Studies ’24), Isabella Jones (BS in Environmental Science and Public Policy ’25), and Nura Behgoman (BA in Communications ’24)— reached out to the Patriot Green Fund, securing $500 in support for their composting pilot. This funding was instrumental in acquiring the necessary materials to kickstart their initiative, along with the approval of the housing office in the Northern Neck residence hall.  

The focus of their initiative, on the 5th floor of the Northern Neck residence hall, included:  

  1. Conducting a pre-trial survey of Northern Neck 5th floor residents 
  2. Provide a select few of resident’s compost jars (30) that’ll then be measured and later emptied in the nearest compost collection bin. 
  3. Following, a post-trial survey of the Northern Neck 5th floor residents.  
  4. Leading to the final stages of presenting their comprehensive report of results and analysis.

For this project team, this initiative was about more than building a waste reduction strategy; it’s an experiment designed to deepen the university’s understanding of student engagement with sustainability and to evaluate the practicality of residential composting.  

The Trash Pandas state, “by focusing on a single floor, we aim to provide a baseline for a successful system that can be expanded, demonstrating that composting is a viable, effective, and convenient sustainable direction for our campus.”  

Their efforts represent a direct engagement with the campus community, educating, and equipping residents with the tools and knowledge to adopt simple composting practices.  

Bringing to life their project did not come without its challenges. They faced the challenge of scaling their vision within a semesters time, learning to adapt and focusing their efforts on a targeted, impactful approach. To them, the PGF’s support was more than financial; it was a source of “guidance and advice throughout our projects development,” offering a foundation upon which they built their initiative.  

As the semester wraps up, the Trash Pandas shared a few encouraging words to those looking to bring to life their sustainability visions:  

“ Start with a larger issue and then narrow down the focus of your work to begin at the local level. This is manageable for college students, and big changes come from smaller steps.” 

Through this residential composting pilot, the Trash Pandas hope to inspire a shift towards more sustainable living, illustrating how small actions can lead to significant environmental benefits. 

Learn More about Composting Locations & the PGF  

 

April 2024 Facilities Employee of the Month – Chong (Jacob) Shin

Congratulations to Jacob Shin, HVAC III Technician, for being recognized as the April 2024 Facilities Employee of the Month! Jacob was nominated by Dwain Wise-Spain, Supervisor, Zone 5. 

“I am pleased to nominate Jacob Shin, HVAC III staff, for the Facilities Employee of the Month recognition award.” Said Wise-Spain. “Jacob provides outstanding service to our staff and customers. Providing true professionalism when working with his co-workers and while servicing the needs of this university community”

Jacob has been known to work collaboratively and is a great mentor to his fellow team members. He has gone above and beyond his regular HVAC responsibilities by promptly completing plumbing orders and all of his additional orders with no callbacks.

Interested in submitting a GMU Facilities Employee of the Month nomination? Check out the new process here!

Patriot Packout 2024: Donate, Don’t Dump!

Patriot Packout returns from April 15 – May 10 to support a sustainable move-out!  

Patriot Packout (PPO), George Mason University’s annual end-of-the-year donation initiative, is back from April 15 – May 10 at the Fairfax, Science and Technology, and Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation campuses.  

PPO collects new, like-new, and gently used donations during move-out. Donated items are redirected away from the trash and placed into the hands of Mason students, faculty, staff, and community members who need them for free. 82% of all PPO 2023 donations were redistributed for free to individual Mason Patriots and Mason’s on-campus resources. 

PPO 2024 will accept donations of clothing and shoes, non-perishable food and hygiene supplies, books and textbooks, art supplies, school/testing supplies, bikes, scooters, skateboards, small appliances, electronics, small furniture, and household goods. 

In partnership with Housing and Residence Life (HRL), PPO 2024 will feature 10 residence hall lobby drop-off donation locations and 7 outdoor drop-off locations in centralized areas near residence halls at the Fairfax Campus. At the Science and Technology Campus, donations will be collected at an outdoor drop-off tent in the Beacon Hall Parking Lot in collaboration with Parking and Transportation, HRL, and University Life at SciTech. Donations at the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation will be collected in the lobby of the G.T. Halpin Family Living and Learning Community residence hall in collaboration with HRL and SMSC Facilities staff members.  

PPO’s primary goal is to support the basic needs of Mason Patriots. PPO 2024 donations will be redistributed directly to Mason students, faculty, and staff for free. On-campus resources that support Mason Patriots’ basic needs, like the Patriot Pantry, Trans Clothing Closet, First-Gen+ Center, and many others, will also receive donations from PPO. Any remaining donations will be freely redistributed to local community resources that support folks’ basic needs. 

All PPO 2024 donations will be collected and transported for temporary storage to the Gillespie Gallery of Art, a space generously provided by the Mason Exhibitions. The Gallery will serve as PPO’s hub during the summer when donated items are redistributed to Mason Patriots and on-campus resources. PPO will transform the Gallery into a ‘free store’ this June, and host special events for Mason Patriots to ‘shop’ the store and select any items they need for free.   

Although PPO donations divert usable items away from trash during move-out, a large volume of waste is still generated at the end of each spring semester. The Mason Facilities Housekeeping and Waste and Recycling team members work hard and long hours during move-out to keep the university's facilities clean while also collecting, transporting, and disposing of all trash, recycling, and compost.  

Every Mason Patriot can support the hard-working Housekeeping and Recycling team members by reviewing Zero Waste Mason guidance and disposing of waste appropriately at move-out trash and specialty waste streams designated outdoor drop-off locations. Responsibly sorting and disposing of waste protects Mason workers from harmful exposures, facilitates efficient waste hauling to prevent overflowing bins, and maximizes the recovery of waste resources by diverting them away from incineration through recycling and composting. 

PPO is a university-wide initiative made possible by Mason Patriots’ collective participation. You can make PPO 2024 a success by signing up to volunteer! Mason students can volunteer during PPO to earn service-learning and volunteer hours for classes, Fraternity & Sorority Life, and registered student organizations (RSO). Mason faculty and staff are encouraged to speak with their supervisor about volunteering during their work hours after referencing volunteering guidance.  

PPO 2024 invites all Mason Patriots and local community members to participate by donating or volunteering! Together, we can support Mason Patriots’ and local community members’ basic needs while making Mason even more sustainable!  

Explore Patriot Packout 2024’s webpage to learn more about accepted donations, donation locations, and volunteer opportunities: https://go.gmu.edu/PatriotPackout   

Patriot Packout 2024’s Mason partners include the Patriot Pantry, Trans Clothing Closet, Art Supply Sharing Closet, the First Gen+ Center, Parking and Transportation, INTO Mason, Mason Innovation Exchange (MIX), and Mason Dining’s collaboration with Move for Hunger, among others. Local community partners include the Committee for Helping Others, Food For Others, Immanuel’s Hope, Shelter House (Katherine Hanley), Women Giving Back, and the Fairfax County Animal Shelter, among others.