Author: Facilities Communication

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2024 Human Resources News

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
Categories
2024 News Sustainability Sustainable Innovation

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  

 

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2024 Employee of the Month Facilities Management News

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!

Categories
2024 Facilities Management News On-Campus Solutions Sustainability

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. 

 

Categories
2024 News On-Campus Solutions Sustainability

Food Security Efforts on the Rise

 

Story by Doni Nolan

The Food Justice Working Group has decided to meet twice annually, having a virtual meeting each spring and an in-person workshop each fall. Their upcoming spring meeting will be held on Friday, March 22nd, 2024, at 2 pm on Teams. If you would like to be included in the meeting, and/or on their list of contacts, please email Doni at dnolan6@gmu.edu. 

George Mason University has seen increasing numbers of students facing food insecurity since the pandemic, with estimates as high as 36%.  To support food-insecure students, the campus food pantry has produced innovative, short-term solutions that are not sustainable to address demanding staff and inventory needs. Many students are working relentlessly to make a difference to address hunger in their college community, but they cannot do it alone.  

After a meeting with the Mason Sustainability Council to pitch the launch of the Flora, Fauna, and Food Task Force, it became obvious that the need to address hunger on-campus was a priority amongst the team of staff, faculty, and student leaders. There was so much passion and demand for that branch of the Task Force that it became obvious to start the launch with those efforts. Staff within the University Sustainability team, namely, Doni Nolan, in charge of the Greenhouse & Gardens Program, worked to gather all the people associated with food insecurity efforts at Mason to plan an event where they could all discuss the barriers and potential solutions to feeding hungry students, and to encourage collaboration amongst them. 

The group has since been coined the Food Justice Working Group, and the Food Justice Workshop was its first annual in-person meeting. Almost two dozen food justice leaders joined on September 13, 2023, in the Johnson Center for several hours to collaboratively develop solutions and new partnerships to address pressing food-related challenges and scale Mason’s ongoing actions in addressing food insecurity. 

About half the attendees were devoted and passionate students, many of them holding multiple titles, such as roles within Student Government and Patriot PIRG (Public Interest Research Group). Two of the students, Zoe Vozick and Kacey Chung, Environmental Sustainability studies who were taking environmental course: Sustainability in Action, spoke out about their determination to reestablish the Food Recovery Network, formerly known as Campus Kitchens. The Food Recovery Network (FRN) is a US-based nonprofit that unites students on college campuses to fight food waste and hunger by recovering perishable food that would otherwise go to waste. The GMU chapter has been inactive due to the lack of a faculty advisor.  

During the meeting, Zoe and Kacey announced a request for faculty or staff membership who could fill this role to allow them to reactivate the GMU branch as a formal registered student organization (RSO). Since the workshop, Zoe and Kacey have found the advisor they needed, in fact they found three faculty to share the role, and as of Spring 2024, a group of student leaders have officially registered as a student organization. They are already posting volunteer shifts to pick up leftover food from the dining halls to donate to those in need.  

In support of their efforts was Mason Dining, who also had several representatives at the workshops, including their dietitian, Brooke Tresch, who has helped lead many cooking events in collaboration with the Greenhouse & Gardens Program, and who recently launched the Teaching Cooking. One major barrier to healthier and more affordable eating habits for students is learning how to prepare meals from raw ingredients. There have already been multiple events this semester that aim to inspire and educate students on making affordable food in their dorms and homes.  

Tresch and Sophia Nelson, Mason Dining’s marketing specialist who was also at the workshop, have been heavily marketing their Swipe4Change initiative, which allows students to donate one guest meal, capped at 500 total per semester, to students in need, who can then swipe their own cards for free meals.  Mason Dining continued their generosity of donating meal swipes to fight food insecurity with 1000 meal swipes per semester.  Their donation, in addition to the Swipes4Change initiative, could provide 3000 meal swipes for food insecure students.  Mason Dining also provided free catering for the workshop, which included beverages, cheese, and crackers to go with microgreens grown at the Presidents Park Greenhouse on-campus, and baked carrot skins, to exemplify how delicious cooking with scrap ingredients can be. 

Of course, there were several staff from Mason’s SSAC (Student Support and Advocacy Center) within University Life, which houses the Patriot Pantry, our largest and most well-funded initiative to address hunger on our Fairfax campus.  During the Fall 2023 semester, the Patriot Pantry distributed a record-breaking 11,000 lbs. of food to over 550 students. As the pantry continues to grow, the staff navigates challenges including space allocation, maintaining a stock to support high volumes of students, and various aspects of pantry management.  

Receiving a larger space would allow for the Patriot Pantry to expand its services to support students experiencing food insecurity on a large scale. A space fitted with washing stations and proper electrical circuits for refrigerators and freezers would allow perishable items to be distributed to students. Mason's Facilities Administration was also more than enthusiastic to offer potential funding and construction support to make the installation possible, but Capital Strategy and Planning will need to be involved for space allocations. 

Mason’s Auxiliary Services and Operations team was also there, being represented by Jonathan Elwell and Pascal Petter, who work to connect Mason with its contractors such as Mason Dining. They were both very eager to support efforts to address hunger at Mason. They currently have going the Mason4Change program that raised almost $2,000 for a grant to SSAC. 

During the workshop, Petter also shared his knowledge about the legal requirements of donating leftover food from catered events and kitchens via the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Act. Leftovers cannot be donated to individuals, but they can be donated to a non-profit, such as the Food Recovery Network. With everyone’s collaboration the Food Justice Working Group plans to create infrastructure opportunities to have a (walk-in) freezer installed so that leftover meals can be donated to the Food Recovery Network and offered to students through the Patriot Pantry. After the workshop, there were many clear paths forward and avenues of hope for everyone in attendance.  

If you or someone you know would like access to free vegetables, fruit, leafy greens and herbs, the Greenhouse & Gardens Program offers them to anyone in the community willing to stop by and pick them up. Create an account on their Sustainable Sign-Ups portal to choose a time slot for Produce Pick-Ups, which continues year-round in their heated greenhouse and just started at the garden. Read more about Mason’s efforts to address food insecurity in this article. 

Categories
2024 Construction Facilities Management News On-Campus Solutions

Renovations Finished On Fieldhouse Locker Rooms

After Photos

Before Photos

 

Mason Facilities is excited to announce the completion and opening of the renovated Fairfax campus’ Field House locker rooms. Approximately 13,359 sq ft of existing space was remodeled to provide new shower and restroom areas for student-athletes and staff members. “The upgrades give new life to the spaces and will improve Mason's ability to recruit and retain student-athletes and coaches.” Said Christy Hogan, Sr. Director University Asset Management and leading project manager on this renovation. 

In 2022, Capital Planning & Strategies launched its Small Capital Improvement Pilot Program, through which Athletics (ICA) requested to have the open shower areas at the locker rooms renovated to provide individual shower stalls for increased student safety and privacy. In addition to the showers needing a reconfiguration, the common areas of the locker rooms were also outdated, in poor condition, and in need of a refresh.  

In total, the following changes were made to the male, female, and staff Field House locker rooms: 

  • Removal of public-use lockers (no longer in service) to provide an open area for team gatherings 
  • New individual shower stalls with separate areas for home and visiting teams 
  • New single-occupant toilet/shower/sink rooms in each locker room 
  • New toilet partitions  
  • New undermount sinks and quartz countertops 
  • New ceramic tiling on walls 
  • New epoxy flooring 
  • New LED light fixtures 
  • New paint throughout  

Special shoutout to: 

Christy Hogan (Sr. Director University Asset Management), Jesus Sanchez (Construction Field Representative), Laura Bayr (Sr. Interior Designer), John Forgy (University Environmental Graphic Designer & Sign Program Manager), Andrew Lieber (Sr Assoc Athletics Director, Capital Planning, Facilities, and Events), Ryan Jones (Director, Facilities Services, Intercollegiate Athletics), Caleb Aiosa-Perrin (Assistant Director, Facilities Services, Intercollegiate Athletics), Additional Facilities Management support teams, CannonDesign, and Green Touch Builders.

Categories
2024 Employee of the Month News

March 2024 Facilities Employee of the Month – Luis Longoria

Congratulations to Luis Longoria, Facilities IT Support Manager, for being recognized as the March 2024 Facilities Employee of the Month! Luis was nominated by Amy Millman, Admin Assistant to VP. 

“Luis visibly covers a lot of ground across our division as a valuable resource and knowledgeable leader in our Facilities IT team. Luis genuinely cares about his work, is service-oriented and quickly responds to phone calls, FITS support tickets, and emails.” Said Millman. 

In addition to being easily reachable, Longoria manages his job with a calm and steady approach. He’s consistently demonstrated his commitment and dedication to his work here at the University and effortlessly commits to the changing dynamics in technology. His contribution has left a positive impact on Facilities as well as the University as a whole.

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

Categories
2024 Employee of the Month Facilities Management News

February 2024 Facilities Employee of the Month – Ryan Rue

Congratulations to Ryan Rue, Zone 3 HVAC Technician I for being recognized as the February 2024 Facilities Employee of the Month! Ryan was nominated by Zone 3 Supervisor, Gordon Lansdowne.

Since being short-staffed this past summer, Ryan’s hard work and dedication to Zone 3 have greatly supported both Facilities and the University. “Ryan always records his work daily, making sure every action he has taken was documented, dates the work [that] was completed, and details what he has done on the piece of equipment.” Says Landsdowne. In his continued efforts to improve his skills, Ryan has also recently earned a Journeyman license in HVAC.

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

Categories
2024 All Together Green Facilities Management News On-Campus Solutions Sustainability

Mason Facilities Adds 23 Bigbelly Zero Waste Stations

 

Shoutout to the teams and people who participated during the installation process: 

Daniel Hughes (Recycling Worker, Recycling and Waste Team), Shawn Andrews (Recycling Worker, Waste Management and Recycling Team) David Cooke (Recycling Worker, Recycling and Waste Team) Kevin Brim (Supervisor, Recycling and Waste Team), Jody Robinson( Warehouse Supervisor, Warehouse Team), Colleen Regan (Zero Waste Specialist, University Sustainability Team), Jay Lang (Structural Trades Supervisor, Zone 6: Projects & Repairs Team), Corky Jenkins (Structural Trades Tech II, Zone 6), Stewart Tolentino (Structural Trades Tech II, Zone 6), Freddy Rubio (Painter, Zone 6), Corey Verrill (Electrician, Zone 3)

Story by: Colleen Regan
Photos by: Ben Auger & Colleen Regan

Due to the success of the Industrial Composting Pilot, Mason Facilities has just installed 23 Bigbelly zero waste stations.  These new additions to Mason’s campuses provide the Mason community with the ability to dispose of waste in solar-powered stations that support our Recycling and Housekeeping teams through zero waste design upgrades and capacity-based alerts. Check out these new locations below! 

In alignment with the university’s commitment to reducing waste, Mason Facilities’ initiative to deploy 23 new Bigbelly zero waste stations on the Fairfax and Mason Square campuses will scale the waste collection benefits achieved at the Industrial Composting Pilot site. Launched in August 2022, the composting pilot installed Mason’s first ‘zero waste stations’ throughout the Starbucks Northern Neck building. The successful implementation of building-level composting access was funded through University Sustainability's Patriot Green Fund (PGF), funded by Mason Facilities, which previously funded a 2021 student-led project to assess recycling benefits from using Bigbelly Solar’s smart-waste management system at the outdoor patio location. 

By reducing the frequency of the Recycling and Housekeeping team’s waste collections, the installation of 23 additional Bigbelly Solar zero waste stations on the Fairfax and Mason Square campuses support staff members’ capacity to advance industrial composting at new drop-off locations.  

Five of the new Bigbelly Solar zero waste stations on the Fairfax Campus include industrial compost bins at key food patio sites. Like the Industrial Composting Pilot, the expanded Bigbelly Solar zero waste station initiative is part of a long-term strategy to improve our campus diversion rate (the amount of waste composted, recycled, repurposed, or otherwise diverted away from trash) by expanding composting access for all Mason students, faculty, and staff! 

The addition of the 23 Bigbelly stations was possible because of the success of the first Bigbelly station installed at the Industrial Composting Pilot’s site. 

The Industrial Composting Pilot’s goals included: 

  • Testing zero waste design best practices at new ‘zero waste stations’ 
  • Assessing Bigbelly Solar’s smart-waste management system and the impact of zero waste design standards on the reduction of compost contamination (items placed in the compost that are not compostable) 
  • Collecting data to support industrial composting access for all Mason Patriots  

Thanks to our Facilities Management teams, Patriot Green Fund support, and the partnership of Mason’s Auxiliary Services and Dining teams, the composting pilot successfully installed zero waste bin upgrades at the Starbucks Northern Neck pilot site. Pilot bin upgrades created two ‘zero waste stations’, co-locating the university’s first public industrial compost bins. To co-locate compost, Mason Facilities Zone 6 and Recycling teams expanded the Bigbelly Solar waste and recycling station on the Starbucks patio by adding a compost bin and replacing waste and recycling bins inside the lobby with a new Max-R station.  

The Max-R zero waste station is made of approximately 1,655 reclaimed milk jugs – key to supporting post-consumer recycled (PCR) purchasing goals and guidance – and offered updated design features like waste stream co-location, restrictive lid openings, and color-coded messaging. To mirror design changes and composting access inside the building, the Starbucks patio’s Bigbelly Solar station was expanded to include a solar-powered waste compacting compost bin that could send bin fullness alerts to recycling staff in real-time. 

“Thanks to the daily efforts of Mason Dining and Facilities Recycling staff, Mason’s first site-wide composting pilot was able to consistently divert clean compost away from trash while informing best practices for adding composting access at future campus locations,” said Colleen Regan, Zero Waste Specialist on the University Sustainability team. “By successfully integrating composting with staff recycling processes, while supporting waste reduction improvements like replacing non-recyclable single-use plastics with better alternatives, their collaborative efforts improved the quality of both recycling and compost streams to divert more waste from incineration.”

To successfully divert food scraps and other third-party certified compostable items from Mason, the university must maintain a clean compost stream while it expands access at pilot locations. Pilot zero waste design changes were installed to support this essential waste contamination reduction goal. 

To benchmark the composting pilot’s progress toward this goal, weekly compost contamination audits were conducted throughout the pilot between September 2022 – February 2023. Volunteer compost contamination audits provided Facilities team members with crucial data to analyze the impact of the pilot. Zero waste data collected by volunteers complemented collections efficiency data recorded by the Bigbelly Solar station’s smart waste management system, which reports real-time waste data. The combined efforts of Facilities team members and audit volunteers informed the development of best practice procedures created in collaboration with Mason Dining staff members. 

"Bigbelly has a huge impact on our daily operations, the stations' technology makes us more efficient in performing our duties," said Kevin Brim, Recycling and Waste Management Supervisor within Facilities.  "Already, we’ve seen an immediate impact with both environmental challenges like wildlife, yellowjackets at the bin, wind-blown litter, and the operational challenge of keeping up with Mason's growth and overall university population day to day.”

The partnership with Mason Dining was crucial for the success of the Industrial Composting Pilot. Mason Dining staff quickly identified difficult-to-sort items, inventoried common contaminants identified during weekly audits, and piloted impactful behavioral and educational interventions to support appropriate waste disposal. When small plastic items, like single-use tea bag wrappers, were identified as a key contaminant, Mason Dining staff added countertop trash containers to co-locate disposal for this waste, despite space limitations behind the coffee counter.

By the end of the six-month pilot period, significant improvements from our pilot efforts were clear: 

 

  • 1,000%+ increase in clean compost produced during the final month of the pilot in comparison to the first 
  • 2,467 pounds of clean compost diverted from trash over the 6-month pilot period 
  • 79% improvement in compost contamination over the 6-month period 
  • 45% interior compost contamination rate during the first week 
  • 3% interior compost contamination rate during the final week 
  • 6% average monthly compost contamination rate, exceeding the local industrial composting facility’s maximum 10% standard for acceptance 

The Industrial Composting Pilot recorded a positive trend in contamination reduction and the data collection and assessment efforts supported: 

  • Updates to the picture-based messaging and Spanish translations included in Facilities’ new standard waste bin labels 
  • Mason Dining’s inclusion of composting guidance and training procedures in staff orientations 
  • The expanded deployment of Bigbelly Solar zero waste stations on two campuses with financing from Mason’s Strategic Investment Fund (SIF)

With the success of Mason’s Industrial Composting pilot, which resulted in a deployment of 23 more Bigbelly stations with SIF funding, the Bigbelly Solar initiative aims to advance Mason’s zero waste goals, improve university waste diversion, and expand composting access. Bigbelly Solar zero waste stations now provide public composting access outside of 6 total Fairfax Campus locations and support Mason’s next actions to become a zero waste university: co-locating all waste and recycling bins and installing standardized bin messaging across our disposal locations. You can get involved in Mason’s zero waste pilots and initiatives by visiting our Zero Waste Mason page!  

New zero waste sites are always being added to the Sustainable Mason Map, check back to find locations and resources near you! 

Sort your compost, recycling, and trash at the bin using University Sustainability’s Zero Waste Mason resources. 

 

BIGBELLY SOLAR LOCATIONS: 

ZERO WASTE STATION TYPE: 
FENWICK LIBRARY (NEAR FENWICK A)  Recycling and Waste Double Station 
EAST PLAZA/JC PATH  Recycling and Waste Double Station 
HUB FOOD PATIO  Recycling, Waste, Compost Triple Station 
MERTEN HALL (PANDA EXPRESS)  Recycling, Waste, Compost Triple Station 
MERTEN HALL (MANHATTAN PIZZA)  Recycling, Waste, Compost Triple Station 
SOUTHSIDE PATIO  Recycling, Waste, Compost Triple Station 
SUB I FOOD PATIO  Recycling, Waste, Compost Triple Station 
STARBUCKS NORTHERN NECK PATIO (PILOT SITE)  Recycling, Waste, Compost Triple Station 
SUB I UPPER ENTRANCE  Recycling and Waste Double Station 
WILKINS PLAZA (BETWEEN HORIZON AND JC)  Recycling and Waste Double Station 
WILKINS PLAZA (BETWEEN HARRIS THEATER AND JC)  Recycling and Waste Double Station 
CENTER FOR THE ARTS/BUCHANAN HALL PATH  Recycling and Waste Double Station 
ENTERPRISE/PLANETARY HALL PATH  Recycling and Waste Double Station 
THE GROVE/ENGINEERING PATH  Recycling and Waste Double Station 
THE RAC (NEAR BIKE RACKS/SHUTTLE)  Recycling and Waste Double Station 
WILKINS PLAZA (NEAR MASON POND PARKING DECK)  Recycling and Waste Double Station 
PATRIOT CIRCLE @SANDY CREEK LN   Recycling and Waste Double Station 
NOTTOWAY ANNEX PATH  Recycling and Waste Double Station 
PATRIOT CIRCLE @PRESIDENTS PARK  Recycling and Waste Double Station 
PATRIOT CIRCLE @LOT K ENTRANCE  Recycling and Waste Double Station 
PATRIOT CIRCLE @MATTAPONI R LN (LOT A)  Recycling and Waste Double Station 
PATRIOT CIRCLE @RAPPAHANNOCK PARKING DECK  Recycling and Waste Double Station 
WEST CAMPUS (SHUTTLE STOP)  Recycling and Waste Double Station 
VAN METRE HALL PLAZA (MASON SQUARE CAMPUS)  Recycling and Waste Double Station 

 

Categories
2024 Employee of the Month Facilities Management News

January 2024 Facilities Employee of the Month – Ben Auger

Celebrating Benjamin "Ben" Auger as the January 2024 Employee of the Month

Congratulations to Ben Auger, Engagement Coordinator, FAC Communications & Marketing, for being recognized as the January 2024 Facilities Employee of the Month! Ben was nominated by Megan Laures, Assistant Vice President for Business Services, and supported by Ariel Sierra, Communications and Marketing Mananger.

Ben has fully dedicated himself to his new role as Engagement Coordinator and has done a fantastic job at representing Mason Facilities at several different campus events. Throughout their time at Mason, Auger has been caring, thoughtful, as well as a dedicated employee.

 “I've heard from several people just how appreciative they are of the work Ben is doing in his Engagement Coordinator role, but none of this surprises me” Said Megan.  “His ability to connect with people he's speaking with makes him the perfect person to engage with the Mason community on behalf of Facilities. We're very fortunate to have Ben on the team and his hard work should be recognized!”

Ben also went above and beyond with their collaboration with University Sustainability in their effort for the 2023 Patriot Packout. They played an essential role and were a vital partner to Colleen Regan in the huge success of the event.

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