What you need to know for the upcoming heating season

As we move from the Summer into the Fall, there are four key messages FM would like to share around building temperatures and occupancy comfort:

• Mid-term exams run the show. The season changes around mid-terms and keeping campus comfortable remains a top priority for the Division. High-volume buildings like Weldon, UCC, and Nat Sci are susceptible to above average temperatures during warmer weather. Facilities Management works closely with building managers to provide the best studying and exam space.
• Once we switch to heating, we cannot switch back to cooling. The systems to heat and cool the university are different. The air conditioning equipment is drained of chilled water, in order to prevent pipes freezing and bursting. Temperatures below zero threaten these pipes and therefore once the cold weather rolls in, Facilities Management must decommission cooling systems. They will only be recommission when the warmer weather arrives in the Spring. Unfortunately, if there is a hot day before then, the campus will not be able to react with air conditioning.
• Fluctuating temperatures in the Fall will make it tough to hit thermostat set points in all nine million square feet of occupied space on campus. This is a big place and getting each classroom or office perfectly comfortable, is difficult even when the outdoor air temperatures are static. Seasonal changes in humidity, heat waves and cold snaps, and occupancy volumes add to the challenge.
• The good news - We are here to help! Tweeters are encouraged to drop us a tweet and report on abnormal conditions @westernuFM

For more information on the 'shoulder season', check out our standing story and related facts; http://www.uwo.ca/fm/who/news/fall_shoulder_season.html

National Forest Week: What's your favourite tree?

Thanks for celebrating National Forest Week with us! We've spent the entire week telling you our stories and now it's your turn.

Send out a Tweet or Instagram using #WesternUGrowsOnTrees with a pic of your favourite tree on campus and the story of it's significance to you.

I'll get you started...

The pink flowers in this picture are cherry blossoms. The tree usually blooms in May along with a few others in the Medway-Sydenham courtyard. For students, May means study, exam, home with no time to 'stop and smell the flowers'. And for non-residents of Medway-Sydenham Hall, this courtyard is very much hidden from the bustle of core campus.

And as beautiful as the campus is, I always thought it a shame that the campus community will rarely experience some of the most incredible aspects of our natural environment on campus.

So I take every opportunity - including this one - to share the aesthetic charm that is tucked away in the courtyard. Imagine living in Medway-Sydenham Hall, waking up in the morning, looking out your window and seeing this vibrant pink array contrasted by a seemingly infinite blue sky.

Truly awesome and definitely one of my favs. What's yours?

- Posted by Brandon on behalf of Facilities Management.

National Forest Week: Discovering our very own arboretum

Biology Dept. - Dr. W. Sherwood Fox

Named after Western's third President, Dr. W. Sherwood Fox, the Sherwood Fox Arboretum was established in 1981 by then president, Dr. George Connell. Fox was an avid botanist, noting that Southwestern Ontario's abundance of tulip trees is what lured him to Western's campus.

The arboretum is a botanical garden of trees and shrubs cultivated for scientific, conservation, education and ornamental purposes. The Sherwood Fox Arboretum encompasses all the planted trees and shrubs on campus. Because of the vast number of species found in such close proximity, it plays an important role in education and research. Some of the trees are even labelled for easy identification.

The Arboretum is home to a growing number of species that can thrive in the Great Lakes Lowlands climate region and there is a renewed focus to plant native species. The current arboretum inventory includes roughly 2,400 trees of 350 species. Facilities Management's Landscape Services team maintains the grounds and manages the health and well-being of plants and trees on campus.

The best way to experience the natural environment at Western is to follow the Walking Tour Map. Recently updated for the Global Challenge, the self-guided tour takes adventurers to the far ends of campus, offering facts on areas of significance along the way. Download the Walking Tour Map.

Be sure to take a break and walk through Canada's most beautiful campus. It is even more spectacular when the leaves begin to change colour in Autumn.

Landscape Services: http://www.uwo.ca/fm/what/maintenance/landscape.html
Walking Tour Map: http://uwo.ca/fm/pdf/GC_WalkingTour_2017.pdf
Department of Biology Sherwood Fox Arboretum information:
http://www.uwo.ca/biology/research/biology_facilities/arboretum.html

National Forest Week: National Tree Day Giveaway

Today, September 27, is National Tree Day!

In support of National Tree Day and London's Million Tree Challenge, Western Sustainability team is giving away free seedlings to members of the campus community. Help celebrate National Tree Day, adopt a free tree and find a great spot at home to plant it.

The giveaway will be on the road, see below for convenient times and locations:

Support Services Building (4th Floor Main Lobby): 9:30am - 10:30am
Natural Sciences Centre (1st Floor Main Entrance Lobby): 11:00am - 12:00pm
Middlesex College (1 Floor Main Entrance Lobby): 1:00pm - 2:00pm

Western's National Tree Day Giveaway Poster [2.5MB]: http://uwo.ca/fm/pdf/National-Tree-Day-2017-Poster.pdf
Sustainability at WesternU: http://sustainability.uwo.ca/

National Forest Week: Historic Vimy Oaks bring moment of nationhood to campus

Photo credit: Vimy Foundation, Vimy Oaks

In honor of the sacrifices made at Vimy Ridge and in support of the Vimy Centennial Park Project, Western is planting three oak trees that share their 'roots' with a significant moment in Canadian History. 

According to the Vimy Foundation, soldiers seeking souvenirs following the victory at Vimy Ridge led to Ontarian Leslie Miller gathering up a handful of acorns. Upon his return from France, he planted them on a farm in the Scarborough area, where they still stand today.

Saplings grafted with the limbs of those trees are now available to the public. Western has acquired three of these trees. The proceeds help fund the Centennial Park being installed near the Canadian National Vimy Memorial site in Northern France.

This week, the aptly named Commemorative Vimy Oaks will be delivered on campus where they will find a new permanent home. A more formal introduction will be announced in the Fall.

Find our more about...

Landscape Services: http://uwo.ca/fm/what/maintenance/landscape.html

Vimy Oaks Project: https://www.vimyfoundation.ca/vimy-100/vimy-oaks/

Vimy Foundation: https://www.vimyfoundation.ca/

National Forest Week: Planting 150 maples on campus

Western’s Landscape Services team is planting one tree for each one of Canada’s birthdays.

Beginning the same week as National Forest Week (September 25-29), the first batch of the 150 trees will find a new home on campus. The young trees, all varieties of Maple, are a mix of heights and diameters.

 “Trees of varying maturity provide more flexibility when planting and will enhance sustained growth,” says Mike Lunau, Manager, Landscape Services. “They will be spread throughout campus for everyone to enjoy over the years." 

Landscape Services will be transplanting the larger trees. Using specialized heavy equipment to dig and to load trees with bulkier, more developed root systems. Many of these trees will be planted around TD Stadium.

For planting the smaller Maples, Landscape Services will be joined by student-led EnviroWestern and the Ivey Sustainability Club. This batch will be spread throughout Western's more naturalized areas, integrating with our established wooded areas.

"It is great to have the support of our student groups," says Mike. "Our campus is built on the combined efforts of those that work and study here - this is a prime example of that."

Links

FM Landscape Services: http://uwo.ca/fm/what/maintenance/landscape.html
National Forest Week: https://www.cif-ifc.org/national-forest-week/

Green professionals push the building envelope

Green building on campus has become the standard at Western. With the guidelines developed by the Canadian Green Building Council's (CaGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification process, many of our new facilities and larger renovations meet strict benchmarks.

Green building has changed the way we design and construct. In staying ahead of the curve, Western has begun to develop its own set of sustainable design guidelines focusing on life cycle analysis, impact assessments, and enhanced energy and water strategies that will influence all large-scale projects moving forward.

To support the continued focus on green infrastructure, three Facilities Management employees have completed LEED specific certification. The added knowledge and expertise puts green building front and centre from the start of each project right to the end.

Mike McLean, Director, Facilities Planning and Design, has completed the LEED Accredited Professional (AP) course, arming him with advanced knowledge in green building as well as expertise in LEED rating systems.

Mary Quintana, Energy & Environment Specialist and David Cano, Manager, Sustainability, have both received LEED Green Associate credentials through CaGBC. They are knowledgeable of the current certification guidelines and trends in green building.

The expertise has begun to translate into positive gains. For example, our team is currently providing their input on enhanced waste management and transportation challenges (such as charging stations) for the new Western Interdisciplinary Research Building and Engineering's Three C+.

Green building continues to be the standard for construction on Campus. With three FM professionals adding LEED credentials to their growing quiver of expertise, Western further advances the vision of a more efficient and sustainable built environment.