Volume 20 / No. 1 / January-February 2010 - Plant Operations ...

Inside This Issue
Director’s Message P. 3
Construction Services:
Another Busy Year for
Plant’s Cabinet Shop P. 4
Construction Services:
Cabinet Shop Creates an
“Inviting Feel” P. 5
Facilities Maintenance:
What’s in a Name? P. 6
Utilities & Engineering:
Recent Projects of Electrical
Operations & Engineering P. 7
Work Management:
Continuous Improvement -
The Estimating Process P. 8
Plant Academy:
Plant Academy’s Graduation
Class - December 2009 P. 9
Planet Blue:
The Student Focus P. 10
Construction Services:
Giving Back to the Community at the
“Just Build It” Career Expo P. 11
Building & Grounds Services:
Time to Get Your Recycle On! P. 11
Plant Payroll & Accounts Payable:
PPAPO has moved! P. 12
University of Michigan • Plant Operations • Volume 20 No.1 • January-February 2010

PLANT OPERATIONS
October 21, 2009 through December 15, 2009
Retirements
Building and Grounds Services
Larry Utley
Jerry Peles
Jim O’Malley
Facilities Maintenance
Ernest Mallery
New Hires
Facilities Maintenance
Joe Fowler
Materials & Moving Services
Doug Schoener
The Plant
Exchange
The Plant Exchange is produced by members of the
Plant Operations Division at the University of Michigan.
Its purpose is to inform Plant Operations staff and the
university community of activities, accomplishments,
and information about our organization and the work
we perform.
Editor-in-Chief: David Judge, Plant Operations
Copy Editor: Valerie Amo, Facilities Maintenance
Design & Layout: Dayna Rinke, Dayna Rinke Design
Website Coordinator: George Benson
Contact David Judge at djjudge@umich.edu
with any questions, comments or corrections.
Archives of previous Plant Exchange are located
at: www.plantops.umich.edu/PlantExchange/
“Employees at Work” photos taken by
David Judge.
The University of Michigan, as an equal opportunity/
affirmative action employer, complies with all
applicable federal and state laws regarding
nondiscrimination and affirmative action, including
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The
University of Michigan is committed to a policy of
nondiscrimination and equal opportunity for all
persons regardless of race, sex*, color, religion,
creed, national origin or ancestry, age, marital
status, sexual orientation, disability, or Vietnamera
veteran status in employment, educational
programs and activities, and admissions. Inquiries
or complaints may be addressed to the Senior
Director for Institutional Equity and Title IX/Section
504 Coordinator, Office for Institutional Equity,
2072 Administrative Services Building, Ann Arbor,
Michigan 48109-1432, 734-763-0235, TTY 734-647-
1388. For other University of Michigan information,
call 734-764-1817.
*Includes discrimination
based on gender identity
and gender expression.
The Regents of the University of Michigan
Julie Donovan Darlow, Ann Arbor
Laurence B. Deitch, Bingham Farms
Denise Illitch, Bingham Farms
Olivia P. Maynard, Goodrich
Andrea Fischer Newman, Ann Arbor
Andrew C. Richner, Grosse Pointe Park
S. Martin Taylor, Grosse Pointe Farms
Katherine E. White, Ann Arbor
Mary Sue Coleman, (ex officio)
The Plant Exchange is printed with soy ink on
100 percent recycled paper. Please recycle in
“Paper” recycling bins.
U-M Plant Operations
326 E. Hoover, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1002
Telephone: (734) 763-9333
Fax: (734) 763-2590
Web: www.plantops.umich.edu/PlantExchange/

A MESSAGE
From the Executive Director Rich Robben
I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday season. A new calendar year has begun
with many important initiatives underway. However, even though Plant’s news has been
highlighting restructuring initiatives, task team cleaning and process improvement, when I
look over this issue of The Plant Exchange, I am impressed by the reminder that our day-to-day
activities are still in the main stream of why we are here. Equipment still breaks, areas need to be
cleaned, spaces need to be renovated, Planet Blue is still saving BTU’s, and we still need to deliver
utilities to our buildings.
I think the underlying message is that although some people may feel unsettled about the organizational changes
we are implementing, the vast range of services that we provide to the university still remains intact. There is
great security in a job well done. We continue to be an industry leader in our field and Plant Operations is still the
provider of choice for our customers and the preferred employer for our team members. We continue to grow as our
customers are asking us to assume more services. Even though we are changing some things, rest assured that each
of you, as a team member in Plant, is our most valuable resource. Without your meaningful contribution each day
we could not have achieved these things.
On another note:
I would encourage all to take an opportunity to visit the Plant
restructuring website for the most up to date news about the change
activities taking place.
https://collaborate.bf.umich.edu/po/restructure/default.aspx
3

4
2009 – ANOTHER BUSY YEAR F

OR PLANT’S CABINET SHOP
Cabinet Shop Creates an “Inviting Feel”
by Mark Bevington
The Tea Room is the staff lounge at the Legal
Research Library. Previous to our contract,
the room was very drab, out of date, and in
need of a renovation. The customers worked
with Interior Design to come up with a
vibrant and transformed lounge. The design
was patterned after the Faculty Lounge in
Hutchins Hall, a room with an inviting feel.
The former design of the Tea Room had a wall
that divided the area into a small kitchenette
and a sitting room. The sitting room was a
hodgepodge of tables and chairs. The renovation
called to remove the wall that divided the two rooms and construct a large kitchen and sitting
area. Our Cabinet Shop was contracted to
provide all of the mill work for this room. This
included upper and lower cabinets around the
sink, an oven and ice maker, an island cabinet
with a lot of counter space, and a cabinet that
wraps around the refrigerator. In addition to
the cabinet work, we changed all the lights to
modern pendants, installed a new floor, and
painted the walls with a livelier color. The
room now has an inviting feel and provides a
great place to have lunch or take a break.
5

FACILITIES
MAINTENANCE
What’s in a Name? by Randy Fox
You walk into a machine room with a Work
Order in your hand. You see “pump 1” in front of
you. Glancing to your left you see another “pump
1”. Great! So you call Building Automation
Services (BAS) and are told that there are
actually three pumps using the number 1 in the
same machine room. Help! Further examination
of the work order and perhaps another radio call
to BAS reveals that you are looking for perimeter
heating hot water pump 1, not reheat hot water
pump 1, or domestic hot water booster pump 1.
How can three pumps be tagged “pump 1”? Mechanical
equipment names originate from the drawings provided
by architectural
engineering
companies. These
are transferred to
drawings provided
by the controls
contractor and then
are entered into
the BAS system by
the Direct Digital
Controls (DDC)
shop within the
Mechanical Systems
department. The
DDC programmers
have the difficult
task of making the
names unique yet
descriptive within a field of thirty characters provided
by the system.
Perhaps you’re thinking “Why don’t they just change
the names to match?” That is a good question, but
the answer reveals some complications. Once names
are entered into the BAS system they are used in
many ways, so changing a pump name renders system
graphics, reports and historical trend information
defective, creating
“holes” in the
database. Changing a
building name becomes
an even larger project!
Recently BAS devised a coded
underlying device naming process
to allow for easy user name changes
that don’t cause database problems
when changed. This process places a
greater burden on the installation crew
and we owe a special thanks to the extra
efforts of John Gruden’s DDC shop for taking
on this work
to make the rest
of our work lives
better. The extra
effort adds cost and
complexity to the BAS
programming, but
will make adapting
names to future
changes in equipment
numbering and
building names
relatively troublefree.
The next time you
have trouble finding
a device by its
number, we could
use your help to make our BAS and FMS names more
accurate. We appreciate your patience and assistance
while we are working through this process. On the
surface, it may appear to be a simple issue to solve, but
in reality, it affects databases, drawings and signage
accuracy. Any information you can provide BAS to
make our equipment names more uniform will surely
be appreciated by all who follow in your footsteps!
6

New BAS Manager by Lowell Hanson
I am pleased to announce the selection of Tim Kennedy
as the new Building Automation Systems Manager. My
congratulations as well to David Anderson, as he enjoys the
next big phase of his life, retirement!
Tim worked previously with the BAS group in positions
of greater responsibility starting as a Utilities System
Technician, then to a Programmer Analyst, and then moved
to Application Programming Senior Supervisor. Over the
last two years he took on a new role as a Team Leader with
the Planet Blue Team. Tim has a BS in Industrial Technology
Aviation Management and a MLS in Interdisciplinary Technology
Management from Eastern Michigan University.
David Anderson (left) passes the baton to Tim Kennedy
UTILITIES &
PLANT ENGINEERING
Recent Projects Completed by Electrical
Operations and Engineering by Yoshiko Hill
Electrical Operations and Engineering (EOE) consists of two divisions: Electrical Operations
and Electrical Engineering. The combined staff of Administration Professionals and Electrical
Trades and Engineers; design, install, upgrade, retrofit, and maintain the electrical systems
on the U-M Ann Arbor campuses.
The following are some examples of notable projects in which EOE has developed or has participated in:
The Automated Meter Reading System (AMR): Replacement of older electro-mechanical style
meters with digital meters equipped with Ethernet connections. The new system reads meters remotely
storing data directly into the billing system, reduces labor costs and improves accuracy. Installation of
this equipment is made through the Primary Services shop.
H.H. Dow Motor Control Center (MCC): Provided electrical engineering support during the
equipment failure due to an electrical arcing fault at the H. H. Dow building. EOE designed the new MCC,
supervised installation, and worked with Facilities Maintenance to completely restore service within
three months.
Switching Station: The new 40 KV Ingalls Switching Station near North Ingalls Building was an EOE
project to expand the electric service from DTE on Central Campus. The completion of this project has
enabled U-M to provide power to the Children’s and Women’s Hospital, Cardiovascular Center, Kellogg Eye
Center expansion and other future buildings.
7

WORK MANAGEMENT
Welcome Amy!
by Cindy Schaedig
Please join me in welcoming Amy Marquardt
to the Work Management Department.
Amy has joined Plant Operations as Work
Management’s Estimate Coordinator.
Amy’s background includes working with
various construction companies in the
capacity of Estimator, Project Manager and
Project Engineer. She has a Bachelor of
Science Civil Engineering.
Continuous Improvement – The Estimating Process
by Amy Marquardt
The revised Estimating Process was presented at the Management Forum on Tuesday, December 8, 2009
by Cindy Schaedig and Amy Marquardt from Work Management. The slide presentation highlighted the
following external and internal improvements to the estimating process.
Internal Improvements
• Standardized estimating process
• Standardized documentation
• Track estimates by estimate type (Budget, Fixed Price or Time and Material)
• Accurate and timely billing = REVENUE
Customer Improvements
• Customers receive estimates in a standardized format
• They are able to access current estimate information in FMS
• Enables consistent communications with Plant Operations
• Accurate and timely billing
To ensure that everyone has access to the revised process and forms, an Estimating section has been
added to the Supervisors Toolbox. (http://www.plant.bf.umich.edu/workcontrol/toolbox.php)
The Estimating section includes:
1. Estimating Process Flow Chart
2. Estimate Types/Turnaround Times
3. Estimate Spreadsheet
4. Instructions for adding related documents
5. Instructions for changing a phase status
6. Sample Customer Reply Form
Any questions regarding this revised procedure can be directed to Amy Marquardt at (734) 764-5735
or amywm@umich.edu
8

Back row: Sarah Ely, Craig Delap, John Birkle, Camie Munsell, Pam Irish, Karen Zarza, Rich Robben
Front Row: Robert Touchberry, Amy Marquardt, Gerald McDermott, Wilbur Malveaux
(Not pictured: Jeffery Erskine, Marsha Soulliere, Pam Smith and Max Bajcz)
PLANT ACADEMY
Plant Academy’s Graduation Class, December ‘09
by Anna Balhoff
On December 8, 2009, the 16th graduation ceremony of Plant Academy’s Supervisor Leadership
and Introduction to Facilities Management programs was held at the Plant Operations
Management Forum at Palmer Commons.
Thirteen staff members received certificates from either the Supervisor Leadership program or the Introduction
to Facilities Management program. John Birkle was recognized for completing both programs. We also had
two graduates from outside of Plant Operations, one from Parking and Transportation and one from Plant
Purchasing. The Practical Supervisor Tier 1 had a graduating class of twenty-six Plant Operations’ employees.
Congratulations to all of our graduates!
Supervisor Leadership Certificate Program
John Birkle
Introduction to Facilities Management
Certificate Program
Max Bajcz
John Birkle
Craig Delap
Jeffery Erskine
Pamela Irish
Wilbur Malveaux
Amy Marquardt
Gerald McDermott
Camie Munsell
Pamela Smith
Marsha Soulliere
Robert Touchberry
Karen Zarza
Practical Supervisor Tier 1
Tracy Artley
Teresa Bareis
Aaron Bennett
Rockey Bennett
Darryl Betts
John Birkle
Stephen Brunger
Craig Delap
Penny Gardner
Michael Gaubatz
Phillip Graves
Paul Guttman
Carie Kloack
Dennis Kretin
Chuck London
Robert Mann
Jacqueline Marshall
Jennifer Miller
Vershawn Miller
David Murphy
Howard Portis
Carl Smith
Steve Smith
Karen Rothfuss
Edward Wilson
Lynette Wright
9

PLANET BLUE
The Student Focus by Anuja Mudali
This fall, Planet Blue focused its outreach
effort on the largest population on the
U-M campus – the students. In the past,
Planet Blue worked mainly with staff
and faculty. While they are still a core
audience, we also wanted to include
the student population because of
their ability to reach across all areas
of campus. Their collective voices have
created a momentum for change towards
sustainability with the creation of the
Office of Campus Sustainability.
The Planet Blue team developed two targeted
messages to reach the students; “Hail to the
Conserving Heroes” and “We’re helping save
energy by asking for some of yours.” The
marketing campaign began as the fall semester
began, with Diag banners, bus signs and table
tents. We also worked with current Planet Blue
buildings to display banners, lobby boards and
messages on the digital display monitors. Planet
Blue teams also targeted the following events
to ensure maximum student participation:
the U-M Marching Band practice session, the
Energy Fests, and the Mosher-Jordan Residence
Hall Fair. At these events, students had an
opportunity learn about the success of the Planet
Blue program.
Open house events in other campus buildings
also drew large student participation. Through
these events, we estimate that Planet Blue staff
members have engaged over 2000 students,
and the number grows each day as the outreach
continues. Our hope is that as students become
more aware, they will continue to adopt energy
conservation behaviors at school and home and
spread the word about Planet Blue.
Clockwise:
1. Student volunteers at the Planet Blue open house at Mosher- Jordan Residence Hall.
2. Planet Blue Banner hanging in the Diag during the Fall Semester
3. Students discussing energy conservation with Kris Kolevar and Brian Morgan during Energy Fest 2009
4. Michigan Marching Band percussion section showing support for Planet Blue during their practice session.
10

CONSTRUCTION SERVICES
“Giving Back” to the Community at the “Just Build
It!” Career Expo by Bill Love and Aaron Montero
On November 10, 2009 Construction Services participated in the
10th annual “JUST BUILD IT!” Construction Career Expo held
at Eastern Michigan University. Over 1,000 students, grades 8
to 12, from across the southern Michigan region attended this
year’s expo. Thirty-five construction companies, including the
local construction unions, were on hand to give demonstrations
and provide opportunities for students to participate in hands-on
activities.
Craig Delap & Roger Cornell The Construction Services team assembled a booth that was both
answer career questions interactive and informational. Multimedia and poster displays were
utilized to highlight typical commercial construction and renovation
work. A display board, on loan from Planet Blue, gave practical ways to conserve energy and resources. Many
students were very excited to first learn about, and then use, some cutting edge tools that we provided. Students
were able to use a Ground Penetrating Radar tool to scan a concrete slab and identify the embedded objects.
Students were also able to use a flexible Snake camera to locate items in the cavities of a metal stud wall. Overall, the
day was a tremendous opportunity for various businesses and organizations to give back to the communities that
have been a source of great support.
BUILDING & GROUNDS SERVICES
Time to Get Your Recycle On!
by Phil Svabik
The University will once again be participating in
RecycleMania, a ten week recycling competition
among colleges and universities across the U.S.
This year’s competition will run January 17th
– March 27th, 2010. Last year we ranked 5th in
the Gorilla Prize, recycling a whopping 744,529
pounds during the competition, a total amount
greater than 288 other participating schools!
This year, only with your help, we hope to do even
better! Awards are given in four different categories:
the one who collects the largest amount of recyclables
per capita, the largest total tonnage of recyclables,
the least amount of trash per capita, and the highest
recycling rate. You can help U-M by limiting your
consumption of unnecessary materials and by trying to
reuse or recycle as many items as possible.
Coinciding with RecycleMania this year is the
Recycling Champions Building Competition,
an intra-campus waste reduction and recycling
competition. The Recycling Champions competition
will pit participating buildings against one another on
the U-M Ann Arbor Campus. We will track participating
buildings’ recycling and trash each week. Like last year,
we will be having the Recycling Rate Competition,
Most Improved Recycling Rate, and Waste Reduction
Competition. The winning buildings in each category
will be presented with the coveted Recycling Champions
awards at the April Facilities Users Network meeting.
Visit our website at www.recycle.umich.edu to learn
more about recycling at the University and feel free
to e-mail recycle@umich.edu with any questions or
comments you may have.
11

University of Michigan Plant Operations
326 E. Hoover, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
PLANT PAYROLL
& ACCOUNTS
PAYABLE
PPAPO has moved!
by Teresa Bareis
Please stop by and visit our new office. The location is
Suite 2300, Campus Safety Services Building.
While the main phone line has remained as 764-5189,
we have added a new call prompt menu to expedite
the routing of incoming calls. Customers will now
have the ability to direct their calls based upon the
type of business (i.e. Materials, HR or Payroll), which
in turn will allow for more direct and timely service.
Each individual pay analyst still maintains their direct
line as well, and the new phone system will redirect a
caller if they are away from their station or unavailable.
The phone prompt menu will also be included on our
website after the New Year. PPAPO welcomes your
feedback on this new feature, so please send comments
to the PlantOps PPAPO General E-mail address.
The new location also
includes the staff of
F&O/HR, and Lukeland
Gentles, Patti Sweeny,
Betty Alberts, and
Connie Agius from
Plant Administration.
Congratulations Luke!
by Richard W. Robben PE,
Executive Director of Plant Operations
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate
Luke Gentles on his promotion to head the Plant
Administration department as the new Associate
Director of Plant Administration and Division
Controller. Luke comes to his new position from Plant
Building and Grounds Services where he has served in
many roles and responsibilities over the past ten years.
Luke has a BA in Economics from the University of
Michigan and a MBA from Wayne State University.