News

PGMS Salutes Columbia University for Grounds Management Excellence

Columbia is getting a star - a Green Star Award, to be exact - from the Professional Grounds Management Society, which honored the University with the Grand Award for best in urban university grounds. In August, Columbia's landscaping team, led by Richard Bussert, director of Landscaping and Grounds (profile below), submitted 26 photos for consideration. The images, taken by University photographer Eileen Barroso, showed campus scenes during the four seasons and highlighted a few of the landscaping challenges. The award will be presented on Oct. 27, by the society at its annual expo in Louisville,…

Saving Water & Energy by Converting to Energy Efficient, Coin-less Laundry Equipment

After more than 50 years of pedestrian traffic and poor drainage, College Walk, the University's main public walkway, was in need of surface and sub-surface restoration to repair unevenness and cracking.  Facilities staff immediately knew that completing such a mammoth task would require the complete shut down of the main walkway on 116th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue.  Another thing was clear - the project could not commence until after Alumni Reunion Weekend and had to be finished prior to the start of the academic year. The restoration, which would normally take six…

I am pleased to announce that Frances Huppert will join Columbia University Facilities as Associate Vice President of Capital Projects.