Service and Maintenance

Most routine maintenance, inspections, and repairs are services budgeted by Facilities Management and are not charged to the department requesting the service.  Requested services typically fall into four priority categories:

  • Scheduled service work is handled on a first-in-first-out basis and is completed based on volume of requests, size of our responding teams and time of year.
  • Routine service work is handled on a first-in-first-out basis and normally will be completed within seven calendar days, if materials are available.
  • Urgent service work is usually handled within two calendar days.  Items in this category include dripping faucets, extreme temperature complaints, powerless outlets, etc.
  • Emergency service work is required to eliminate hazards, prevent significant damage, or prevent the disruption of scheduled activities.  Emergency service work is begun immediately and continues until the hazard is eliminated.

Services Provided by Facilities Management

  • Maintenance/repair of buildings and their installed heating, ventilation/air conditioning systems; and electrical, plumbing, or other special system and equipment installed as integral parts of the buildings.  This includes preventive maintenance.
  • Painting of interior and exterior surfaces on a periodic, scheduled basis.
  • Maintenance and repair of basic classroom furniture such as seats, lecterns, and blackboards.
  • Maintenance of walks, roads, and drainage; and care of lawns, trees, and shrubs.  Basic scheduled custodial and refuse collection services.
  • Maintenance and  distribution of building systems for heat, water, gas, compressed air, electric power,  and street lighting.
  • Inspection and assessment of existing buildings to determine need for major repairs to building systems (roof, windows, structure, HVAC systems, electrical, fire alarm, etc.).

Services Normally Charged to the Department Requesting Service

  • Maintenance and repair of special classroom equipment, special lighting or sound installations, office furniture and furnishings; laboratory equipment; and other departmental property.
  • Renovation, alteration, or improvements to facilities.
  • Painting or decorating beyond the level provided under basic maintenance budgets.  Replacement of movable equipment such as carpets, furnishing, draperies, and window coverings.
  • Inter-office or building to building furniture or equipment moving services (done by contract or in-house employees).
  • Fabrication of cabinets, shelves, signs, and other miscellaneous items; furniture repair (excluding basic classroom furniture) and re-upholstering.
  • Special custodial or refuse collection services which are in addition to those normally provided by Facilities Management.
  • Shredding services.
  • Services required to set up special events (such as graduations, or large University functions).

Maintenance Provided

Preventive Maintenance

Preventive maintenance is work scheduled on a fixed frequency to provide adjustments, cleaning, minor repairs, and routine inspections of equipment and facilities.  Facilities Management plans and schedules this type of maintenance work to prolong the life of equipment and reduce interruptions of building systems, utilities, and equipment operations. The benefits are more reliable systems for our community and saved costs from unexpected failures.

Landscape Maintenance and Waste Management & Recycling

Facilities Management’s Landscape Department provides a planned program of grounds care that includes planting and care of flowers, shrubs, lawn, and trees.  Road and walkway cleaning services and maintenance, and local solid waste removal and receptacle pickup services are provided by the Department’s Solid Waste & Recycling Shop.  These two shops also perform inclement weather support, including snow and ice control, in support of University operations and special events.

Solid Waste & Recycling oversees University-wide solid waste collection and disposal.  In addition to the scheduled service, special pickups are provided for a fee.

Questions concerning grounds care or refuse collection services should be referred to the Work Management Center, (202) 687-3432.

The responsibility for recycling operations rests with the  Facilities Management  Department, although every member of the University community is required to actively support and participate in the recycling program.  The campus-wide recycling program, mandated by a District of Columbia law, began in February of 1990.  For more information, visit Recycling at Georgetown.

Deferred Maintenance

Most maintenance, repair, and building renewal projects are funded as deferred maintenance.  These projects often include the following, which cannot be funded by the user or Facilities Management Operation budget.

  • Roofing repair or replacement
  • Correction of structural defects
  • Repair or replacement of installed utility
  • Repair or replacement of distribution systems
  • Other high-cost projects

If not an emergency, these projects, ranging in cost from several hundred to several million dollars, are placed in the deferred maintenance backlog.  The items in the backlog are tracked, reviewed and prioritized annually to be selected for the upcoming fiscal year projects. These projects can be stand-alone projects or combined with other planned construction work.

View our deferred maintenance list here. It is a living document that changes daily. Priorities and estimated costs of projects are determined by qualified teams and selected affected community leaders to ensure completion of projects with the greatest immediate impact.

Special Events

The Special events staff provides equipment delivery and set up for campus spaces.  Please access the online equipment reservation system here.

For requests for non-university departments or requests within four days of the event, please use this form for non- GEMS spaces.