An Interview with Rege Koslof, Project Manager for
Central Property Services (CPS) at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh

When asked what he views as his greatest facilities management challenge, Rege Koslof, Project Manager for Central Property Services (CPS) at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, responds without hesitation. His biggest daily test is keeping all of the campus facilities consistently clean so that the thousands of staff and students that utilize those buildings each day experience the same healthy and safe indoor environment.

Since Koslof is responsible for housekeeping all 4.2 million sq. ft. of campus building space, meeting that daily challenge is quite an achievement. It requires that he oversee the daily cleaning operations performed by 115 full time cleaning staff, 25 substitute employees and 10 supervisors. Also, Koslof is the primary contact with each University Department regarding any facility management housekeeping issue. His other responsibilities include, monitoring work order scheduling, product testing, reviewing employee training, managing periodic work calendars, the union contract, progressive discipline and the administration of company policies. Koslof’s must operate six shifts, 24/7, to provide all of the necessary cleaning services throughout the University dorms, gyms, locker rooms, classrooms and other building areas.

“It is really like managing a small city,” Koslof said.

A Healthy and Safe Environment for All
Despite the workload, Koslof is true to his word about ensuring all Carnegie Mellon campus buildings provide the same healthy and safe indoor environment – right down to the individual building occupant. He notes that a key turning point for his efforts was the initiation of a Green Cleaning Program in January 2002.

The biggest challenges are trying to keep the facilities clean for the thousands of staff and students that are here everyday so that each day they come in and experience the same environment. It involves keeping the staff motivated to come in and do the work repetitively on a daily basis. We provide outstanding performance rewards and the university has established our contract based on a merit system where we get independently evaluated twice a year. The inspector works in cooperation with our company and the university to make sure we are meeting the standards established by Carnegie Mellon and that is noted in a bi-annual report.

During an interview with The Ashkin Group, Koslof shared a recent experience about the benefits of Green Cleaning in meeting the special indoor environmental needs of one building occupant.

“It was brought to our attention that one employee was absent from work for long periods of time,” Koslof said. “It turned out she has a respiratory problem that is easily aggravated by indoor air quality. Facility management took a proactive approach toward reducing her respiratory problems caused triggered by the air quality of her office. We realized that since her office is located at the far end of the building’s ductwork, we could improve her office environment by cleaning the build’s air filtration system more often. Also, when those changes occur, we get notified through the University’s work order system to provide a very detailed cleaning of that employees work space so she can immediately thereafter carry on without interruption. As a result of the filter method and our cleaning, she has experienced a significantly lower incidence of respiratory problems.”

Koslof added that typically there are a few students and staff who are extremely sensitive to traditional cleaning products, especially traditional carpet shampoos. By switching to a safer, green carpet shampoo and in some instances, by mopping the floors only with clear water, Koslof’s team has greatly reduced the indoor environmental problems experienced by those students.

Carnegie Mellon Green Practices
Koslof’s commitment to green building management also reflects the sustainable practices of Carnegie Mellon University.

The university began its environmental efforts in 1990 with the hiring of a Recycling and Waste Coordinator and the adoption of a formal recycling policy for the campus. Within two years, as a result of aggressive recycling measures and the campus-wide promotion, Carnegie Mellon had increased its percentage of recycled waste from five to 13 percent. In 1998, the University broadened its environmental focus and created the Green Practices Committee. It is comprised of faculty, staff and students from many disciplines across campus, and focuses on a wide range of campus environmental issues including recycling, purchasing, energy use, dining, buildings and construction, transportation, communications and public outreach. The diversity of expertise and experience among the committee members results in innovative collaboration, teamwork, and successes that may not otherwise be achieved.

In January 2001, Carnegie Mellon Facilities Management purchased two natural gas vehicles and set a precedent that resulted in a policy requiring that all new campus vehicles be alternative fuel vehicles. Later that spring, Carnegie Mellon Purchasing worked with the Green Practices Committee to eliminate virgin paper from the university and switched its copy and printing paper to 30 percent post-consumer recycled content. In May 2001, Carnegie Mellon purchased wind power to provide five percent of the total electricity needs of the campus—becoming the nation’s largest single purchaser of wind-generated electricity. Later that fall, the university made a commitment to pursue LEED Silver Certification for all new buildings on campus, with the first LEED Certified project, the New House First Year Residence Hall that opened in May 2003.

New House Residence Hall has a 2.1 Silver LEED™ rating. Among the building’s many sustainable features is a long list of improvements to indoor environmental quality:

The innovative collaboration of disciplines across campus through the Green Practices Committee, combined with Koslof’s commitment to Green Cleaning and sustainable housekeeping practices, has allowed Carnegie Mellon to serve as a model for other colleges and universities nationwide.

Koslof’s Simple Formula For Success
When asked about the key factor behind his building management team’s success in providing a healthy and safe indoor environment that also meets the special needs of selected students and staff, Koslof offers a short and uncommon answer.

“We’re open to new ideas,” Koslof said. “I am very flexible and never hesitate to try new, recommended green products. We will try nearly anything. I only rule out a potential improvement after I’ve tried it.”