Quality

Quality Statement

The Buildings and Estates Department is a customer-driven organisation that strives to provide excellence in the services it delivers. We believe that the campus community is entitled to a high standard of quality from us. The department’s quality ethos is

“To sustain and seek to continually improve the quality of all services that we provide to the campus community” Quality

UL requires all support units (i.e., departments and divisions) to operate a quality management system (QMS) to manage and continually improve the quality of its activities and services. A central principle of the QMS is customer focus: to meet and strive to exceed customer requirements.

The principal means B&E uses to elicit customer feedback are (i) customer surveys; (ii) a customer feedback log; (iii) email contact with a random selection of customers following the completion of requested maintenance and minor works (customer-generated feedback); (iv) stakeholder meetings, i.e. meetings with senior management and deans; and, during 2019 (v) customer focus groups.

The two most recent tranches of feedback received by B&E with significant action items arising resulted from the following: (i) Staff Survey 2018 (ii) Customer Focus Group 2019.

As with all feedback B&E receives, the above feedback was reviewed with particular attention paid to the negative feedback. The issues arising were distilled from the feedback and added to the departments Quality Improvement Plan. B&E has acted quickly on the feedback it received and the table below sets out the issues, corresponding action items and current status relating to recent feedback.

Issue Corresponding action item including [status]

All maintenance requests to be assigned a unique job reference number [Complete]

Communication with regard to maintenance needs to be improved

Communication and transparency with regard to minor works needs to be improved

Improve communication in general and use technology to communicate, process and monitor activities

Distribution of space

Acknowledgement of customer maintenance request to include unique job reference number [Complete]

All correspondence with customer to include unique job reference number [Complete]

Increased emphasis to be placed on communicating status of maintenance request to customer [Complete]

Customers to be informed of expected time taken to complete a maintenance request [Complete]

All minor works requests to be assigned a unique job reference number [Complete]

Acknowledgement of minor works request to include the unique job reference number [Complete]

All correspondence with customer to include unique job reference number [Complete]

Increased emphasis to be placed on communicating status of minor works [Complete]

Flow chart of minor works process to be published [Complete]

Information detailing why minor works are so expensive to be published [Complete]

Implement CAFM system [Briefing document due for completion by Q1 2020]

Promote B&E Wayfinding app [In hand]

Utilise 3D campus model more prominently [In hand]

Work with DP/COOR to establish the best mechanism for revamping the Space Committee [In hand]

Work with UL senior management in the development of a campus masterplan and implement subject to funding [In hand – expected Q1 2020]

The department will undergo its third major external quality review in 2 nd - 5 th March 2020

Decision-making based on factual information and analysis of data is an important element of B&E’s QMS. B&E records a wide range of information on the services it provides. Crucial to this is the departmental server, which is used to store, backup and share the department’s computerised files and records, such as documents, logs and digital manuals. The servers were upgraded in 2013 to reduce the risk of data loss. B&E is currently working with UL’s Information Technology Division to migrate the contents of its server to the university’s Office 365 cloud environment.

Quality Improvements/Enhancements

During 2019, the department:

Implemented Job Reference Number for Maintenance and Minor Works for enhanced job tracking. Increased emphasis placed on communications elements of Maintenance of Minor Works Established customer focus groups Comments regarding lack of space fed back to campus master planners External totems installed to improve wayfinding around campus. North Exit was built and opened for start of term. Additional car/bus parking created at new Maguires pitches. Liaised with Limerick City and County Council to install smart traffic lights at East and West Gates Planning commenced on improved accessibility around the Main Plaza area. Continued to monitor the implementation of its Strategic Plan 2017–2021; refer to page 14 for details Published its Quality calendar on B&E webpage Roll out of its contractor management system Administration Team completed benchmarking exercise on key activities with other third level institutions within Ireland Hosted site visits from international universities e.g. Universitas Indonesia and Ben Gurion University, Israel

Maintenance > Promptly acknowledge receipt of your request > Respond to your urgent requests immediately > Advise you immediately when your request has been completed and within five working days when your request has not been completed

Maintenance > Send an email to Buildingsmaintenance@ul.ie, including location room number > Read emails from BENotices > Give at least 24 hours notice for collection/delivery requests

Cleaning > Clean buildings as per Service Level Agreement with cleaning company > Collect recycling paper from offices weekly > Provide janitorial service during normal working hours for toilets and emergency clean-up of spillages > Carry out deep clean of new buildings & vacant offices > Clean building glazing once a year > Provide feminine hygiene service in female toilets

Cleaning > Report any floor spillages that could result in an accident > Segregate paper and general waste > Dispose of general waste in corridor waste bins > Report toilets that require servicing (including blockages) to Buildingsmaintenance@ul.ie

Security > Provide a safe and secure environment on campus > Monitor vehicle parking to ensure compliance with UL parking policy > Be responsible for traffic management > Be responsible for security of campus building stock > Respond to incidents/accidents and contact emergency services when required

Security > Park in official car park spaces > Follow instructions issued by security officers > Report any suspicious behaviour by individuals or vehicle occupants > Inform campus security of any proposed events taking place on campus

Space Management & Office Moves > Promptly acknowledge receipt of your request > Respond to the changing requirements of UL’s teaching and research priorities > Allocate space in the best interests of UL according to space allocation protocol > Provide you with a suitable single/shared office or workstation > Endeavour to provide everyone with sufficient space to enable them to carry out their function > Discuss with you your space requirements or any issue about your office move

Space Management & Office Moves > Outline your space requirements to your faculty manager or head of department > Make your request as clear as possible > Ensure your department’s existing space is fully utilised before seeking additional space > Adhere to UL’s space allocation protocol and understand that space is a valuable and finite resource > Relinquish any unused or under-utilised space

Landscaping & Grounds > Manage the maintenance and development of the campus landscape to provide an attractive and pleasing environment for the campus and wider community in support of UL’s mission > Manage and maintain the field sports facilities > Keep the campus clean

Landscaping & Grounds > Enjoy and respect the parkland facilities and riverside setting > Report any safety or hazard issues to Buildingsmaintenance@ul.ie

Minor Works The same as maintenance, above, with the addition of the following:

If your request is on hold because we’re awaiting information from you, we’ll send you a reminder after 10 working days If you don’t receive a quotation within five working days, we’ll advise you of the status of the request

Minor Works > Complete a Minor Works form > Provide a detailed description of the works

Porter Service > Promptly acknowledge receipt of your request > Set up and support special events > Take responsibility for housekeeping in communal areas and teaching spaces > Provide security in campus buildings and car parks (in conjunction with Campus Security) > Provide frontline support for AV equipment in a number of outlying buildings, lecturing spaces and seminar rooms > Participate in UL emergency response procedures, including fire alarms, major incidences and medical emergency calls > Provide information about events and seminars to visitors > Deliver goods inwards material, sort and deliver SDS postal items and sort and deliver general postal packages

Porter Service > Email requests to Buildingsmaintenance@ul.ie > Give adequate notice of events that you host > Report suspicious activity to Buildings and Estates or directly to Campus Security > Give advance notice of the need to relocate material within buildings > Leave teaching spaces in the correct setup for the next class (leave them as you would like to find them) > Include your room number on orders that are being delivered to UL

Insurance > Promptly acknowledge receipt of your request > Provide evidence of UL insurance cover > Advise on existing UL policies > Liaise with UL insurance brokers on your behalf > Update Asset Register with new plant/equipment > Lodge settlement cheques to your dept. cost code > Seek additional cover on your behalf (additional charge may apply) > Submit claims on your behalf > Assist with incident investigations

Insurance > Send an email to cliona.donnellan@ul.ie > Make your request as clear as possible > Advise of incidents/accidents immediately > Submit claim forms promptly > Pay additional bespoke premiums promptly > Provide requested additional details promptly > Advise Buildings and Estates of new plant/ equipment in your department > Complete questionnaire/claim forms comprehensively and provide supporting docs > Provide dept. cost code for settlement > Advise insurance administrator of planned sabbaticals at least one month in advance of travel > Ensure your contractors/visiting groups have current public and employers’ liability insurances to levels of €6.5m and €13m respectively