Our unit, comprised of teams of dedicated mechanical and plumbing tradespeople, has several major responsibilities:

• Maintaining the University’s sewers, ventilation systems and steam, water and chill water distribution networks. (“Chill water,” an alternative to traditional air conditioning, involves cold water being used to chill the air inside pipes, which then pump cool air across campus!)
• Managing the Preventative Maintenance Program for the campus HVAC systems as well as the mechanical elements of uOttawa’s infrastructure.
• Ensuring the continuity of operations in the event of an emergency or breakdown.

Among other things, our team maintains:

• Pumps and air handling systems
• Cooling systems and towers, including AC
• Furnaces, heating systems, heat exchangers, and heat pumps
• Humidifiers
• Dust collection systems
• The campus steam system
• Hot and cold water
• Piping, plumbing, and sewers
• Fire protection / suppression systems
• Safety devices and safety valves
• And much more!

Our team participates in the preventive and predictive maintenance program, which improves the performance and extends the life of building equipment as well as maintains and improves the functional and/or visual quality of indoor and outdoor spaces on campus. This strategy is based on measuring, adjusting, replacing, overhauling, or remanufacturing parts and items at fixed intervals.