Plant Operations and Maintenance
Submit a Work Request
Black Hills State University Facilities Services provides maintenance and care of all buildings on campus. Any special requests of custodians or maintenance personnel should be sent to Michael Overby.
Work Requests
- Faculty and staff members may submit a service request for non-maintenance issues (i.e. moving office furniture, setting up tables and chairs for events) with the department head's approval. The request must include a Location Code, Request Type, and FOAP. This information is available by using the drop-down boxes and search screens. Non-maintenance work requests should be submitted a minimum of seven days in advance of the desired project start date, and include a target completion date in the comments section.
- Faculty and staff members may submit a service request for general maintenance repair needs. The request must include contact information, room location, and a detailed description. This information is available by using the drop-down boxes and search screens. Maintenance repair service requests will be assigned according to priority within 24-48 hours.
- Emergency work requests for plumbing or electrical problems should be directed to Facilities Services 605.642.6244.
Energy Management
- Facilities Services is responsible for the campus-wide energy conservation program. Any questions about temperature settings, lighting levels, or other conservation measures should be directed to the Director, Randy Culver, or by calling 605.642.6244.
Grounds Services
- Grounds Services provides mowing, seeding, and fertilizing of all sod areas, tree trimming, removal and planting, landscaping and campus beautification, athletic field upkeep, and snow removal. Concerns or comments regarding grounds maintenance should be directed to Director, Randy Culver at 605.642.6157 or email Randy.Culver@BHSU.edu
Custodial Services
- A full-time staff of 24 Facility Workers allows Facilities Services to provide cleaning and general building maintenance for approximately 760,000 square feet of building space on campus. Swing shifting staff provides custodial service 24 hrs on most days. This staff also provides service to sporting and special events that occur outside normal business hours. Please contact Debbie Liddick at 605.642.6560 or Deborah.Liddick@BHSU.edu if you need any additional custodial services.
Winter weather brings typical snow and cold problems. Facilities Services will continue to remove snow, sand sidewalks and roads, and use chemical melters to reduce slip and fall hazards as much as possible. It is important for individuals to recognize the hazards of slippery walks and roadways. There are several things that can be done to reduce the risk of falling when slippery conditions exist. Here are some helpful hints:
- Wear boots or overshoes with grip soles. Slick leather or plastic soles on shoes will definitely increase the risk of slipping.
- Don't walk with your hands in your pockets. This reduces the ability to use your arms for balance if you do slip.
- Take short shuffling steps in very icy areas.
- Don't carry or swing heavy loads, such as large boxes, cases, or purses that may cause you to become off balance when you are walking.
- When walking, curl your toes under and walk as flat-footed as possible.
- Don't step on uneven surfaces. Avoid curbs with ice on them
- Place your full attention on walking. Digging in your pocketbook or backpack, or talking on your cellphone while walking on ice is dangerous.
Facilities Services is committed to maintaining a safe and comfortable place to learn and work. Please report any hazardous conditions to the Facilities Services office at 605.642.6244.
- LEED Silver Certification on new construction
All new construction at BHSU must meet a minimum of 33-point criteria for LEED certification. The categories include Sustainable sites, Water efficiency, Energy Atmosphere, Materials Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Innovation Design Process.
- Recycling
Black Hills State University offers recycling in all campus buildings. Each year we recycle over 50 tons of material. Learn more on our recycling page.
- Green Cleaning
Currently, 80% of our cleaning chemicals are Green Seal Certified which reduces the impact on the health of building occupants, custodians, and the environment. We are moving to obtain 100% of green cleaning chemicals in the near future. 100% of the floor finish that we use in the Resident Halls and classrooms is Green Seal Certified which means no heavy metals are released into the environment when scrubbing or stripping. Our paper and plastic products contain post-consumer content. All vacuum cleaners in the Student Union and 40% in the Resident Halls (moving to 100%) are equipped with HEPA filtration units that filter to .3 microns at 99.99954% efficiency, to improve indoor air quality. We use microfiber and recycled cotton cloths for general cleaning instead of paper towels to minimize waste. 50% of our auto-scrubbers utilize systems that allow us to use 70% less water and cleaning chemicals moving toward 100%.
- Water Conservation and Pollution Control
BHSU uses low-volume flush valves in new construction and resident hall renovation. New planting areas use native plants for minimum irrigation and maintenance. The recent construction of the Jonas Parking Lot and the Student Union created 3 Bio-swale areas that are designed to filter water before it enters the areas natural water flows. The swales collect water runoff and use plant material to naturally filter debris and sediment.
- Wind Generation
The 1.8KW wind turbine generates power that is metered back into the electrical grid and powers a small portion of the Student Union's electrical use.
- Energy Conservation
The BHSU Utility Master Plan utilizes long-range planning and development for expansion and upgrades to create policies and procedures that will benefit our campus community. Statewide energy evaluated energy consumption in over 4100 state buildings. A planned Energy Performance contract will implement energy-saving equipment to reduce our electrical consumption.
- Solar Energy
There are approximately 2,900 solar panels installed on seven rooftop buildings. They will produce just over 1 Mega Watt, saving 20% of the university’s energy. Additionally, the university has 65 solar LED sidewalk lights at BHSU and BHRC.
To see live solar production data:
Student Union: Live Feed TBD
Bordeaux: Bordeaux Hall Live Feed
Thomas: Thomas Hall Live Feed
Life Science: Life Science Live Feed
Library: Library Live Feed
Facilities: Facilities Services Live Feed
Donald Young Center: DYC Live Feed
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Electric Vehicle
BHSU owns an Electric Vehicle (EV) Chevy Bolt that is used to travel to the Rapid City location by faculty and staff. The EV can travel 224 miles on a full charge and can be charged in 4 hours using a level-2 charging station. There are two charging stations free for public use at BHSU and BHRC. Our EV saves approximately 60% on driving costs; 260 gallons of gas per year and 2.5 tons of greenhouse gas (CO2) per year. Check out
www.plugshare.com that lists the charging stations nationwide.
For questions or comments, please contact FACILITIES SERVICES at 605.642.6244.
