Aggie Square is a transformative new building project at UC Davis, designed to foster innovation, research, and collaboration between the university and private industry. As a hub for cutting-edge academic programs, state-of-the-art laboratories, and entrepreneurial partnerships, Aggie Square represents a major expansion of the university’s footprint. With multiple buildings and a mix of campus-leased and privately occupied spaces, the project requires a uniquely tailored approach to maintenance and operations. To support this new development, Facilities Management (FM) has launched a custodial services project to ensure that Aggie Square remains a clean, efficient, and well-maintained environment for students, faculty, researchers, and industry partners.

When Aggie Square was first assigned to FM’s Custodial unit, interim Operations Manager Esmeralda Vanover played a crucial role alongside Director Lauren Bautista by providing initial estimates for custodial services and evaluating staffing and service needs. Now, as the Operations Manager for the day shift, Esmeralda is helping the incoming manager and supervisor to transition to their new role overseeing custodial operations at Aggie Square.

At the technical level, custodial operations at Aggie Square are determined using the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) square footage data and detailed building plans. This data helps define the different service areas and the service levels for each area. On top of the BOMA data, staffing decisions also factor in cleanable square footage, specific room types, and the specialized cleaning requirements for different building functions.

Custodial works very hard to ensure that every leased space—whether managed by UC Davis or private tenants—receives the appropriate level of care. Aggie Square spans multiple buildings with varied uses, such as labs, offices, markets, and housing, each with their own occupancy timelines. This means that the custodial plan must be carefully designed to fully meet the needs of each different area, and the team must determine service levels for campus and privately leased spaces. To accomplish this, Custodial management coordinates with Aggie Square project planners, setting clear service standards and coordinating a structured hiring process.

One of the most interesting parts to this project is the collaborative effort between UC Davis custodial teams and private tenants. This hybrid nature of the development necessitates a tailored approach that not only meets high service standards but also delineates responsibilities clearly. A critical component of the project involves making a clear distinction of responsibilities between campus custodial staff and private tenants. In their day-to-day duties at the main UC Davis campus, there is much more of a distinction between campus buildings and private housing, so the Custodial team has to be innovative to come up with the most efficient plan.

The Aggie Square custodial plan supports a future-forward vision that emphasizes sustainability and efficiency and aligns with our campus goals. By staffing custodians based on precise cleanable space requirements and also implementing safe and sustainable cleaning practices, the project elevates service quality and also contributes to UC Davis’ broader sustainability objectives. Aggie Square is prepared to house a variety of research and academic spaces, so custodial services will play an essential role in creating an environment that fosters interdisciplinary collaboration, innovation, and a superior experience for faculty, staff, students, and visitors alike.

Looking ahead, the next steps for the project involve finalizing custodial service levels for all designated areas, completing the hiring process and onboarding new staff, and refining cleaning schedules based on occupancy needs. There is also potential for expanding custodial support to additional areas in the future, depending on evolving campus priorities. Aggie Square is a long-term development that intends to serve UC Davis for decades, so custodial service plans will continue evolving to respond to any changes in building usage, tenant agreements, and the university’s strategic goals. Thank you to the Custodial team for working so hard to tackle this unique new building development with innovative new solutions!