Space Allocation and Management Policy

On this page:

1. Purpose
2. Application and Scope
3. Definitions
4. Principles
5. Accountability and Compliance
6. Rules
7. Policy Revision Date
8. Attachments
   • Attachment 1: Instructions for Space and Renovation Request Proposals
   • Appendix 1: Service Request Flow Chart julia.sippel [at] mohawkcollege.ca ((request the form))
   • Appendix 2: Service Request Short Form julia.sippel [at] mohawkcollege.ca ((request the form))
   • Appendix 3: Space Request Long Form julia.sippel [at] mohawkcollege.ca ((request the form))
   • Appendix 4: Request to Lease Space Form julia.sippel [at] mohawkcollege.ca ((request the form))
   • Appendix 5: Criteria for the Evaluation of Space and Renovation Requests julia.sippel [at] mohawkcollege.ca ((request the form))
   • Appendix 6: Facility Renovation Project Flowchart julia.sippel [at] mohawkcollege.ca ((request the form))
   • Appendix 7: Roles and Responsibilities of the Project Lead and the Project Sponsor
9. Specific Links

1. Purpose

Mohawk College owns and leases land and building spaces which are a valuable and finite resource and must be used as effectively as possible to support desired growth. This policy establishes a transparent framework for the allocation, utilization and management of space within the college consistent with best practices in postsecondary facilities management. This policy outlines the space allocation practices and the long-term space planning decisions of the college ensuring alignment with the college’s goals, priorities and operational efficiency.

2. Application and Scope

This policy is applicable to all departments and employees of Mohawk College. All building space owned or leased by the Mohawk College is subject to this Policy, including space utilized by the Mohawk Students’ Association (MSA) and Union Leadership.

3. Definitions

“Campus Master Plan”, is a strategic and comprehensive planning document that articulates the short and long-term vision for the physical development and renewal of Mohawk College’s campuses. The Plan serves as a guiding framework for the sustainable and coordinated growth of the college’s infrastructure, facilities, and public spaces. It is regularly reviewed and updated to reflect evolving academic priorities, community needs, and environmental considerations. All physical resource decisions across Mohawk College’s campuses must align with the principles and objectives outlined in the Campus Master Plan.  

“Campus Master Plan Implementation Committee (CMPIC)” refers to, a cross-functional committee at Mohawk College responsible for ensuring compliance with the vision and principles contained in the approved Campus Master Plan.

“FPES” means Facility Planning and Engineering Services team

“FS” means Facility Services Department 

“COFSI” means Colleges Ontario Facilities Standards and Inventory, which is a standardized framework used by Ontario colleges to assess and manage space utilization, planning, and infrastructure needs. It provides consistent benchmarks and data to support effective decision-making regarding the physical resources of post-secondary institutions across the province.

“Renovation and Alteration of Space” is any construction that results in a change to the internal arrangement of an existing facility to upgrade to a higher standard of quality, increased efficiency, or a use differing from its current usage, and becomes a project to be managed by the Facility Services Department. 

4. Principles

Mohawk College is committed to using its resources wisely and equitably.

Space will be assigned, reassigned and reconfigured based on short- and long-term plans of the College, objective criteria rubric, justifiable needs and an established process. 

All space that is determined to be underutilized or vacant, whether determined by Facility Planning and Engineering Services or the current occupant, will be placed into the Facility inventory for repurposing.

The allocation of space prioritizes the following criteria:

• College business priorities
• Needs assessment
• Program hierarchy of prioritization as follows:

1. Academic Programming
2. Student Services
3. Facility base building/common area needs
4. Academic Non-Programming uses
5. Student common area needs
6. Research purposes
7. Administrative offices
8. Storage

• Flexibility
• Changing needs in curricula
• Alternative Solutions
• Shared use
• Need for consolidation of resources
• A funding source has been identified
• Provides operational or space utilization efficiencies

Mohawk College does not allocate space permanently. Any owned or leased building space can and shall be re-allocated to meet Mohawk’s changing strategic priorities, functional needs, implementation of the Campus Master Plan or commitments to external parties (regulatory and accrediting bodies).

Facility Planning and Engineering Services (FPES) has been entrusted with the authority to oversee and manage all College space allocation and utilization: 

1. Space will be allocated for a specified type of use (a computer laboratory, an office for part-time faculty, a storage room, etc.)
2. Mohawk College will periodically review and enact major changes to the use of a space or any required exchange of allocated spaces between Schools or departments.
3. Mohawk College’s space allocation decisions will consider the quantity and type of space available, the needs, the best practice in space allocation, the Campus Master Plan, and related policies on space and sustainability.
4. Spaces leased by third parties are considered Mohawk College resources and all future space allocation will consider this policy as well as existing lease and operating agreements

All space allocated shall be used efficiently. Utilization data on the use of space will be maintained and reviewed on a regular basis. Any and all space that is analyzed as underutilized is subject to reallocation. 

All requested changes to existing space allocations and/or for new space allocations for existing programs and services will follow the steps and forms specified in the Procedure for Space and Renovation Requests.

5. Accountability and Compliance

5.1 Accountability Framework

This policy has been approved by the Senior Leadership Team.

5.2 Compliance

The Director, Facility Planning and Engineering is responsible for monitoring this policy and ensuring compliance. The Policy is owned and governed by the FPES  Department.

6. Rules

Mohawk College’s space allocation decisions and planning practices will be guided by:

• The priorities and objectives outlined in both the Mohawk Strategic Plan and the Mohawk Campus Master Plan.   
• Space allocation benchmarks from peer institutions, using data from the Colleges Ontario Facilities Standards and Inventory (COFSI) framework.

Any endeavors that require additional space should be addressed first within an area’s current allocation, then within the department or division’s area allocation(s).  All space reallocations or alterations must be discussed with Facility Planning and Engineering Services before proceeding by submitting a service request form, even when space is found within the division’s current space allocation. All space shall be planned with a focus on:

• Optimizing the functionality, use, accessibility and comfort of existing spaces; and

• Planning new spaces to control capital and operating costs, intensify utilization, promote sustainability and maintain the flexibility to meet future programming and enrollment needs.

The hierarchy of each space at the College is determined based on criteria related to a points system.

All space that is determined to be underutilized or vacant, whether determined by FPES or the current occupant, will be placed into the Facility inventory for repurposing based on a criteria and hierarchy of prioritization as further described in Appendix 'A': Instructions for Space and Renovation Request Proposals, and as further outlined in the Criteria for the Evaluation of Space and Renovation Requests presented in Appendix 5 .

7. Roles and Responsibilities

7.1 Requests and Approvals

All space and facility renovation or project requests must be approved by the SLT member and the Vice President responsible for the area currently occupying the space. If a different department under another Vice President is requesting the space, both Vice Presidents must agree before the request is brought forward to CMPIC. 

If the space is vacant, the request must still go through the appropriate approval channels within the requesting department.

Once submitted, all requests are reviewed by the FPES team within Facility Services. FPES will assess the request and, if necessary, escalate it to the CMPIC for further review and decision-making. No changes to space allocation or use may proceed without the agreement of the current occupant and their Vice President, unless explicit authority has been granted by CMPIC to override this requirement. 

Project funding must be secured by the requesting department before any relocations or renovations can begin. All Request Forms must be received at least six months prior to the requestor’s desired intent to receive approval for funding.

The Facility Planning and Engineering Services department, specifically the Director of Planning and Engineering can make decisions on space allocation where there is no major space request or change of use and when an urgent need is identified. All major space requests or changes of use must go through the CMPIC.

CMPIC endorsement leverages support from the office of Facility Planning and Engineering and participation of potential partners in solving the need, but actual resolution is not guaranteed. The requesting unit always retains primary responsibility to solve or mitigate the need.

Following CMPIC review and recommendation, major space (further defined in the procedures document attached hereto) and project requests will be reviewed by Mohawk Executive Group (MEG).

Facility Services holds overarching responsibility for the maintenance, management, and physical alterations of all campus property. This authority includes ensuring that all work - whether performed internally or by external vendors - is executed in alignment with institutional standards and strategic priorities and therefore FPES must oversee any contracted work required in our facilities.

The delineation of responsibilities between base building infrastructure and program-specific elements is further defined in Section 7.2 of this document.

Submissions will adhere to the timelines outlined in the in the procedures document Attachment '1': Instructions for Space and Renovation Request Proposals, and work will be completed in a prioritized sequence. 

7.2    Base Building and Program Specific

Mohawk College’s building portfolio encompasses a diverse range of mixed-use spaces that support teaching, administration, recreation, operations, and research. The delineation of accountabilities and responsibilities between Academic, Research and Student Support departments and Facility Services is based on the definition of “base building systems.”

Base building systems include mechanical, gas, utilities, sanitary, heating, air conditioning, ventilation, elevators, plumbing, sprinklers, cabling, security, wiring, and life-safety systems necessary for the building structure. These systems fall under the responsibility of Facility Services. Conversely, program equipment and the infrastructure needed to ensure their safe and reliable function are owned by Academic, Research and Student Support departments, directly related to their specific activities, is their responsibility. This includes all aspects of health and safety, purchasing, installation, licensing, codes, regulations, validation, maintenance, replacement, and operation.

Facility Services may assist with the assessment and provide guidance for the installation of Academic, Research and Student Support and program specific equipment if it impacts the base building structure, utilities, or systems or has additional carbon footprint impact. Additionally, Facility Services may participate in maintenance agreements with Academic, Research and Student Support departments where there is mutual benefit. In such agreements, Academic, Research and Student Support departments retain accountability and responsibility for their equipment.

The following are examples of Equipment Not Supported by Facility Services; however, approval and input from Facility Services are still required for their installation and associated space use:

• Clean rooms with packaged air-conditioning units, special filtration, and uninterrupted power supplies supporting specific research activities.

• Freezers, walk-in coolers, or refrigerators used for storing laboratory research materials.

• Air compressors or vacuum pumps, even if installed in a base building mechanical room, that serve specific labs or research areas.

• Trades equipment and relevant safety systems needed to operate, such as welding machines, gas detection, monitoring systems, dust collectors, and other equipment used for training and not part of the base building.

• Specialized water systems, including those with specific temperature controls, filtration, or purification.

• Air conditioning units used in server rooms, environmental chambers, or for laboratory equipment such as microscopes, incubators, ovens, chromatographs, scales, sterilizers, glass washers, and cage washers.

• Fume hoods, biosafety cabinets, and laminar flow hoods.

• Recreational equipment.

• Pressure vessels used for research purposes.

• Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) and backup power systems for Academic and Research equipment (excluding central emergency generators).

• Appliances owned by departments, such as coffee machines, dishwashers, refrigerators, and microwaves.

8. Policy Revision Date

8.1 Revision Date

April 2031

8.2 Responsibility

This policy will be reviewed every five years or earlier when required. The policy review will be conducted by members of the CMPIC with guidance from the Facility Planning and Engineering Department. 

9. Attachments

Attachment 1: Instructions for Space and Renovation Request Proposals

Appendix 1 - Service Request Flowchart julia.sippel [at] mohawkcollege.ca ((request the form))

Appendix 2 – Service Request Short Form julia.sippel [at] mohawkcollege.ca ((request the form))

Appendix 3 – Space Request Long Form julia.sippel [at] mohawkcollege.ca ((request the form))

Appendix 4 – Request to Lease Space Form julia.sippel [at] mohawkcollege.ca ((request the form))

Appendix 5 - Criteria for the Evaluation of Space and Renovation Requests (pdf) 

Appendix 6 – Facility Renovation Project Flowchart julia.sippel [at] mohawkcollege.ca ((request the form))

Appendix 7 - Roles and Responsibilities for Facility Renovation Projects

10. Specific Links

• Mohawk College Campus Master Plan
• Mohawk College Strategic Plan

Instructions for Space and Renovation Request Proposals

The purpose of this document is to provide instructions to members of the College community on how to request an additional space allocation or make modifications to space in accordance with the Space Allocation and Management Policy. The Process Flow chart is in Appendix 1.

Follow this process to request the following services:

• Planning, including requests for new space and changes to space usage;
• Renovations or alterations to existing space, or for estimates to plan such work; and
• Design consultation and support to plan or reconfigure and purchase furniture, equipment, and fixtures.

Any endeavors that require additional space should be addressed first within an area’s current allocation, then within the area’s lead department or division. A service request form must always be submitted for any alterations of space, even when space is found within the division’s current space allocation. 

Where a change of use for space or additional space is requested, the request may require review by the Campus Master Plan Implementation Committee (CMPIC). CMPIC is a cross-functional group that ensures the Campus Master Plan vision, and the guiding principles are adhered to, and the Campus Master Plan is used in the manner it was intended. This group meets on a regular basis and reviews proposals from college teams who intend to change the use of existing space at the College or require new space to accommodate new or existing programs and activities at the College. This procedure outlines the steps to be taken to request space or a project, and what will or will not require review by the CMPIC. 

In order to proceed with any project, the requesting department will be responsible for securing project funding. All forms must be completed and signed off by the Dean or department lead and the Vice President.

Procedure

Space allocation and renovation requests can be made by taking the following steps.

STEP ONE: COMPLETE A SPACE REQUEST FORM

Every service request submission begins by completing a Service Request Short-Form (Appendix 2) application and submitting to Facility Services (FS) through maintenance [at] mohawkcollege.ca (maintenance[at]mohawkcollege[dot]ca). This form identifies the project details to initiate the discussions with Facility Planning and Engineering Services (FPES). For guidance on completing the form you should contact the College’s Director of Planning and Engineering Services. If you require a visual aid, such as a floor plan, please reach out directly to the Planning Department at planning [at] mohawkcollege.ca (Planning[at]MohawkCollege[dot]ca).

STEP TWO: REVIEW OF SERVICE REQUEST FORM

A determination can be made by FPES that the request is either a Space Renovation, Minor Space Request or Major Space Request based on the following criteria: 

Major Space Requests

If the space request is determined to be a Major Space Request the applicant will be directed to submit a Space Request -Long Form (Appendix 3) outlining the need and rationale for the space allocation and its merits in relation to the Criteria framework noted below and further outlined in Appendix 5. A space request with any of the following attributes is considered a Major Space Request: 

1. The change in the amount of space to allocated or renovated exceeds 1,000 square feet.
2. The functional classification of the space changes, as defined by the COFSI space categorization system.
3. The estimated project cost exceeds $100,000.
4. Any capacity change of an instructional space
5. Significant (>/=50%) capacity change of non-instructional spaces 

Five broad criteria are used to evaluate and prioritize space requests: 

• Alignment with the Campus Master Plan
• Alignment with the Strategic Plan
• Benefits (Cost Effective, Student space enhancement)
• Stewardship and Sustainability (optimizes and increases space intensification)
• Investment and Risk 

The process to evaluate major space requests follows the steps and decision points outlined in the Service Request Flowchart (Appendix 1) and moves on to STEP 3 in this process. 

Space Renovation Request (Complete Appendix 2 Service Request Short Form only)

The application will be processed as a SPACE RENOVATION or UPGRADE request if all the following checkpoints apply: 

• The amount of space allocated remains constant.
• The space remains allocated to the same department or unit.
• The request is to improve the allocated space, including:
  • Room finishes,
  • HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and other services,
  • Furniture changes or upgrades,
  • Program Equipment changes or upgrades.
• Feasibility, design and estimating projects.
• Funding has already been identified.

Once received, FPES will review and may request to meet with you for clarification and discussion regarding the additional steps required. 

A space renovation request that already has funding approved will follow the process outlined in the Facility Renovation Project Flowchart (Appendix 6) and the Roles and Responsibilities of the Project Lead and the Project Sponsor are outlined in Appendix 7.

Minor Space Request (Complete Appendix 2 Service Request Short Form only)

A Minor Space Request is defined as meeting none of the above attributes. FS will evaluate, manage, and implement a Minor Space Request in consultation with its proponent(s) based on the Guiding Principles of the Space Allocation and Management Policy, the Campus Master Plan, space availability and other related factors. 

Once received, FPES will review and may request to meet with you for clarification and discussion regarding the additional steps required. A minor space requests may require funding to proceed, i.e. if furniture is required, or updates to the finishes are needed. The requestor is responsible for securing funding in their request.

All Request Forms must be received at least six months prior to the requestor’s desired intent to receive approval for funding.

Figure 1 - Space Request Types

Note: Due to resource restrictions and during a period of higher-than-normal request volumes, your request may require up to a year to process. Ensure the form is completed well in advance of the need for a space change, alteration, or addition. Not all space requests will require CMPIC review. Where the change is minor and funding is in place, FPES will review and can approve the change and execute the work.

STEP THREE: FUNCTIONAL PROGRAM AND ENGINEERING STUDIES

In order to quantify the space request, a functional program may be required. A functional program defines the character, services, scope, functions, and space requirements in sufficient detail for subsequent design or approvals.

At the College, a functional program can be developed by an outside consultant when complex, or the FPES can assist your team with developing the functional program.

Additionally, we may need to conduct studies and code reviews to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and to address technical considerations that may impact the project, and this may also require the assistance of an outside consultant if the complexity or scope exceeds our internal capacity.

The length of time to develop a functional program varies (a simple program can be developed in a month, while a complex one can take months or up to a year, especially if there are multiple stakeholder groups to be consulted). Likewise, studies and code reviews also require additional time to complete. Upfront funding will be required from the requesting department to cover the costs of consultants. However, this step can clearly describe the project and help build the business case when requesting additional space from the CMPIC.

Following the review by FPES, the determination of whether your request needs Step 4 or if you can move directly to Step 5 will occur.

STEP FOUR: PREPARE FOR YOUR PRESENTATION TO CMPIC

In order to complete your proposal, you will require a fulsome implementation plan, including a funding source and other required resources to be to be identified. 

Work directly with Finance to identify the potential funding source(s). 

Work directly with IT Services when there are equipment needs requiring networking, internet, software, or hardware support. 

Discuss the work with Health and Safety and Legal and Risk Compliance to ensure there are no impacts to the College that need to be considered. 

Next prepare a presentation that speaks to your proposal including the details surrounding the space request, including the scope of any alterations or renovations needed, the resources needed and how it will benefit the college. Sketches, floor plans with annotations, precedent images, and other graphics are all useful in conveying your idea to the CMPIC. In the presentation you make to the committee, include visual aids to help communicate the impact and the aspirations of your proposal.

STEP FIVE: FINALIZE PROPOSAL & SUBMIT FOR PRESENTATION TO CMPIC

Prepare your presentation to the CMPIC. Ensure that the presentation materials are sent to the CMPIC chair at least one month prior to the CMPIC meeting you are presenting at. Your submission will be sent to all CMPIC members for their review prior to the meeting.

During your presentation to the CMPIC, demonstrate the alignment with the Campus Master Plan and answer questions the CMPIC may have.

STEP SIX: EVALUATION

Space and renovation requests are evaluated and prioritized according to the Criteria for the Evaluation of Space and Renovation Requests presented in Appendix 5. 

The CMPIC is responsible for evaluating alignment between proposals and the goals of the Campus Master Plan. In addition, there are a number of recommendations contained in the Campus Master Plan. Consider the ways that your proposed project meets the vision, guiding principles and recommendations of the Campus Master Plan and prepare your submission for the CMPIC along these lines.

The Campus Master Plan Implementation Committee evaluates the Major Space Requests against the criteria rubric and assigns a score between 0 and 100. The consistent and continued application of the five criteria to evaluate space allocation requests promotes transparent, priority-driven, and evidence-based space allocation decisions. The Committee will meet as required and twice a year to coincide with the development of the Long-Term Capital Plan (LTCP) and Budget review (January and September of each year). Space requests that have scored high shall be evaluated within the LTCP Prioritization process used in the development of the LTCP, and as a result may or may not be funded through the LTCP.

Other factors that could inform decisions and guided by this procedure, include:

1. Changes to the assignment, reassignment, and reconfiguration of space: Space assignments, reassignments and reconfiguration of space may change in order to achieve optimal utilisation and respond to the current and emerging needs of the College.
2. Assignment and reassignment of occupied space: In most instances, the ability to assign and reassign occupied space is delegated to each of the Deans and Vice Presidents for their respective departments and programs to address the space need to their respective units.
3. Vacated, unassigned, new, and reconfigured space. Determination of the need for authorization of the assignment and use of unoccupied, vacated, new and reconfigured College space will be made and authorised by the CMPIC.

The Campus Master Plan is anchored by the Vision and the Guiding Principles of the Campus Master Plan Report.  

STEP SEVEN: RANKING AND APPROVAL

Once evaluated, a Major Space Request is added and prioritized based on its score in relation to other past and current requests. Together, past, and current requests form a cumulative pool of ranked requests evaluated from time to time by the College’s senior leadership, President/Vice-Presidents (PVP), who designates them as approved, postponed or dismissed. A request can be held in the cumulative pool of ranked active requests for no more than one year, after which the proponents of the request must ask to have it remain on the list and receive revised estimates or withdraw it.

FOLLOWING THE MEETING:

After you present, the CMPIC will discuss the proposal and determine if the project is aligned with the Campus Master Plan. If your project is deemed as aligned with the Campus Master Plan, you are able to move to the next stage: Detailed Planning.

During the Detailed Planning stage, you will continue to collaborate with the FPES Department to further refine your project in preparation for approvals from Mohawk Executive Group (MEG) and Mohawk College Board of Governors (BOG). This stage is critical for obtaining funds or budget approval.

It is important to note that CMPIC approval is a significant milestone but does not constitute permission to proceed with the project or a financial commitment from the College. The Detailed Planning phase, which may take several months or longer depending on the project's scope and complexity, will involve additional input. External consultants may be engaged to complete designs and conduct further code or engineering reviews, requiring additional funding from the requesting department.

Once the Detailed Planning phase is complete, the project will move to the approvals phase. This phase involves securing funding and obtaining MEG and BOG approvals, if necessary. The requesting department is responsible for providing the necessary funding or making the appropriate funding approval requests.

Facility Renovation Project Implementation

The process to implement a Facility Renovation Project follows the steps and decision points outlined in the Facility Renovation Project Flowchart (Appendix 6) and the Roles and Responsibilities of the Project Lead and the Project Sponsor are outlined in Appendix 7.

Proceeding with Renovations/ Alterations:

Once the project has approval and funding to proceed, you must then submit a service request through Maintenance to have a Project Lead assigned to your project. An immediate resource availability is not guaranteed, and projects will be executed on a priority sequence. 

Funding of Renovations/Alterations:

Unless your renovation/alteration is part of a larger strategic initiative funded centrally by the College or a special grant, capital requests must be made by the requesting unit.

Estimates will be provided by Facility Planning and Engineering for your review. Account numbers (FOAPAL) and approval signatures from respective account financial managers with signing authority will be required before any work proceeds.

Facility staff cannot proceed with any work involving outside consultants or contractors without approved funding. Funding of projects outside of normal building maintenance and repairs, including projects needed by the academic or student services is the responsibility of the requesting area. Facility staff will help build the scope, timelines, and cost, but the request for financials must come from the program area/requestor. 

Once funding is approved, contact FPES to request a resource for implementation. 

All projects run by Facility Services are to be coded so that Facilities can enter the Purchase Order (PO) and manage all invoices and payments. Facility project staff are responsible for communicating all costs and payments being approved to the program financial manager.

Space Project Scope of Work:

When proceeding with larger renovations, the project scope must be complete and comprehensive and include contingencies for unforeseen. The project scope must take into consideration all the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (2005) and the College’s Facility Accessibility Design Standards (FADS), Sustainability, energy efficiency and carbon reduction, HVAC, electrical and structural engineering requirements to ensure the end product is fully updated to meet all current codes and regulations, as well as the College's strategic goals. This may mean changing old or redundant HVAC units to ensure they can adequately filter the air within the space meeting current or new uses. Value engineering shall not be used to reduce the overall project value by removing these items from the scope.

Forms

Service Request Short Form (Workflow | Fillable pdf form) (Appendix 2)
Complete and submit this form for most space requests, including requests for furniture. Complete as much of the form as you can, at a level of detail that you believe will be most helpful to describing the situation and need. The form is designed to capture a very wide range of space requests, so not every field may be relevant to every request.

Space Request Long Form (Appendix 3)

FPES will decide if your request is a Major Space Request, and you will complete this form.

Request to Lease Space (Fillable PDF form) (Appendix 4)
Complete and submit this form in situations that require leasing space to meet a programmatic need. This form should be completed as early as possible in the process of identifying leased space and must be complete before Facility Planning and Engineering will engage in lease negotiations.  Unit Directors or College Officers should serve as the primary point of contact with Facility Planning and Engineering in identifying and negotiating lease arrangements. 

Appendix 7: Roles and Responsibilities for Facility Renovation Projects

The process to implement a Facility Renovation Project follows the steps and decision points outlined in the Facility Renovation Project Flowchart (Appendix 6).

Project Sponsor and Requestor Responsibilities:

As the Project Sponsor and Requestor, you represent your unit, department, or faculty in making and approving key project decisions. While FPES will manage the groundwork to achieve your project goals, your active involvement is essential for the project’s success. Your commitment to meetings, providing input, and offering feedback is required throughout the project.

Key Responsibilities

1. Communication
   • Maintain regular contact with your Project Lead.
   • Include the Project Lead in discussions with other team members.
2. Stakeholder Updates
   • Act as the main contact for colleagues affected by the project.
   • Notify building occupants and neighbors about project impacts, such as noise or vibrations, which might affect exams, classes, or sensitive research.
3. Leave Notifications
   • Inform your Project Lead in advance of planned leave and provide an alternate contact.
4. Project Requirements
   • Provide a comprehensive project scope, including detailed requirements, health & safety needs, equipment specifications, code regulations to follow during design and unique site conditions (e.g., temperature settings, presence of chemicals, or other environmental factors).
   • Ensure IT needs are identified and communicated to both IT services and the Project Lead from project initiation to completion.
   • Please note that any changes to requirements after design and once construction begins may significantly impact costs and schedules. It is crucial to reassess the budget and timeline promptly to account for these adjustments, as delays in addressing such changes can further compound risks and financial implications. Any changes that require additional funding and time must receive approval by the Divisional Senior Leadership member.
5. Project Charter
   • Initiate and submit the Project Charter to FPES. This document defines project scope, key contacts, and funding details. A Project Charter template is available from FPES upon request.
6. Funding Approvals
   • Identify and provide the contact details of the funding approver.
   • Ensure timely sign-off on estimates or quotes received for work. Delays may impact project timelines.
7. Scheduling and Space Management
   • Remove the space from departmental schedules and resolve conflicts directly with Central Scheduling or Event Services.
8. Meeting Attendance
   • Attend key project meetings as requested by the Project Lead. Be prepared for ad hoc meetings during construction.
9. Document Approvals
   • Review and approve project plans, documentation, and deficiencies lists promptly.
10. Temporary Closures
    • Arrange for temporary signage and alternative access routes if required.
11. End-User Engagement
    • Involve program technicians, technologists and managers in the design and approval processes.
12. Constraints and Feedback
    • Inform the Project Lead of budget, schedule, or other constraints.
    • Share feedback with FPES during the project by emailing facilityprojects [at] mohawkcollege.ca (facilityprojects[at]mohawkcollege[dot]ca).

FPES Project Lead Responsibilities:

The FPES Project Lead is the primary contact for the construction project, managing its execution and ensuring adherence to standards.

Key Responsibilities

1. Project Team Coordination
   • Assemble the team, establish communication lines, and confirm roles.
2. Financial Management
   • Develop and update the project budget and schedule.
   • Handle contracts, invoices, and insurance certificates.
3. Project Oversight
   • Manage design, construction, and procurement.
   • Promptly communicate any risks to schedule or costs to Project Sponsor as well as the Chief Building Facility Officer and the Director of Facility Planning and Engineering Services.
   • Coordinate pre-construction meetings, site supervision, and inspections.
4. Updates and Documentation
   • Provide regular updates on project progress.
   • Submit purchase orders and review invoices for payment recommendations.
5. Compliance and Safety
   • Ensure adherence to health, safety, and regulatory requirements during construction.
   • For larger renovations, arrange a Pre-Start Health and Safety Review (PSR).
   • Ensure inspections of the work are completed by the appropriate regulating bodies, stakeholders, consultants or contractors, to ensure the space is constructed in accordance with the design.
6. Project Completion
   • Oversee deficiency rectifications and project handover.

Additional Responsibilities Based on Project Scope

1. Rekeying and Access
   • Sponsors must request keys and program fobs for employees through Security after project completion.
2. IT and Media Services
   • Office moves require work orders to IT for equipment purchases, relocation and phone number transfers. This is to be initiated by Project Sponsor.
3. Laboratory Safety
   • The Project Sponsor must assign a representative to monitor laboratory safety and coordinate clearance with regulating bodies and the College’s Health and Safety Department.

Engaging External Stakeholders

• Contractors:  Responsible for construction and ensuring design and safety compliance.
• Consultants:  Provide design expertise and ensure regulatory adherence.
• Vendors: Engage consultants and clients for specialized products or services.

Timelines (Projects with Funding)

1. Furniture Reconfigurations: Within the same year.
2. Minor Renovations: One year from the project start.
3. Major Renovations: One year for design and minimum one year additional time for construction.

Occupied buildings require more coordination and time than unoccupied spaces.

Post-Completion Responsibilities

• Facilities will maintain building systems.
• Academic programs assume responsibility for academic equipment maintenance and associated costs.