About Us
Dr. Mohamed Attalla, P.Eng. FCSCE, Assistant Vice-President (Facility Services)
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Dr. Mohamed Attalla came to McMaster with more than 25 years of experience in construction, facilities planning, project management, building sustainability, energy management, health & safety and strategic team leadership. His most recent appointment, prior to joining McMaster, was in a senior leadership role at the Toronto District School Board, where he provided leadership to over 500 union and management staff, and oversaw the delivery of different facilities management functions in 550 buildings with an annual value of up to $250 million dollars. Mohamed is a professional engineer, with a Masters and PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of Waterloo. Mohamed was elected to the rank of a Fellow of the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering, received the Cost Saving Award from the North York Board of Education and he is the recipient of the annual Engineering Medal-Management from Professional Engineers Ontario-2011. He is also the recipient of the Award of Excellence from the Ontario Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal. |
In addition to his facilities leadership experiences, he served as an Adjunct Professor at both the University of Waterloo and Ryerson University where he supervised graduate research and taught different courses. Dr. Attalla published over thirty refereed papers in a wide array of topics such as Construction and Infrastructure Management, Facility Condition Assessment and Sustainability and Green Buildings. Furthermore, he contributes as a Peer Reviewer for publications in different technical magazines. He also organized and chaired several international engineering conferences.
Reporting to the Vice-President (Administration), the Assistant Vice-President (Facility Services) supports and interacts with a diverse group of University executives, deans, chairs and managers to provide a proactive, service-oriented best practices approach to managing the facility and physical plant operations of the University.Dr. Attalla provides strategic leadership to a team of about 300 staff to ensure the optimum performance of the University’s facility management operations. He is responsible for planning, implementing and overseeing facilities operation in the areas of Design, Construction, Maintenance, Utility Services, Custodial Services and Material Handling and Trucking.
Custodial Services
Facility Services' custodial team is responsible for the scheduled cleaning of classrooms, offices, hallways, entranceways, lounges, washrooms, and laboratories. In addition, a team of custodians is responsible for moving furniture and equipment within buildings and ensuring that setups for special occasions, such as exams and convocation, are implemented. Custodial staff are trained to meet McMaster University cleaning standards and are taught to use correct body mechanics and procedures. Custodians are routinely tested on their skills and inspections are carried out to ensure that staff meet the cleaning requirements that have been set for their area.
Grounds
McMaster’s outstanding grounds, situated adjacent to Cootes Paradise wetlands, and the Royal Botanical Gardens in the Niagara Escarpment, is a key factor in attracting students, staff, and visitors to campus.
Facilities Services' Grounds Department is responsible for providing quality grounds management of approximately 300 acres of campus, including landscape design, turf maintenance, floral displays, forestry, special event set-up, litter control, and winter control operations (see SOP for Campus Snow Removal). Full-time staff, augmented by student gardeners and contracted services perform both ongoing landscape maintenance activities as well as landscape construction projects. Grounds staff is proud to be honoured with the 2006 President’s Award of Excellence for outstanding service to the University. Click here to view Grounds service level standards.
Sustainability is a focus of management of the campus, with stewardship of natural lands, forest, watershed and the urban landscape of primary concern. A haven of diverse ecosystems and wildlife, McMaster’s abundant natural lands provide a unique university setting, and opportunity for study.
Public safety is also a primary concern, with attention paid to creating year-round safe, accessible roadways, paths and open spaces for the campus community.
The Campus Master Plan emphasizes the creation of areas of “compelling spaces”, where people work, play, study and relax. McMaster campus showcases a dynamic blend of vibrant, functional public spaces with many intimate, creative outdoor spaces for people to connect.
Our grounds are renowned for their excellence in horticultural displays, which is a favorite attribute mentioned by summer conference visitors. McMaster is truly a year round campus jewel. See our Grounds slideshow here.
Maintenance Services
Facility Services' trades staff are responsible for a wide variety of specialized functions, including carpentry, painting, locksmithing, electrical, and millwrighting. Trades staff meet the provincial standards required for their field of work and periodically attend health and safety training seminars to refresh their skills for prevention of health and safety risks. All University facilities are covered by a computer-based Preventive Maintenance program, under which facility components, equipment, and systems are inspected, tested, and serviced on a scheduled basis. Periodic tests of heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems (HVAC), elevators, fire protection systems, boilers and pressure vessels, are performed in accordance with applicable codes and regulations to ensure good condition with minimal interruption in service. Deferred maintenance is defined as maintenance that could not be performed when determined by routine inspections, user complaints or outright service disruptions. Facility Services keeps a database of these requests and sets priorities for the work based upon asset risk modelling. As funding becomes available the work is completed.
Materials Handling and Trucking
MH&T is responsible for the delivery of goods received in General Receiving to the end user on campus; delivery of campus mail; small parcel pickups and delivery; office moves; off-campus deliveries; special events setups and regular deliveries for Printing and Audio Visual Services. Click here to view Material Handling service level standards.
Construction and Technical Services
Construction and Technical Services (CTS) performs design, estimating, tendering and project management services associated with minor and major renovations, alterations and capital projects.
CTS staff has many years of experience in building design and construction, project management and contract administration offering University faculty and staff assistance in the following areas:
• best practice consulting and advice
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assistance with consultant selection
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preparation of estimates
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preparation of Requests for Proposals
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preparation of permit applications
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tendering contracts to outside contractors
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contract administration
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monitoring progress
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inspection to ensure conformance to building and safety codes;
drawings and specifications; University standards, policies and procedures;
general quality of workmanship, health and safety
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computer-assisted drawing production
In addition to administering campus renovation and construction
activities, CTS establishes standards for architects and contractors; maintains
all master drawings for buildings and underground services, and maintains
building asbestos and roof inventories.
CTS is located on west campus in the Campus Services Building, Room 121.