Department of Facilities Services
August 1, 2025 – July 31, 2026
Letter from the Senior Director
As we look back on an exceptional year, our hearts are full of gratitude for the opportunity to care for the beautiful spaces that define the Pepperdine experience.
From historic infrastructural enhancements to pioneering sustainability breakthroughs and the opening of transformative new student spaces, our dedicated team has worked tirelessly behind the scenes. This annual review celebrates the collective successes of Facilities Services and Campus Operations—milestones achieved in service of our community, our environment, and our shared foundational mission.
Reimagining Storage and Surplus
In an unpredictable world, campus safety and institutional readiness remain paramount. This past year, our department successfully completed the relocation of all primary emergency supplies to a brand-new, state-of-the-art storage vault. Designed and engineered for maximum climate stability and logistical efficiency, this centralized facility is a key element in our disaster preparedness.
In an innovative fusion of environmental sustainability and smart asset management, our facilities logistics division secured a formal partnership with a premier corporate auction house. Instead of sending outmoded office furniture, electronics, and decommissioned mechanical equipment directly to regional landfills, our team successfully catalogs and transfers these items to public auctions.
This collaborative program beautifully transforms institutional “trash” into someone else’s valued treasure. The program yields revenue that flows straight back into supporting vital campus services. It is a perfect circular-economy model that showcases our commitment to treating all resources with the highest stewardship.
Designed and engineered for maximum climate stability and logistical efficiency, this centralized facility is a key element in our disaster preparedness.
Images left to right: 1. Team members moving surplused items into storage to wait for the auction. 2. Inside one of the new storage vaults.
Investing In-House: The Transition and Growth
of Custodial Services
This year marked a structural evolution as we transitioned all of custodial services to an in-house operational model. This milestone decision was made after meticulous planning to best align the physical growth of our campus with a framework that directly supports and advances Pepperdine’s mission. Our in-house custodial team has historically demonstrated a track record of dedication, care, and success. Our custodians are vital members of the Pepperdine family who see their daily efforts as a direct contribution to student success and community well-being.
Transitioning to an internal service model is only as successful as the results it yields.
Following our first full semester serving the Calabasas campus entirely with our in-house team, we launched a comprehensive customer service survey to gather transparent feedback from faculty and staff. The results were nothing short of exemplary. The department received historic high marks across every metric, including response times, attention to detail, friendliness, and total overall satisfaction.
The department received historic high marks across every metric, including response times, attention to detail, friendliness, and total overall satisfaction.
Image: The Calabasas team striving for excellence.
Image: Our dedicated custodial team working to make a difference.
Powering Tomorrow: Our Landmark
100 Percent
Renewable Energy Agreement
In alignment with Pepperdine’s commitment to stewardship and environmental responsibility, we entered a newly enacted power purchase agreement (PPA). The agreement dramatically reduces electricity costs campuswide for the coming years.
Critically, the PPA addresses our environmental footprint by offsetting 100 percent of our total campus electricity consumption with an equal amount of high-quality, verified renewable energy. This ensures that the energy supporting every light turned on in a classroom, every lab operating on campus, and every residence hall room is completely neutralized by green, sustainable power production. It is a major milestone in our ongoing path toward deep campus sustainability.
Image: Electricians in an electrical room on campus.
Supporting the Future: The Student Center and Arena
In a monumental collaborative victory, Facilities partnered closely with University leadership and architectural teams to support the upcoming opening of our breathtaking new student center and athletic and events arena. From highly versatile student gathering lounges and advanced dining options to a world-class competitive arena engineered to host athletic events and spiritual gatherings, this space elevates our physical campus profile. Our team worked through every phase of construction, ensuring that the complex HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and other building systems were executed well.
STUDENT EMPLOYEE HIGHLIGHT: NURTURING FUTURE LEADERS
Our department is proud to employ student workers who provide invaluable support across our administrative, logistical, and operational wings. Working alongside our professional staff, these students gain real- world, hands- on experience. We salute their work ethic, brilliant insights, and infectious energy, which continue to enrich our department day in and day out.
This year, we are proud to shine a special spotlight on our exceptional student worker, Marie Pierce, whose multifaceted contributions have left a lasting imprint. Demonstrating remarkable analytical skill, Pierce systematically audited and organized utility bills within our energy management software, built data models that directly supported our electricity achievement, and streamlined our warehouse logistics and record retention. Furthermore, her initiative sparked our sustainable auction partnership to generate surplus revenue, while her relationship- building efforts with the Children’s Hunger Fund successfully directed vital emergency food and water donations to those in need.
Image: Student Energy Analyst, Marie Pierce.
Image: DFS leaders and the new Student Center and Arena complex.
Empowering Our People: Professional Development
A world-class campus requires a world-class team. We are committed as a department to the professional development of our staff and had nine promotions within our department this year. Our team members completed specialized technical training across trades, safety, communications, and team-building training. By investing deeply in our people, we ensure our team remains at the absolute cutting edge of industry standards, while cultivating long- term career growth and fulfillment right here at Pepperdine.
Images: 1. Twelve-month program of advanced electrical theory training completed by the Electrical Department under the instruction of a certified master electrician. 2. Electricians participating in an advanced, hands-on arc flash safety and electrical compliance training seminar. 3. Staff attend a training on building trust in the workplace with a communications professional. 4. The department enters its fourth year in the partnership with Seaver College in providing English as a Second Language instruction to staff with world-class faculty. 5. Mechanical technicians working through precision-balancing techniques for campus closed-loop water heating and cooling systems. By expanding their knowledge of fluid dynamics, modern variable-frequency pump technology, and thermal efficiency management, our technicians are now better prepared than ever to optimize our building climates, extend the lifespan of critical machinery, and drive down energy waste campus-wide.
Images continued: 6. Mechanical technicians participating in a hands-on chiller and cooling tower training session at the Drescher plant, covering critical maintenance, diagnostics, and sequence of operations with expert instructors. 7. Departmental leadership presents career and professional advice to colleagues with the Student Affairs division. 8. Plumbing technicians exploring the latest industry innovations and advanced systems at the Flow Expo to discover new tools and methods for improved efficiency. 9. Team members exploring trade-related innovations at the IHACI trade show, featuring hands-on exposure to a game-changing universal motor run capacitor and a live demonstration on efficient, on-the-spot aluminum brazing techniques for evaporator leak repairs.
Praise from Our Community
I wanted to take a moment to share how grateful I am for the outstanding work that the move and setup crew consistently provides. Every time I’ve had the opportunity to work with them, I’ve been struck by their professionalism, kindness, and work ethic.
They are not only polite and helpful in every interaction, but they also go above and beyond to make the process smooth and efficient. What stands out most to me is how attentive and responsive they are, even in email communication, they make sure details are handled thoughtfully and promptly.
It is always such a pleasure working with them, and I believe they are truly an asset to Pepperdine. Their dedication and the pride they take in their work are clear, and it makes a big difference for those of us fortunate enough to collaborate with them.
Warmly,
Sara Fernandez
Associate Director of Production Operations, Communication Division, Seaver College
Every time I’ve had the opportunity to work with them, I’ve been struck by their professionalism, kindness, and work ethic.
Image: A move and setup employee hard at work.
Cultivating Beauty: High-Impact Floral Refreshes
Few things bring immediate joy to our daily strolls across campus quite like a vibrant explosion of natural color. Our landscaping and irrigation team executed a comprehensive, campus-wide floral refresh strategy specifically designed to maximize visual impact. Selecting beautiful and regionally appropriate blooms, the team targeted major entryways, common courtyards, and scenic walkways. The feedback from faculty, staff, and touring families has been overwhelmingly positive, bringing constant delight and psychological refreshment to our hardworking academic community.
Intelligence in Operations: Pioneering AI in Aquatics and Facilities Management
In our continuous quest to merge cutting-edge technology with operational excellence, our department has successfully integrated artificial intelligence into a variety of facilities management efforts, including pool water management. The innovative system transforms raw sensor data into real-time, actionable intelligence by identifying trends and proactively calibrating the pool chemistry. This equips our staff with 24/7 visibility on water quality with absolute, data- backed precision.
Image: The operational dashboard of the new VivoPoint system, using predictive AI diagnostics to monitor and safeguard campus aquatic facilities in real-time.
Image: View of the vibrant new seasonal floral arrangements gracing the Amphitheatre.
Transforming the Industry: Hosting the Major West Coast College Facilities Drive- In Conference
Showcasing our leadership in higher education operations, Pepperdine proudly served as the host for the Western Association of College and University Housing Officers facilities drive-in conference. This high-impact day brought together top-tier facilities, housing, and campus operations leaders from premier institutions across California—including the University of Southern California; the University of California, Los Angeles; Stanford University; San Diego State University, and many more—to collaborate, share insights, and elevate the standards of collegiate infrastructure.
The intensive itinerary featured deep dives into the most pressing challenges and notable innovations facing modern campuses. Our team spearheaded sessions covering emergency preparedness, strategic facilities life cycle planning, and the deployment of advanced customer-service analytics and techniques. Additionally, attendees engaged in robust panel discussions surrounding custodial operational models and explored how to effectively use data-driven dashboards to prioritize both preventive and reactive maintenance. The day included guided tours of our own Malibu campus, where our team proudly demonstrated Pepperdine’s residences in action.
The Year in Numbers
90% of academic and residential buildings painted, extending facility life cycles and improving campus appearance.
100% of the fleet of service vehicles rebranded with the new Pepperdine logo by the Auto Shop.
168 hours per week of 24/7 coverage that our team provides the Malibu campus with technicians standing by to provide critical support any time of the day or night.
60% decrease in leaks through proactive building envelope repairs and maintenance.
1,000+ critical electrical components scanned in partnership with an infrared testing vendor to detect hidden faults early. Since 2019 this strategy has slashed overall findings by 50 percent, including a 100 percent eradication of critical hazards, a 20 percent reduction in serious risks, and a 54 percent drop in important findings.
25,000+ packages delivered to our on- campus smart lockers, a highly popular amenity that provides secure, convenient, and 24/7 accessible package retrieval to accommodate community members’ busy academic schedules.
250,000+ passengers per year that ride our free and comfortable on- campus shuttle.
