The Planning, Design and Construction Division is responsible to the Vice President of Business Affairs for the planning, design and construction of all physical facilities of the University of Florida and the management of its space and physical resources.
The Department of Planning, Design, and Construction strives to deliver excellent facilities for the Board of Governors and the University of Florida in terms of function, quality, maintainability, and sustainability. Working with our campus user groups, we provide the best possible project value while upholding the highest levels of professional integrity and ethical behavior. Every year, we assist in the development of a Capital Improvement Funding Plan and provide the corresponding building, planning, programming, budgeting, A/E selection, project design, bidding, and construction management, while following specific laws, guidelines, and procedures developed by the Florida State Legislature and the Board of Governors Office of Facilities Planning.
As part of our engagement with the University’s sustainability initiatives and Climate Action Plan, we continue to build on the momentum gained over 15 years of commitment to high-performance buildings, setting high standards for all new buildings as well as major and minor renovations. Our policy is that any major project is to obtain a minimum of LEED Gold certification. Our project managers use this system to develop sustainability strategies aimed at providing a high quality learning and working environment while saving money and other resources, as well as reducing our overall environmental impact throughout the life of the building.
Our Planning Department develops, implements, and updates a ten year Campus Master Plan for the entire University, including the Health Science Center and Shands Hospital, certain IFAS facilities, all Education and General, Auxiliary facilities and all Athletic Association facilities. This Master Plan, as mandated by State of Florida law, is developed within strict Board of Governors’ regulations and serves as the basis for future project funding requests. Our staff presents each Project for approval to the University Land Use and Facilities Planning Committee, Lakes Vegetation and Landscaping Committee, Parking and Transportation Advisory Committee, and the Preservation of Historic Buildings and Sites Committee, which serve in an advisory capacity to the Vice President for Business Affairs. Furthermore we host and chair the Architectural Review Council, comprised of professional faculty, staff alumni and local practitioners demanding the highest level of architectural design quality from University consultants.
Additionally, we operate and administer certain state-owned historic properties in downtown St. Augustine, including project management for Minor and Major restoration projects. These properties are managed by UF to ensure their long-term preservation and interpretation and to facilitate an educational program at the University of Florida that is responsive to the state’s needs for professionals in historic preservation, archaeology, cultural resource management, cultural tourism, history, and museum administration, thus helping to meet the needs of St. Augustine and the State through educational internships and practicum.
With the help of proprietary space-management software, we maintain an up-to-date inventory of space usage, within prescribed categories, for buildings on and off campus for all University units. The information gathered is used for justification of new facilities requests, Plant Operations and Maintenance (PO&M) funding requests, annual Responsibility-Centered Management (RCM) facilities assessment fee, and various other University functions.
Finally, we support the 16 colleges and more than 200 research, service and education centers, bureaus, and institutes of the University by providing the following services:
