UC Irvine Extension Offers Fundamentals of Facilities Management

Business Wire, August 28, 2008

Online Course to Provide Overview of the Duties in the Field of Facilities Management

IRVINE, Calif. -- The University of California, Irvine Extension announces a new online course titled, "Fundamentals of Facilities Management," which will be offered online from Sept. 29-Dec. 14. The course is a required course in the Certificate Program in Facilities Management.

"The students will gain an overall perspective of the duties that a facility manager handles," explains Paul Howland, MBA, who is the Executive Director, Maintenance & Operations, Facilities Management Department at UC Irvine. "Subsequently, students will gain familiarity with the myriad tasks and responsibilities associated with the diverse operations overseen by facility managers."

Students taking this course will receive an overview of the principle duties of a facility manager and will learn the practical applications that will help them understand the business aspects of facilities management. Also, participants will gain an understanding of the various responsibilities and decision-making processes, from building infrastructure to fleet services, and acquire the insight needed to meet budget restraints while improving productivity, efficiency, and employee quality of life issues.

Course instructor Howland has more than 35 years experience in the maintenance, supervision and management of facilities and physical plants. For 19 years he has managed UC Irvine's generation and distribution of campus utilities. Howland is responsible for directing, planning, organizing, coordinating, and controlling the maintenance and operations functions of Central Plant, Fleet Services, Building Engineering, HVAC, Lockshop, Fire and Security, Building Automation, Skilled Trades, Buildings and Grounds, Building Services, minor construction and Small Renovations Unit operations, the High Voltage Program, the Elevator Maintenance Program and the Energy Conservation Program. He also provides consulting and training services to various industries.

For more information about UC Irvine Extension's Certificate Program in Facilities Management or the "Fundamentals of Facilities Management" course, contact Judy Purewal at japurewa@uci.edu or (949) 824-6538. Visit the web site at www.extension.uci.edu.

About the University of California, Irvine Extension: As the continuing education arm of UCI, UC Irvine Extension is dedicated to providing a university-level learning experience for students, offering thousands of exciting courses and programs to local, regional, and global constituencies. UC Irvine Extension offers a rich array of academic and community programs to support a diverse audience, from a wide selection of academic programs to numerous campus activities. For more information, please visit www.extension.uci.edu.

About the University of California, Irvine: The University of California, Irvine is a top-ranked university dedicated to research, scholarship and community service. Founded in 1965, UCI is among the fastest-growing University of California campuses, with more than 27,000 undergraduate and graduate students and about 1,400 faculty members. The second-largest employer in dynamic Orange County, UCI contributes an annual economic impact of $3.3 billion. For more UCI news, visit www.today.uci.edu.