Resources and news about Facilities Services' support. 

Custodial Cleaning Schedule  

View our service days for cleaning by building

Cleaning & Disinfecting FAQs 

If you have questions about the custodial cleaning and disinfecting process within Facilities Services, review our FAQs below. 

For additional inquiries related to our services, email us at facilities@ucr.edu. 

• How often will the areas in my building be cleaned?

  Please see the Custodial Cleaning Chart above.

• How often will you disinfect high-touch areas?

  Facilities Services is following cleaning guidelines and protocols recommended by EH&S and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Attention is being given to high touch areas in common areas, restrooms and classrooms. Surfaces include door handles, handrails, push bars, restroom fixtures and classroom furniture.

• What kind of training has your custodial staff received?

  Our custodial staff have been trained on the proper cleaning and disinfecting methods through EH&S' training curriculum, as well as the CDC's Guidelines for Cleaning and Disinfecting: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/disinfecting-building-facility.html

• Are you using approved disinfectants to prevent the spread of COVID-19?

  Yes, Facilities Services uses chemical disinfectants recommended by EH&S, the CDC and are listed on the EPA's List N, the approved list of products for use against SARS-coV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. 

• Will you provide hand sanitizing stations?

  Yes, hand sanitizer stations will be provided in all building main entrances and general assignment classrooms when they return to use. Facilities Services and our campus GIS partners have developed a visual map of all sanitizing locations. The map can be found, here. 

• How do I clean a space if someone has informed us they have COVID-19?

  Facilities Services, in partnership with EH&S, has protocols in place for the cleaning and disinfection of areas where there is a suspected or positive COVID-19 case. If you have a suspected case, per campus guidelines, report concerns to your department head and call the UCR COVID Hotline at 1- 844-827-6827 and they will guide callers from there. 

• How can I request cleaning at a higher frequency than the schedule shown above?

  Departments interested in receiving additional cleaning beyond the frequencies listed in the cleaning schedule above can go to the Facilities Services website and submit a service request with their department FAU.

Campus Events FAQs

The most up-to-date information on campus events during the time of COVID-19 can be found here: Events and Gatherings on Campus

General Assignment Classroom Information

In partnership with EH&S, Facilities Services is conducting an air exchange review of General Assignment classrooms across campus. Click the following link to review the most up-to-date information available: GA Classroom Air Exchange

HVAC Ventilation FAQs

General COVID-19 infection prevention recommendations should be followed by building occupants regardless of the HVAC functionality. This includes, but is not limited to: 

• Getting vaccinated against COVID-19. 
• Adhering to the campuswide COVID-19 Prevention Plan
• Adhering to your departments COVID-19 Worksite Specific Plan
• Participation in the UCR COVID-19 Daily Wellness Check Survey
• Wearing a face covering indoors while on campus property, regardless of vaccination status. 
• Following CDC recommendations for handwashing, which includes use of soap and water and washing for 20 seconds. 
• Washing hands after touching commonly touched surfaces such as door knobs, light switches, shared equipment, etc. 
• Not touching your face without first washing your hands. 

Maintaining building systems, including HVAC systems, supports safe occupancy on an ongoing basis by ensuring proper ventilation in all occupied spaces. 

UCR is utilizing the following to inform HVAC-related measures on campus: California Department of Public Health (CDPH) COVID-19 Industry Guidance for Institutions of Higher Education, CDPH Interim Guidance for Ventilation, Filtration, and Air Quality, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA).

To download a PDF version of these FAQs, click here.    

• I am concerned about COVID-19 and the air quality in my work area. How do I know my work area has adequate ventilation?

  UCR buildings are typically supplied with a percentage of outside air, either via natural ventilation or mechanical fans, dependent on each building and system. Those systems are maintained to provide ventilation and thermal comfort as designed through the following activities:

  • Filtration Maintenance: Building filtration systems are well maintained and have the appropriate level of filters for each building’s mechanical design.
  • HVAC systems are set to maintain appropriate indoor temperatures and air quality as much as system designs allow. These systems are optimized to bring in the maximum amount of fresh air feasible while still maintaining recommended indoor temperature ranges and air quality. In most cases, laboratory ventilation systems operate continuously with 100% outside air supply that is not recirculated in the building and is exhausted directly to the outside. These systems are already designed to exhaust indoor contaminants effectively.
  • In most cases, exhaust fans in restrooms operate continuously when buildings are occupied. For restroom exhaust fans to work best, it is recommended to avoid opening operable windows in restrooms and keep restroom doors closed (or mostly closed for single restrooms not in use). When possible, keeping conference room doors open can help promote good ventilation.
  • Spaces with more limited or no mechanical ventilation may have operable windows open during room use. Be sure to secure any open windows at the end of room use for building security.
• How many air changes per hour are in my room?
  • Air changes per hour (ACH) is defined as the volume of ventilation air that is supplied and removed from the room every hour. The ventilation air can be through natural or mechanical ventilation systems and helps to remove contaminants from a room.
  • The number of air changes per hour in each room in a building can vary throughout campus.
  • In general, laboratories are typically supplied with 6-12 air changes per hour, and office areas are typically supplied with 4-8 air changes per hour in accordance with the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) standards.
  • Occupancy levels during COVID-19 pandemic are established via campus guidelines or through each department's COVID-19 Worksite Specific Plan to allow for sufficient outside air available per occupant.
• What is being done to building HVAC in regards to COVID-19?
  • Facilities Services has evaluated ventilation systems. These evaluations include, but are not limited to, the following:
    • Ensuring fan systems are functional and operating.
    • Checking that Central HVAC fan filter efficiencies are maximized and within acceptable operating ranges and replaced as necessary.
    • Fan filter racks are inspected for major gaps or damage.
    • Occupied/Unoccupied Timeframe: To help with airflow, Facilities Services is ensuring the length of time airflow will circulate throughout each building is increased by starting air handler systems 2 hours prior to normal building occupancy hours and turning off an hour after building occupancy hours.
    • Air filter efficiency ratings are selected in accordance with ASHRAE standards based on mechanical capabilities of the system, to provide required fresh air without loss of pressure. MERV 13 or better filters are used whenever possible.
    • In partnership with EH&S, Facilities Services is conducting an air exchange review of General Assignment classrooms across campus. Click the following link to review the most up-to-date information available: GA Classroom Air Exchange
• Can I use or purchase a portable air cleaner or air filter for my area?
  • Portable air cleaners may be considered in areas where adequate ventilation is difficult to achieve.
    • Increasing central HVAC outdoor air rates and filtration is the primary control.
  • Caution: The use of portable air cleaners alone cannot ensure adequate indoor air quality. It should be used along with other best practices recommended by CDC and other public health entities (i.e. vaccinations, masks, hand hygiene, etc.)
     
  • Contact EH&S to assist with the selection of an approved device and to assist with proper placement and set up.
    • Email ehs@ucr.edu. 
• Can the building’s outdoor air ventilation rate be increased?

  Outside air rates are maximized and set with consideration for air conditioning and contaminant control in accordance with each buildings mechanical design.

• Can my building’s supply airflow or exhaust airflow be increased or rebalanced?

  Supply and exhaust airflow rates are carefully set with consideration for each location's unique air conditioning and contaminant control requirements in accordance with each buildings mechanical design.

• What ventilation is provided in stairwells?

  While some stairwells may have operable windows, stairwells are not provided with mechanical ventilation.

• What steps will Facilities Services take to reduce risk through building ventilation (HVAC)?

  All campus buildings are safe environments. Some of our buildings are much older and have some limitations. Our buildings are designed to provide sufficient air changes based on building activities. During COVID-19, we have made special efforts to ensure all buildings have current filter changes. The information below is how HVAC systems are maintained. 

  1. Expanded Timeframe: To help with airflow, Facilities Services is expanding the length of time outside airflow will circulate throughout each building. 
  2. Filtration Maintenance: Building filtration systems are well-maintained and have the appropriate level of filters for each building. 
  3. Air Flow: To accommodate efficient airflow in each building, the most advanced level of filters are being used based on the building's air filtration system capabilities. 

  Building Ventilation

  Strict adherence to the public health posters and other visual cues throughout campus and in buildings will reduce transmission risks. Ventilation systems will continue to operate as designed, even when building occupancy has been reduced. This will further reduce the risk of potential airborne transmission.

   

• Does Facilities Services or Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) provide cleaning supplies or hand sanitizer?

  Yes, you can request hand sanitizer by clicking here. Additionally, hand-sanitizing stations are located at the entrance of each building. A map locating sanitizing stations can be reviewed by clicking, here.

• Can I prop open my classroom, office, laboratory door for better building ventilation?

  No. For fire prevention and life safety reasons, do not prop open:

  • Entry doors
  • Fire doors
  • Laboratory doors
  • Security access doors