Seasoned Building Services Professionals Bring Vision, Experience, and Dedication to Client Service in Southern California

October 23, 2025, Boston, MA — proudly announces the addition of a distinguished group of building services professionals to guide strategic operations in the Southern California region. With decades of combined experience and a reputation for excellence, these leaders reinforce UG2’s people-first culture and commitment to delivering best-in-class facility solutions.

The newly added team includes:

David Espinoza, Regional Vice President, Los Angeles Building Services
Richard Saldana, District Manager, Los Angeles Building Services
Eddie Gaxiola, District Manager, Los Angeles Building Services
Jose Sanchez, District Manager, Los Angeles Building Services

Their deep expertise across industries and established presence in the Los Angeles market will further position UG2 as a trusted partner known for innovation, reliability, and operational excellence.

“We are thrilled to welcome such accomplished professionals whose values align with our mission,” said Louis J. Lanzillo, Jr., Chief Executive Officer, UG2. “Their leadership and vision will be transformative for UG2, helping us strengthen partnerships and deliver even greater value to our clients.”

“At UG2, our growth is fueled by outstanding people,” noted John Correia, Chief Operating Officer, UG2. “This team exemplifies that standard. Their expertise and leadership will have an immediate and lasting impact on our employees, our clients, and the communities we serve.”

Based in Los Angeles, the new leadership team will support UG2’s ongoing regional expansion while advancing its signature suite of services: Janitorial, Operations & Maintenance, and Workplace Solutions.

About UG2

UG2 is redefining excellence in integrated facility services. With more than 350 years of collective industry experience, our team delivers innovative solutions, pristine environments, and an unwavering commitment to customer service. Our comprehensive offerings include Janitorial Services, Operations & Maintenance, and Workplace Solutions for clients across Commercial, Corporate, Education, Healthcare, Life Science, Public Venue, Retail, and Industrial sectors.

Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Boston, MA, UG2 operates regional offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., West Palm Beach, Chicago, Minneapolis, Sunnyvale, San Francisco, Orange County, Sacremento and Los Angeles. We leverage advanced technologies, continuously optimize our processes, and foster a culture of excellence to ensure exceptional service at every level. UG2 is proud to be recognized as one of the fastest-growing privately held companies in the industry.

Learn more at www.ug2.com and follow us on social media @UG2IFS.

Contact Information:
Kathleen Luce
VP, Marketing & Communications
kluce@ug2.com

Industry Leaders Join UG2 to Drive Growth and Elevate Service Delivery in Northern California

October 20, 2025 Boston, MA — UG2, a national provider in integrated facility services, is pleased to announce the appointment of seasoned industry professionals to spearhead operations and accelerate growth across the Northern California region. With decades of combined expertise, these leaders are recognized for delivering exceptional outcomes, fostering long-standing client partnerships, and elevating performance standards across the industry.

The newly added team includes:

Aaron Corrales, Regional Vice President, Northern California Building Services
Jason Lorenz, Regional Senior Branch Manager, Northern California Building Services
Josh Newberry, Sacramento Branch Manager
Jared Wight, East Bay Branch Manager, Building Services
Gary Haslam, AVP Strategic Partnerships & Solutions IFM Northern California

Collectively, this group represents a powerhouse of knowledge and leadership, bringing with them a strong reputation for performance, collaboration, and customer satisfaction. Their track record in optimizing building operations and delivering client-focused solutions further strengthens UG2’s ability to meet the complex needs of today’s facilities.

“Adding this caliber of talent underscores UG2’s commitment to investing in people who embody our vision for excellence and innovation,” said Louis J. Lanzillo, Jr., Chief Executive Officer, UG2. “Their leadership is not only vital for expanding our Northern California presence, but also for shaping the next level of value and service we provide to clients nationwide.”

“This team has the proven ability to translate experience into impact,” said John Correia, Chief Operating Officer, UG2. “They bring deep market knowledge, trusted relationships, and a passion for service that will energize our operations, empower our teams, and enhance the client experience across every touchpoint.”

Based out of UG2’s Northern California regional offices in San Francisco, Sunnyvale, and Sacramento, the new leadership team will play a critical role in advancing the company’s presence in the region while continuing to deliver its comprehensive suite of services: Janitorial, Operations & Maintenance, and Workplace Solutions.

About UG2

Facility Management in Life Science is About Far More Than Cleaning and Upkeep

Imagine your lab is running an around-the-clock experiment. Sensitive equipment is calibrated to exacting standards. The lab temperature must remain steady down to the decimal. Any small disruption, whether from a missed filter change to an unplanned power outage, could compromise millions of dollars of work and months of progress.

That’s the reality for life science organizations. And it’s why choosing the right facility services partner isn’t just about keeping the lights on. It’s about research integrity, compliance and, ultimately, safeguarding discoveries.

There’s enough stress in conducting important research work. There’s no reason to add to the stress of maintaining a mission-critical environment when there are experts who can do it for you. That’s perhaps one of the reasons over 36% of life science organizations expect to outsource facility management (FM) functions over the next five years.

In a recent Boston Business Journal article, Tim Knowles, Senior Director of Operations at UG2, shared his insights on what life science companies need to look for in a mission-critical facilities management partner. Here are a few highlights.

Facility Services that Go Beyond Maintenance

Knowles emphasizes what many organizations know by now: facility management in life sciences is about far more than cleaning and upkeep.

When evaluating facilities management partners, look for companies that have expertise in essential services and best practices.

Here’s the quick must-have checklist:

Cleanroom management (ISO, FDA, GMP compliance)
HVAC and air filtration (precise environmental control)
Preventive and predictive maintenance (reduce downtime, ensure safety)
Waste management (safe biohazard disposal)
Safety protocols (PPE, emergency response)

From maintaining controlled environments to safeguarding uptime in research and manufacturing spaces, the right partner supports both compliance and innovation.

Why Employee Training and Retention Matter

In any organization, employee expertise and consistency matter. In life science, they are vital.

The checklist above is a start and it only matters if the team executing it is appropriately trained and certified to work in life science environments. They should also continue to build on their knowledge of your specific facility.

Beyond training, look at employee retention rates. Turnover in facility staff can create risks to compliance, safety, and productivity. A partner that invests in ongoing training and prioritizes retention builds the kind of workforce that life science organizations can trust.

How to Choose the Right Partner

For leaders in biotech, pharma, and research, the takeaway is clear: facilities management partners should be evaluated on their ability to provide highly trained teams with a proven record in mission-critical environments.

For the full Boston Business Journal article, continue to read more. And for more information on how UG2 partners with life science facilities, check out this article.

Public Venues Deliver More Than Performances — They Provide Experiences

Whether in a university arena, city civic center, or major league stadium, football, basketball, and hockey are in full swing. But our teams at public venues have been just as hard at work in the off season as they are now.

Our teams work around the clock to ensure a positive fan experience. And these venues are hosting more than just buzzer-beating nail biters. UG2’s senior director of operations, Greg Lanzillo, recently mentioned the fun he had catching the tail end of Nate Bargatze’s comedy set as he worked the event at TD Garden. That playful moment captures something essential about UG2’s public venue teams: they have a true appreciation for keeping things light, while taking the work seriously.

And as venues continue to diversify their events, UG2’s people are making it all possible. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at how it happens.

The Event is Just Part of the Story

For fans, the action starts at tip-off, kickoff, puck drop, or when a favorite artist takes the stage. But unforgettable moments start long before and with something far less exciting: facility services.

Venues are under enormous pressure to stay not only safe, but also modern and welcoming. In Houston, for example, it’s estimated that Daikin Park and Toyota Center will need a combined $1.4 billion in upgrades over the next two decades, spanning everything from technology to electrical and mechanical systems. Operations teams are on the front lines of these challenges, preventing small issues from snowballing into major costs and keeping venues operational while ensuring a seamless guest experience.

Facility Operations teams play a critical role in keeping these costs down, proactively fixing issues before they pose a larger issue that could impact guest satisfaction.

Ultimately, it comes down to never losing sight of the tried-and-true practices: janitorial services, stocking and special area serving, pre- and post-event services, and projects like off-season deep cleans, reconfiguring spaces, and more. UG2 teams know how to make this work appear invisible, turning what was previously a party scene into pristine spaces ready for the next event.

Public Venues are Going Green to Get Smart

Sustainable practices are making venues more efficient while also cutting costs on energy bills. In an era when fans expect more from a venue, maintaining a clean, safe, and comfortable environment is the baseline. And sustainability is a key component to delivering an unforgettable experience that can also increase brand affinity.

From the start, UG2 has embraced environmental stewardship practices not as a buzzword but as a key tactic for running venues at peak performance. That includes:

Using green cleaning practices that are as safe for people and the planet as they are effective
Reducing noise and air pollution with quieter machines and high-quality filters that keep air clean while ensuring an uninterrupted event for spectators
Conducting energy audits to increase efficiency and meet ever-changing sustainability regulations
Implementing smarter waste management and recycling practices that keep venues spotless while reducing their environmental impact

Because technology is always evolving, UG2 helps their partners make smart decisions that balance innovation with reliability. These choices directly shape the atmosphere for fans and guests, while keeping operations efficient.

Agility: The Fourth “A”

We often talk about the 3As of facility services: adaptability, attention to details, and always on. It’s time to add a fourth: agility. From hosting a hockey game to a corporate fundraiser to a comedy show, today’s public venues demand teams that can pivot between diverse events.

That’s why our top priority at UG2 is attracting and retaining the best talent. Employees are specialists in electrical, HVAC, and event support, to name just a few areas. But they’re also cross-trained to step in wherever needed.

On-site facility managers build deep familiarity with each venue’s unique rhythms, strategically using downtime for preventative maintenance and deep cleans. And our supervisors never leave a shift until the next leader is fully briefed. These communication practices create seamless coverage, earning UG2 an industry-high 98% customer retention rate.

Ongoing training and professional development also keep our teams the best in the business. Employees’ access to education and advancement opportunities means we’re often promoting employees from within. That trust and investment in our employees keeps teams motivated and committed no matter what the event.

Your All-in-One Facility Services Partner

So yes, football and hockey are back, and our arenas are buzzing. But let’s not forget the backstage brilliance—delivered with professionalism, patience, and well-timed humor—that keeps the lights on and fans cheering.

UG2 has solutions designed to meet any public venue challenge (and, after decades in the business, we’ve seen them all).

Curious about how UG2 can support your backstage operations through technology, sustainability, staffing, and more? Contact us to start the conversation.

Because when the lights go down and the crowd goes home, your venue’s real show is just getting started.

UG2 Continues to Invest in Skilled Trades Professionals

At UG2, skilled trades don’t just support our facilities. They power our industry leadership. As HVAC and other trades face a nationwide talent shortage, we continue to lead the charge in closing the gap.

Our people-centric approach means we don’t just fill roles. We provide new and veteran trades professionals with a stable, supported career path from apprenticeship to leadership. It ensures we can continue to provide our customers with the best-of-the-best licensed technicians and skilled trades professionals.

Investing in Skilled Trades Professionals from the Start

While some competitors are only now starting to build pipelines and look outward for talent, UG2 has been doing this since the company was founded in 2012.

“We are benefitting from having founded our business with a people-first ethos, and a mission to develop the next generation of talent,” explains Andrew MacFadyen, Regional Vice President, Engineering at UG2.

The reality is that the skilled trades workforce is, on the whole, an aging population. As experienced team members retire, they’re not being replaced quickly enough. We recognized this issue, which only accelerated during the pandemic, from the start. And we’ve continued to make it our mission to develop the next generation of leaders in facility services.

In order to do that, we’ve made it our mission to attract and retain the best skilled trades talent in every market where we operate.

That’s meant never simply hiring to hire but instead identifying professionals who are looking to grow with our UG2 family.

The UG2 Training & Innovation Lab

One of the keys to helping our employees grow in their careers is ensuring the transfer of knowledge from more experienced workers to those newer to the trades. Our employees benefit from career stability while our customers benefit from technical excellence and operational consistency.

The UG2 Training and Innovation Lab is one of the ways we ensure that knowledge transfer isn’t left to chance, but happens through a proven, repeatable process. The lab’s comprehensive training program covers not only technical training, but also soft skills, customer service, and safety.

UG2 employees across the country have access to courses, including:

Pumps, Seals and Alignment
Building Automation Systems and Tools
HVAC and Multi-Stack Systems
5-Star Customer Service Excellence

The virtual platform enables our employees to stay up-to-date on the latest technology, ensuring they are always providing industry-leading service.

“With an extensive network of regional centers of excellence across the United States, UG2 can offer our employees opportunities to transition between locations, training to advance skills,” adds MacFadyen.

For employees looking for professional development beyond the courses in our training program, tuition reimbursement is also available.

From Apprentice to Leadership

Skilled trades matter now more than ever. Every workplace relies on highly skilled, dedicated trades experts who keep facilities safe, comfortable, and operational. As systems become more technically demanding, the value of experienced, licensed technicians continues to grow.

Fortunately, UG2 is led by management who understands and values our technicians’ skills and treats them like the professionals they are.

Unlike newer apprenticeship programs launched as quick fixes, our approach comes from decades of refining career pathways and nurturing talent within our ranks.

That includes:

Structured Growth Paths: Whether HVAC, electrical, or engineering, we invest actively in internal training and licensure progression. Talent is supported at each step, from apprenticeships to full-time careers.
Clear Opportunities for Advancement: By recognizing talent, amplifying diverse voices, and investing in professional development, we create opportunities for employees at every level to grow into leadership roles.
Mutual Mentorship: Knowledge, including UG2’s quality standards, flows from seasoned employees to rising talent. But it also flows the other direction, with younger generations bringing fresh ideas and perspectives, including new ways to use technology.

Are You a Skilled Trades Professional? Let’s Talk!

We aren’t building a quick pipeline. We’re building a network of leaders who will shape the industry’s future. For us, that means treating employees like family, supporting your work/life balance with flexible schedules and best-in-class benefits.

If you’re a technician or skilled trades professional we welcome you to join us in not just solving problems, but in delivering reliability across UG2 operations.

Explore Open Positions

Rooted in Heritage, Growing Through New Ideas and Voices

Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to reflect on the legacies that shape our communities and our teams.

The 2025 theme, “Collective Heritage: Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future”, captures exactly what drives us at UG2: learning from those who came before us while empowering the next generation to lead and innovate.

We bring the theme to life as we:

Honor the past by learning from the practices, values, and stories that shape our team and our industry.

Inspire the future by mentoring, teaching, and creating opportunities for our people to thrive.

Embrace continuous improvement by respecting tradition while also setting a new standard for excellence in facility services.

We are thrilled to have Hispanic Heritage Month as an opportunity to celebrate our Hispanic and Latino colleagues while also reaffirming our commitment to building a workplace where all voices are heard and every employee has the opportunity to shape UG2’s future.

This month is also a chance to recognize the generosity of our UG2 leadership and employees. Their year-round philanthropic efforts support our communities in numerous ways, including supporting civic and business education and English-as-a-second-language classes that help community members expand their opportunities and achieve their goals.

At UG2, just like in our communities, it’s our rich cultural traditions that ground us. And it’s the infusion of new ideas from younger generations that will guide us into the future.

As always, one of the most meaningful parts of Hispanic Heritage Month is shining a spotlight on the incredible members of our UG2 family of Hispanic and Latino heritage. Their perspectives and accomplishments enrich our culture and remind us that diversity is one of our greatest strengths.

This year, we asked Team UG2 to reflect on how family recipes and traditional food contribute to their collective heritage. During Hispanic Heritage Month, we will be highlighting UG2 team members across the country on social media. We hope their stories inspire you to proudly embrace your own cultural heritage and the value it brings to your community.

Along with keeping an eye out for our social posts honoring UG2 employees, we invite you to learn more about the history and significance of Hispanic Heritage Month—and explore more ways to celebrate!

A True Extension of the Customer Team and a Model of Service Excellence

At UG2, we believe the highest compliment a facility services professional can receive is being recognized not as a vendor, but as an integral part of the customer’s team. That’s exactly how Danny Moreno is regarded by our partners at a major life science company. So much so that the company recently recognized Danny with an award only given to their internal employees.

This distinction was awarded for good reason.

Danny leads warehouse operations on behalf of a longtime UG2 customer. Going above-and-beyond is his default mode. “He takes initiative to solve problems,” says UG2 Office Services Manager Andy Sweeney. “If you go to him with a task, you just know it’s going to get done.”

His instinct to go the extra mile earned him a reputation for delivering service at the highest level—and it led him to save the life science customer tens of thousands of dollars.

A Career Built on Trust & Tenacity

Nearly 10 years ago, when Andy made his first hire for the life science company contract, he saw something special in Danny—despite limited experience. “Danny had enormous potential, and he proved that very quickly,” Andy recalls. “He is reliable, always on time, and we’re always hearing from the customer how he goes above and beyond.”

It didn’t take long for Danny’s work ethic and attention to detail to catch the attention of UG2 leaders and customer stakeholders alike. When the customer’s warehouse lead departed, they could have replaced their employee with another internal hire. Instead, the customer didn’t hesitate to entrust Danny with expanded responsibilities.

“Danny anticipates the needs of the customer and brings a sense of urgency and accountability to everything he does,” adds Joe Melo, UG2 AVP of Operations.

Treating the Customer’s Mission as His Own

Danny’s proactive problem-solving skills were on full display in one specific instance. A critical shipment of time-sensitive materials for a trade show went missing. Everyone, including the customer, thought the critical shipment was lost.

Not Danny. He didn’t stop making calls or tracking leads until he personally located the shipment—on his day off.

A grateful customer later wrote:

“Saturday was his day off, and he went the extra mile to find out about the shipment. That was really above and beyond expectations, and I so appreciated it. This is how Danny handles everything—he is always on top of the many moving parts and keeps a pulse on every shipment. I really am grateful to have Danny on site.”

Another customer team member went even further, nominating Danny for a formal award typically reserved for internal employees:

“He is always quick to respond, especially when an issue arises. When a special shipment was lost in transit, Danny’s persistence led to the material being located and delivered—despite the carrier having given up on it. That recovery saved us tens of thousands of dollars and kept our project on schedule.”

To recognize Danny with the internal honor, members of the customer’s team actively advocated for him to receive the award—an unprecedented move that speaks volumes about the trust, respect, and appreciation Danny has earned over the years.

I’m proud to be someone the team can count on,” he continues. “I take that responsibility seriously. It feels good to know that what I do makes a difference for the customer and for UG2.”

More Than a Team Member—A Trusted Partner

“Danny brings a positive attitude, but he’s also incredibly persistent,” says Andy. “That trade show shipment is just one example—he never stops until he reaches the right person and finds the right solution.”

Danny represents the very best of UG2’s values: Passionate, Hardworking, and Dedicated—a true PHD. His ability to build trust, take ownership, and deliver outstanding service makes him more than a partner—he’s an indispensable extension of the customer’s team.

We’re proud to shine a spotlight on Danny’s accomplishments, and equally proud of our customer’s recognition of his contributions. Mutual respect and advocacy like this are the foundation of the long-term, collaborative relationships that define UG2.

Charitable Giving is More Than Financial Donations

People are at the heart of UG2. Every day, our employees and customers demonstrate generosity. They do it through the team spirit they bring to work, the respect they show for one another, the quiet ways they support colleagues navigating personal challenges, and their genuine celebration of one another’s successes.

The International Day of Charity is a chance to reflect on those often-unseen contributions that may never make a press release but deeply shape our culture of care. It’s also an opportunity to look ahead and ask: How can we amplify our impact, as individuals and as a company, in the year to come?

Beyond Financial Donations: Giving Skills, Time, and Expertise

The International Day of Charity recognizes the importance of charity in mitigating humanitarian crises and human suffering, and we believe that work starts within our own communities.

Charitable giving plays a critical role in addressing human need and crisis, but it’s not only about financial donations. Many organizations depend just as much on the time and skills that volunteers bring.

Here are three steps to help you identify where your unique strengths can make a difference.

1. Consider Your Skillset

Think about what you already do well at work. Could your professional skills support a nonprofit’s mission? For example:

Sharing industry knowledge
Offering mentorship to youth or adults
Helping with strategy or operations
Providing technical expertise

Don’t overlook hobbies and interests outside of work. If you enjoy running, you could participate in a charity race. If you’re handy, a local nonprofit might need help maintaining its physical space.

2. Find What’s Most Meaningful to You

Many people start with a personal connection: a family member battling Parkinson’s disease, a beloved pet adopted from a shelter, or a cause that shaped your own life. These connections fuel passion and commitment.

If you’re looking for direction, tools like GiveWell or CharityNavigator can help you find top-rated organizations (based on factors like impact, transparency, financials, etc.).

3. Bring Your Skills and Passion Together

When you combine what you love with what you’re good at, your impact multiplies. For example:

A dog lover skilled in social media could manage a shelter’s Instagram account.
A strong team leader could adapt their workplace training style to guide nonprofit volunteers.
A runner could organize a fundraising campaign where donors pledge based on miles, minutes, or personal bests—adding fun motivation and creativity.

At UG2, our Northern California Regional Engineering Manager, Matt Montanez and his family launched an annual Montanez Golf Invitational in support of the National Kidney Foundation. The annual event raises over $10,000 each year to help fight kidney disease.

When you get creative, there are innumerable ways you can add value to organizations that matter to you.

Diverse Causes Supported by UG2

At UG2, charitable efforts come from every level of our organization. By shining a light on the causes our employees care about, we inspire others to get involved. Some of the areas we support include:

Children receiving medical care
Youth homelessness
Coaching and clothing for women seeking employment
Families impacted by autism
Mentoring and scholarships for disadvantaged youth
Unhoused people seeking shelter
Supporting immigrants striving to learn English

Specific organizations we are proud to support include:

What Causes Are Meaningful to You?

We want to hear from you. Our charitable initiatives are stronger because they come from the ideas and passions of our employees, customers, and partners across the country.

At UG2, we are proud to support not only the organizations we know well, but also the ones that matter most to the people who make up our community. Together, we can continue to amplify our impact.

Your Plan Matters –and So Does Your Facility Services Provider

According to a 2024 study by Allstate, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, “every $1 spent on climate resilience and preparedness saves communities $13 in damages, cleanup costs, and economic impact.”

In a year marked by devastating floods in Texas, wildfires across the West, and severe weather in nearly every region, now is the time to strengthen your emergency plan. Comprehensive planning goes beyond natural disasters to include cyberattacks, public health outbreaks, power outages, and more.

As leaders in the field who prioritize preparedness with every customer and continuously refine our strategies and approach, we are taking advantage of National Preparedness Month (September) to share strategies for building resilient teams and facilities that are ready for whatever unpredictable threat is thrown their way.

Key Pillars of Emergency Preparedness

When every second counts, an airtight emergency plan is essential. An outline of exact roles and responsibilities integrated and practiced as part of standard operating procedures is key to a coordinated response, but it’s just the start.

Now is the time to check your plan for these six foundational elements.

1. Risk Assessment

There is no one-size-fits-all in safety planning. Your facility has its own risk profile, and a facility services partner’s job is to know it inside and out.

Effective emergency response plans are put together with experts like us, who evaluate your facility, geography, culture, staffing, and operational demands to pinpoint potential disruptions. Playing out various scenarios, we can identify vulnerabilities and build your emergency response plan based on your specific needs and varying scenarios.

2. Systems Integration

Technology can’t replace human readiness, but it amplifies your team’s ability to respond quickly and effectively.

Integrating building systems—fire alarms, HVAC, emergency lighting, communication platforms—speeds response times. For example, detecting a fire in one zone could automatically trigger building-wide evacuation alerts and notify emergency teams in seconds. Faster decisions and quicker containment lead to better outcomes.

Of course, connected systems make cybersecurity a higher priority. A partner who prioritizes secure systems, data protection, and redundancy can help you reap the benefits of connection without creating vulnerabilities that slow your response or compromise safety.

3. Real-time Visibility

Knowing exactly what is happening when, or even before, it’s happening, can help dampen the impact of disasters. Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) ensure you have real-time visibility into your assets, equipment status, and emergency protocols and can distribute critical information to the right parties.

With the right tech in place, facilities teams can receive immediate alerts and regular status updates and locate and dispatch mobile technicians when needed.

4. Training and Drills

Preparedness is only as strong as the people carrying it out. Your goal isn’t just compliance but building confidence in your teams. Look for a facility services provider who can help you not only build your plan but adjust those best-laid plans to real-life simulations. That way when you do need your plan, it’s effective.

Testing should recur regularly to account for the changing needs of your facility and its occupants.

5. Practice with Partners

Practice makes perfect—when you involve all the right team members. We encourage our engineers to hold monthly tabletop discussions on rotating, targeted topics such as earthquake, fire, or active shooter preparedness. The conversation is an opportunity to review each team member’s role as well as discuss potential, issue-specific complications and how to handle them.

These tabletop discussions should not only include engineers, but also representation from security, janitorial, and management.

6. Post-disaster Cleanup and Recovery

Preventing and containing a disaster are crucial, but, though you will hopefully not need it, you do need to prepare for what comes after a disaster. The right partner can help you minimize disruptions to maintain mission-critical operations. Our goal? Help you recover quickly and come back stronger.

Prepare Your Facility for Emergencies with the Right Partner

Not all vendors are equal in a crisis.

Your partner should never be playing catch up during an emergency. They should be working with you to execute must-dos before you even have to say “go.” That means they need to:

Know your facilities inside and out
Provide 24/7 mobile response tea ms that are fully equipped and cross-trained
Test and refine your emergency plan before you need it
Monitor systems to catch small issues before they turn into big ones

Preparedness is not just a checklist—it’s a mindset. Our teams train year-round to be ready for any scenario, and we work closely with our clients to customize emergency protocols that align with their unique risks and infrastructure.

UG2 in Action: Hurricane Response

When hurricanes are in the forecast, there’s no room for guesswork. See how we adapt a tiered response to your unique needs, and continuously refine it based on incident reviews and emerging best practices.

Read More

The Time to Prepare is Now

National Preparedness Month is a timely reminder, but real readiness is a year-round responsibility.

Whether you’re responsible for maintaining a mission critical environment or keeping production lines at 100% uptime, our teams work with you to avoid disaster and immediately act to recover when emergencies strike.

Use this month to assess your current emergency protocols or build a more resilient response plan from the ground up. Our team of experts is here to help.

Start the conversation

Protecting Your Community and Your Reputation

At UG2, we keenly attuned to the importance of keeping every part of your private K–12 campus running smoothly—from dining halls and event spaces to athletic complexes and landscaped grounds. We understand that top-notch facility services, and the people who deliver them, have a broad impact on the culture and community you’ve worked so hard to build.

The right facility services partner can, and should, support academic success and, ultimately, protect and enhance the community that calls your campus home.

With back-to-school season in full swing, now is the time to consider how you’re maintaining a safe, welcoming, and high-performing environment. Here are four areas a strong facility services team can foster a sense of pride in your private K–12 campus.

1. Safety

Protecting What Matters Most: Your Students

Safety is at the core of what you do. And, while you certainly want your team to be responsive and quickly address work orders as they arise, a proactive facilities program helps you identify issues before they become problems.

A small stairway crack can become a tripping hazard. An aging door lock can fail. Or a water spot may be an indicator of an about-to-burst pipe.

A proactive team can replace and repair outdated equipment, test backup power systems, and integrate emergency communications with fire detection systems. Your team can help you adopt smart technology, including sensor-based monitoring to identify physical or cybersecurity threats that shaves critical minutes off emergency response times.

2. Budget

Maximizing Resources Without Cutting Corners

UG2’s experts understand that every dollar in your budget matters, and we work closely with you to ensure our approach protects your assets and your bottom line, saving you money in measurable ways.

Preventive maintenance, cross-trained employees, and access to mobile maintenance can avoid the steep cost of emergency repairs and eliminate downtime. Sustainability strategies, such as energy-efficient systems and water-saving landscaping, can help cut costs. These initiatives have the added benefit of aligning with your school’s values and those of your current and prospective families.

Beyond the impact on your facility budget, a well-maintained, inviting campus leaves a strong first impression on prospective families, making them more likely to choose your community for their child. A safe environment with working conditions also helps retain faculty and staff, reducing the expense and disruption of hiring and onboarding new employees.

3. Performance

Creating Environments Where Students and Educators Thrive

The physical condition of learning spaces directly affects academic outcomes. Research from the EPA shows that better indoor air quality, comfortable temperatures, and proper lighting can boost student performance and improve focus for both students and teachers. It also keeps everyone on your campus healthier.

In a private K–12 setting, where your campus is a defining element, these factors also contribute to the overall learning experience you’re promising to families. From maintaining athletic facilities to ensuring cutting-edge technology in labs and classrooms, facility management plays a direct role in enabling student and educator excellence.

4. Campus Culture

Facilities as a Reflection of Your Reputation

Campus culture is more than a selling point. It’s the day-to-day feeling of belonging. It’s what reduces teacher turnover (if not eliminating it entirely). And it’s what creates school pride.

Because UG2 teams become part of the school community, they build trust with students and staff who see familiar faces on campus day after day. Our goal is to enhance what makes your school special and contribute to its spirit.

We take particular pride in anecdotes and thank you notes that share stories of students being greeted by name in the hallways and even practicing their Spanish language skills with our cleaning crews. UG2’s unmatched rate of retention means our teams are there for the long-term, building relationships as they deepen their familiarity with your school’s specific practices and preferences.

When you partner with UG2, every interaction and every detail reinforces the message you send to students, families, faculty, and visitors: This is a safe, welcoming, and inspiring place to learn and grow.

An Experienced K–12 Facilities Management Partner

Your private K–12 campus is a vibrant environment, distinct from even higher education campuses of similar size. We see it as our responsibility to understand your campus’s unique needs and blend into your community.

As you think about how to keep your campus and your community safe and healthy, reach out to start the conversation about how UG2 can not only manage your campus, but help it thrive.

Short- and Long-term Strategies to Lower Your Costs

It’s budget planning season, and one conversation I return to often with our customers involves strategizing to make every dollar count in planning for facility services. Whether decision-makers are reviewing janitorial solutions or revisiting their operations and maintenance budgets, continuously revisiting this topic helps ensure we are meeting the moment.

At UG2, we are constantly building on our understanding of what works for every individual customer, and we are committed to sharing those evolving insights. In that spirit, here are four expert-backed ways to make the most of every dollar as you plan for the coming year.

1. Minimize Short-Term Surprises

Why it matters: Too often when you cut back on facilities management, you end up spending more. Even one unexpected repair can destroy a budget.

What to do:

Prioritize high-impact areas. Knowing where you’ll see the biggest return on investment is critical. Effective planning will account for areas that directly impact safety, compliance, or tenant satisfaction.

Invest in preventative maintenance. Avoid downtime and unanticipated repair costs. This not only ensures productivity, it also helps keep morale high on our teams and yours.

Implement a solid emergency plan. While preventative maintenance helps you avoid many costly emergencies, you still need a plan for the unexpected. Mobile, licensed technicians that are on call 24/7 not only provide peace of mind, but can immediately resolve emergencies when they arise.

2. Leverage Technology to Maximize Long-Term Savings

Why it matters:

Strategically investing in smart technology that aligns with your goals can drive major efficiencies that lead to measurable, long-term cost savings.

Tools like real-time energy monitoring, occupancy tracking, and AI-driven maintenance create efficiency. They allow facility teams to work smarter, extend the life of assets, and allow you to respond to occupant needs in more agile, personalized ways.

What to do:

Consider directing some of your budget toward sensors and devices that provide real-time visibility into systems like HVAC, lighting, and occupancy. These tools provide data-backed insights that reduce waste and enhance comfort.

Use energy and maintenance data to guide priorities. We see customers benefit tremendously from thoughtful integration of computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS). Your CMMS can provide the quality reporting that you need to pinpoint exactly what needs your attention and when. Not only do you save time and stress, but you also know exactly where to direct maintenance dollars.

Explore automation in key areas. Automating routine and repetitive tasks can unlock significant efficiencies, especially in high-demand environments where teams are stretched thin. AI tools for work order management, service requests, and asset management help improve response times and free up teams to focus on higher-value work.

Budget for pilot programs or phased rollouts. Upgrading doesn’t always mean a full overhaul. The right partner can help bridge the gap between older infrastructure and new innovations, enabling incremental upgrades that work within your budget. Small steps now can lead to big savings later.

3. Align Budget with Occupant Experience

Why it matters:

As companies strive to bring employees back to the workplace, the quality of the environment plays a key role. Cleanliness and safety are the baseline for employee and visitor satisfaction, productivity, and retention. The entire facility experience is an indicator of how much an organization values its people.

What to do:

Focus on first impressions. Lobbies, elevators, restrooms: these high-traffic areas shape perceptions. Invest in cleanliness, lighting, signage, and amenities in these areas. Traffic might be inconsistent, but your spaces still deserve the highest level of regular cleaning, disinfecting, and clearing away of waste and recycling. Customer service training also often pays for itself by creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere.

Collect and act on feedback from occupants. Make it easy for tenants to share feedback, whether through digital surveys, QR codes in common areas, or mobile apps. Then, take visible action. A fast, transparent feedback loop builds trust and improves satisfaction.

Plan for unpredictable occupancy rates. Adding flexibility to your budget can help you stay on track when the unexpected inevitably arises. Build in contingency funds and partner with vendors who can quickly ramp up or down based on these inevitable fluctuations. If you haven’t already, consider predictive analytics for smarter resource planning.

4. Lean on the Right Partners

Why it matters:

Partners who understand your overall business goals are in a position to help you save in the short- and long-term. They can help you make smarter decisions that give you more bang for your buck. We’re seeing more customers looking for data management partners to help inform long-term financial decision-making.

What to do:

Consider vendor consolidation. Consolidating services with one provider streamlines operations and improves communication. This not only reduces costs through labor efficiencies, but also avoids waste and duplication of services. Partners with cross-functional expertise can align services across departments.

Communicate your budget concerns and constraints. A true partner understands the pressure you’re facing to do more with less. At UG2, our success is built on transparency with our customers. We work closely with you to find savings you may have missed, help you justify budget decisions to internal stakeholders, and work with you on capital planning and asset management so your facility is set to run smoothly in the long term.

Need support with planning or refining your facility services budget? Whether you’re navigating cuts or planning for growth, UG2 can help you build a smart, sustainable plan that meets today’s needs and sets you up for tomorrow’s success.

Recognized building services experts bring unmatched experience, vision, and customer-first focus to UG2

August 11, 2025 – BOSTON, MA UG2, a national leader in integrated facility services, proudly announces the addition of an accomplished team of industry professionals to lead operations and strategic growth in the Orange County, San Diego, and Inland Empire region. These individuals bring decades of experience and are widely known throughout the industry for their proven leadership and unwavering commitment to service excellence in the building services industry.

The newly added team includes:

Steve Selock, Regional Vice President, Building Services
Martha Selock, AVP, Building Services
Lorenzo Vargas, Senior Director of Operations
Garth Bachman, Branch Manager

Each member brings a distinguished track record supporting clients across a range of industries, and together they represent one of the most respected and results-driven teams in the region. Their addition underscores UG2’s continued investment in high-caliber talent to deliver operational excellence and expand its presence in key U.S. markets.

“We are thrilled to welcome such a highly regarded team to UG2. The addition of Steve, Martha, Lorenzo, and Garth underscores our commitment to investing in world-class talent who embody our values and align with our vision for the future. Their depth of experience and leadership in the Orange County, San Diego, and Inland Empire markets will be transformative—not only for UG2, but for the clients and communities we proudly serve,” said Louis J. Lanzillo, Jr., Chief Executive Officer, UG2.

This accomplished group joins UG2 from the former Able Services organization. Their transition to UG2 marks an exciting new chapter as they continue to build on their legacy of high performance and customer satisfaction.

“At UG2, excellence starts with great people. These strategic additions bring a level of expertise and leadership that strengthens our ability to deliver exceptional service across every aspect of our operations. Their insights and deep roots in the market will enhance collaboration, inspire our teams, and elevate the experience we deliver to our clients,” added John Correia, Chief Operating Officer, UG2.

The new leadership team will be based in Orange County, San Diego and the Inland Empire and will assist UG2 as it continues its growth across the region while delivering its hallmark suite of services: Janitorial, Operations & Maintenance, and Workplace Solutions.

About UG2

Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Boston, MA, UG2 operates regional offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., West Palm Beach, Chicago, Minneapolis, Sunnyvale, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. We leverage advanced technologies, continuously optimize our processes, and foster a culture of excellence to ensure exceptional service at every level. UG2 is proud to be recognized as one of the fastest-growing privately held companies in the industry.

Learn more at www.UG2.com and follow us on social media @UG2IFS.

Contact Information:
Kathleen Luce
VP, Marketing & Communications

kluce@ug2.com

Team UG2 is Consistent in Delivering Excellence for Our Customers

Exceptional service doesn’t happen in isolation. It’s the result of a collaborative team aligned to shared standards, including a deep commitment to delivering an outstanding experience day in and day out.

A key part of delivering extraordinary service at UG2 is a focus on citizenship. For us, citizenship includes communicating effectively, maintaining genuine respect, and operating as a team. Recently, these values were on full display by one of our Mid-Atlantic teams. The commercial property the team is responsible for was recognized as the top-rated building in the country by our customer.

2025 Hospitality Must-Haves

In 2025, safe, comfortable, and engaging spaces are standard for an exceptional tenant experience. As part of a national hospitality initiative, our customer conducted an evaluation of their portfolio of properties to maintain service excellence and to see which ones were exceeding standards.

The evaluation—conducted through a well-regarded third-party program—assessed key factors both for telephone and in-person interactions. Each facility was evaluated in categories, such as:

Professionalism of staff in appearance and demeanor
Anticipation of client needs
Effective communication
Cleanliness and orderliness of physical spaces
Knowledge in performing job requirements

While we can’t share the full details of the evaluation for privacy, we can share this: UG2 is incredibly proud to play a role in helping our customer earn this prestigious recognition as the top-rated building in the country.

As our customer shared, “Kudos to all the security, janitorial, parking, engineering, and our property management teams for sincerely delivering on our goal of providing the best service to our clients and tenants.”

A Cohesive Team is at the Core of Hospitality Excellence

Our customers’ comments reflect one of UG2’s most important values: acting as an extension of our customers’ teams. We work side by side with our customers and their other vendors and partners to align on priorities and adapt to changing needs. This ensures that our service reflects their brand and culture.

That’s exactly what our Mid-Atlantic team does day in and day out.

“Everyone on this team is passionate about their work and it shows,” shares Chuck Restivo, Vice President of Operations. “This recognition is just one example of how our team consistently goes above and beyond to help our customers reach their goals.”

At UG2, all teams from facility engineers to janitorial workers play a part in creating a welcoming experience. This team makes people feel seen, supported, and valued regardless of the interaction. This recognition is not about a single moment of excellence—it’s about consistent care that defines how UG2 teams work every day.

This UG2 team reminds us of what’s possible when people come together with a shared mission: superior service. We’re proud to support our customer in achieving such meaningful recognition and even prouder to be part of the team that made it happen.

Must Have Ingredients for a Perfect Partnership Include Trust, Expertise, Innovation, and Commitment

With this year’s 2025 BOMA International Conference & Expo taking place in Boston, we were especially determined to welcome the commercial real estate industry to our hometown and reflect the spirit of UG2 and our city.

That motivation was the fuel behind our vision, leading to an experience that honed in on a core UG2 value: people. The theme? The Recipe for a Great Partnership.

“Just like a cherished family recipe, a successful partnership requires the perfect blend of ingredients, including trust, expertise, and commitment,” explains Kat Luce, UG2’s Vice President of Marketing and Communications.

“UG2 has spent years perfecting the recipe for exceptional facility services and that’s created lasting relationships that feel like family. What better way to celebrate that than with something warm, personal, and unexpected?”

A recipe is more than the sum of its ingredients, though that’s certainly an important component. It also requires care and consistency to make it meaningful. “That’s exactly how we approach our partnerships,” adds Kat.

Straight from the UG2 Kitchen

The UG2 team brought this creative concept to life through recipe themed giveaways, interactive booth games, and a thoughtful exhibit design that reflected our values and our people.

“We set our sights on making the most of the space—not just visually, but experientially,” Kat shares.

“We wanted to create a welcoming place that invited conversation,” says Sayne Jimenez, Brand and Creative Services Specialist at UG2. “So many booths offer the same thing—raffles, trinkets, a quick sales pitch. We focused on creating opportunities for real interaction.”

Those opportunities included a memory game that gave attendees the opportunity to win on-theme prizes like aprons, oven mitts, measuring spoons, and snack packs, plus the grand prize of a $250 William Sonoma gift card.

Additionally, visitors got to takeaway recipe cards with information on UG2’s services, plus a limited edition UG2 cookbook featuring recipes submitted by team members from across the country.

Recipes include Grandma Dee’s Homemade Meatballs from the Lanzillo Family and Empanadas from UG2’s Operations Manager, Tom McKenna. Of course, there are also desserts and drinks like the made-for-a-party Coquito from Iris Stymiest, Director of Payroll Benefits & Employee Services.

“We loved seeing people flip through the cookbook and realize it wasn’t just a gimmick,” says Lauren Lanzillo, Vice President of Culture and Community. “It was a genuine celebration of our culture and the people behind UG2’s success. That authenticity resonated.”

This blend of a traditional booth with an innovative take on conference interactions reflects UG2’s belief that great partnerships start with genuine connections—and a little fun doesn’t hurt, either.

“The feedback we got over and over again was that we were a breath of fresh air,” Lauren adds.

Community: A Key Ingredient for Success

From the clean, eye-catching graphics to the thoughtful take-home cookbook, every detail of the campaign reflected UG2’s philosophy: when you focus on people, great things happen.

So, while we were busy serving up conversation and connection on the expo floor, we also took time to give back.

Members of the UG2 team joined fellow BOMA attendees in assembling Summer Survival Kits for Bridge Over Troubled Waters, a Boston-based nonprofit supporting at-risk youth.

“Community is a key ingredient in everything we do,” says Rob Berger, Senior Director of Engineering. “Participating in this service event was a powerful reminder that real partnership means showing up for the people around us.”

We’re proud of the services we provide—but just as proud of how we provide them. That human connection is what drives lasting partnerships.

A Timeless Recipe with Room for Evolution

Just like a recipe that evolves as it is handed down generation to generation, the Recipe for a Great Partnership doesn’t end with the conference. The fundamental ingredients remain the same but may be combined in new ways to meet current demands.

“BOMA International gave us the chance to showcase what makes UG2 different,” says Kat. “Now we’re excited to carry that momentum forward with a fresh way to tell the UG2 story—and it’s one that clearly resonates.”

While we’re proud of our participation at BOMA, we’re even more proud of what it represents: that great service starts with great people, united by shared values and driven by a commitment to excellence.

At UG2, that’s our recipe—and we can’t wait to keep serving it up.

UG2 is a perennial platinum sponsor of The Outstanding Building of the Year (TOBY) and Industry Awards for BOMA Boston.

“A clean workspace isn’t a perk – it’s a necessity.” That’s a phrase we stand by at UG2. And here’s why: studies show that cleaner offices don’t just look better – they directly impact employee health, satisfaction, and performance. But what many businesses overlook is the real return on investment (ROI) that commercial office cleaning services can bring to the table. It goes far beyond surface-level benefits.

At UG2, we specialize in transforming work environments across the country. From corporate headquarters to multi-tenant office buildings, we know what it takes to keep facilities running efficiently and looking their best. With many decades of experience, expertly trained staff, and customized service solutions, we’re not just an office cleaning company – we’re a strategic partner in your building’s success.

Why Clean Offices Generate ROI

Reduced Employee Sick Days

Illness-related absences cost U.S. employers over $225 billion annually. That number is staggering – and many of those sick days stem from the spread of germs in the workplace. Professional commercial office cleaning services focus on high-touch areas, disinfecting surfaces that are often missed in daily wipe-downs. Fewer germs mean fewer call-outs and more consistency in your workforce.

Increased Productivity

There’s a clear link between a clean workspace and employee performance. According to a Harvard study, cleaner environments can improve cognitive performance by up to 61%. That’s no small gain. When you invest in partnering with a facility services provider for regular office cleaning, you’re also investing in better concentration, fewer distractions, and a more professional atmosphere that supports high-performing teams.

Protecting Your Property

Dirt and grime aren’t just unsightly – they’re damaging. Without consistent maintenance, carpet fibers break down, flooring deteriorates, and surfaces lose their finish. By working with a trusted commercial office cleaning company like UG2, you extend the lifespan of your assets. That translates to significant cost savings over time.

Green Cleaning That Pays Off

Commercial office cleaning isn’t just for appearances – it’s a strategic investment. And when you partner with green cleaning experts like UG2, that investment goes even further. Green cleaning helps you improve employee well-being, reduce environmental impact and reduce costs – all while strengthening your bottom line.

Here’s how: sustainable cleaning practices reduce waste, lower utility bills, and protect your facility’s infrastructure. When air quality improves and chemical exposure drops, so do sick days and turnover. And clean, healthy workplaces make it easier to attract and retain top talent.

At UG2, we go beyond surface-level cleaning. Our facilities experts can conduct a building-wide energy audit to identify hidden inefficiencies – from insulation gaps to aging HVAC systems. We tailor our recommendations to your building’s layout, usage patterns, and occupancy needs so you get the biggest impact without unnecessary spending.

By investing in green commercial office cleaning services, you’re not just meeting today’s standards – you’re positioning your business for long-term success. Fewer repairs, healthier employees, lower operating costs. That’s ROI you can see and measure.

What Sets UG2 Apart in Commercial Office Cleaning

At UG2, we don’t offer cookie-cutter solutions. Every facility has different needs, schedules, and priorities. That’s why we tailor our commercial office cleaning programs to meet your unique challenges.

Trained and Certified Staff

All UG2 team members are thoroughly trained in the latest cleaning protocols and technologies. We’re not just compliant with industry standards, we are committed to cleanliness excellence with our CIMS-GB with Honors Certificationand provide continuous education to stay ahead of best practices.

Advanced Technology

We utilize smart scheduling tools, touchless sanitation systems, and real-time reporting so you can always track service quality and performance metrics. No guesswork – just pristine clean results you can trust.

Sustainability Built In

From eco-friendly products to waste-reduction strategies, we prioritize environmental responsibility across every office cleaning service we offer.

Commercial Office Cleaning Services: More Than Just Looks

When it comes to commercial office cleaning services, many decision-makers are focused on appearance. But the true ROI is found in long-term outcomes – healthier employees, higher tenant retention, reduced repair costs, and greater peace of mind. Clean spaces foster focus, invite collaboration, and reflect your brand’s professionalism from the ground up.

Ready to See the ROI of a Cleaner Workspace?

If you’re looking to elevate your workplace with reliable, high-impact facility solutions, UG2 is ready to support your goals. From industry-leading janitorial services to regional expertise in areas like New England and Southern California, our team understands what it takes to maintain high-performance facilities.

Explore our about us page to learn more about our mission, and meet the people behind the excellence on our leadership team. Learn more about our commercial office cleaning services and how we support healthier, higher-performing workspaces by contacting us today!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are commercial office cleaning services?

Commercial office cleaning services are professional cleaning solutions tailored for business environments and commercial office spaces. These services typically include general cleaning, dusting, vacuuming, restroom sanitation, waste removal, and disinfecting high-touch areas to maintain a healthy, organized workspace.

How often should office cleaning be scheduled?

Office cleaning should be scheduled based on occupancy rates, building usage, employee headcount, and specific facility needs. Most offices benefit from daily cleaning, with specialty deep cleaning services (like carpet extraction or vent sanitation) done weekly or monthly.

Why should I hire a professional office cleaning company?

Hiring a professional office cleaning company ensures consistent quality, access to trained personnel, and the use of commercial-grade equipment and disinfectants. It also helps keep everyone safe, reduce liability and improves overall workplace satisfaction.

What is the difference between commercial cleaning and janitorial services?

Commercial cleaning typically refers to extensive, specialized tasks performed periodically (such as carpet cleaning or floor polishing), while janitorial services involve daily upkeep like trash removal, surface cleaning, and basic maintenance.

Are green cleaning products available with office cleaning services?

Yes, many commercial office cleaning providers – including UG2 – offer green cleaning programs that use non-toxic, biodegradable products and energy-efficient equipment to reduce environmental impact while maintaining cleanliness standards.

What truly matters is what gets measured, verified, and maintained. That’s especially true when it comes to commercial office cleaning services. If you’re not regularly evaluating the quality of the janitorial services being delivered – beyond surface-level appearances – it’s easy for standards to slip without anyone noticing right away. Over time, those small lapses can lead to bigger problems that impact employee and tenant satisfaction, safety, and your reputation as a leader in your industry.

In facility management, expectations don’t always match outcomes. Property managers and building owners are under growing pressure to improve health, safety, and tenant satisfaction – all while managing rising costs and shrinking staff. At UG2, we’ve seen firsthand how high-performance cleaning solutions directly impacts productivity, first impressions, and overall building performance.

As a national leader in integrated facility services, UG2 partners with our customers in complex, high-demand environments where cleanliness, safety, and performance are critical. We support sectors like commercial real estate, higher education, life science, and healthcare, each with its own unique set of challenges and standards.

Our janitorial services are designed to go beyond appearance. We implement customized cleaning programs that improve building health, support tenant satisfaction, and align with your operational goals. Whether it’s daily disinfection, high-touch surface care, or custom protocols for labs and clinical spaces, UG2 builds strategies that are measurable, consistent, and built to last.

So, how do you know when it’s time to make a change?

Here Are the Top 5 Signs It’s Time to Upgrade Your Commercial Cleaning Services

1. Complaints Are Increasing – And You’re Noticing It

Frequent complaints from tenants or employees about restrooms, common areas, or odors signal a deeper issue. If your facility services team is constantly fielding messages about missed spots or recurring problems, your cleaning vendor might not be keeping up.

Great cleaning doesn’t draw attention. Bad cleaning does. If dissatisfaction is becoming routine, it’s time to rethink your approach – and who you trust to deliver results.

2. Your Space Looks Clean, But Feels Dirty

Surface-level cleaning can be deceiving. Dust-free doesn’t mean germ-free. If your vendor isn’t using the right disinfecting protocols, tools, or equipment, you’re missing the mark on health and safety.

Especially in high-touch environments like corporate offices or life science facilities, deep cleaning and proper sanitation techniques are non-negotiable. Upgrading to a provider like UG2 for janitorial services ensures your facility services solution includes sustainable practices, advanced equipment, and proven systems that meet today’s facility standards.

3. Your Current Provider Isn’t Proactive

Do you have to constantly manage your cleaning services provider? If you’re spending more time double-checking their work than focusing on your job, it’s a red flag.

A high-quality commercial cleaning partner should anticipate your needs, provide regular reporting, and suggest improvements without being asked. At UG2, we use data, inspections, and real-time updates to ensure accountability and performance transparency – so you don’t have to chase down the basics.

4. Turnover and Inconsistency Are the Norm

High staff turnover leads to gaps in service quality, lost institutional knowledge, and inconsistent results. If you’re seeing new faces every week or a lack of continuity in the team, your service is likely suffering.

With UG2, we invest in our people. That means background-checked, trained professionals who take pride in their work and build strong relationships with your team. Consistency matters, and it shows.

5. You’re Not Getting Strategic Value

If your cleaning provider isn’t talking to you about cost savings, sustainability, or occupant experience, they’re just mopping floors – not moving your organization forward.

UG2’s janitorial services are built with your business in mind. We align with your KPIs, adapt to seasonal changes, and provide reporting that gives insight into performance and improvement opportunities.

See the Value of Smarter Facility Management with UG2

If you’re ready to rethink how your facility operates, UG2 is here to help. With proven success across industries and regions – from Southern California to New England – we deliver customized janitorial and commercial office cleaning services that prioritize performance, sustainability, and tenant satisfaction.

Contact us today to learn how we can support your goals, assess your current cleaning program, and build a smarter solution tailored to your needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are commercial office cleaning services?

Commercial office cleaning services are professional office cleaning solutions designed for businesses, offices, and facilities. These services typically include routine janitorial work, disinfection, carpet and floor care, and maintenance of high-touch surfaces to ensure a safe and healthy environment.

How do I know if my cleaning provider is underperforming?

Signs include recurring complaints, visible dirt or odors, missed tasks, high staff turnover, and lack of communication or reporting. If your team is noticing issues regularly, your facilities provider may not be meeting expectations.

Why is consistency important in commercial cleaning?

Consistency ensures that cleaning protocols are followed correctly and results are reliable over time. It minimizes health risks, improves occupant satisfaction, and helps maintain a safe, welcoming environment.

What should a facility manager expect from a high-quality cleaning partner?

You should expect proactive communication, transparency, trained staff, measurable KPIs, customized cleaning solutions, and support for broader goals like sustainability, safety, and operational efficiency.

Can upgrading my commercial cleaning services improve tenant satisfaction?

Yes. Clean, well-maintained facilities play a direct role in how tenants and employees perceive a space. Upgraded services lead to improved comfort, fewer complaints, and stronger retention rates.

Your HVAC System Can Support Sustainability, Safety and Long-Term Savings

In the recent past, facilities teams have taken an intermittent and reactive approach to HVAC—because they had to.

But HVAC systems have come a long way from the days of periodic tune-ups and reactive service calls. As highlighted in a Facility Executive article on connected services, connected mechanical services (CMS) and Internet of Things (IoT) technology are transforming the way buildings operate.

With embedded sensors within HVAC equipment, data from the HVAC system is continuously sent to the cloud. Predictive analytics tools convert these millions and millions of data points into real-time information about the system’s performance.

This volume of data delivers three major benefits:

Less Downtime: Catch issues early and uncover hidden inefficiencies to avoid surprise failures and disruptions.
Lower Costs: Minimize manual inspections and resolve problems faster for a lower total cost of ownership.
Reduced Energy Use: Optimize performance for lower energy bills and a smaller carbon footprint.

According to the Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Best Practices Guide from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program, “Past studies have estimated that a properly functioning predictive maintenance program can provide a savings of 8% to 12% over a program utilizing preventive maintenance alone. Depending on a facility’s reliance on reactive maintenance and material condition, it could easily recognize savings opportunities exceeding 30% to 40%.”

But data alone isn’t enough to reap these benefits.

UG2’s 360° Approach to HVAC Performance

Data is only valuable if it leads to meaningful, timely action. That requires a team that knows how to interpret and act on the insights provided.

At UG2, we combine smart HVAC technology with responsive service teams—integrating insights with action to help our customers reduce costs, extend asset life, and deliver comfort and reliability every day.

Here’s how we treat HVAC as a holistic system—not just data alerts, but also hygiene, energy, and emergency readiness.

1. Proactive Maintenance & Capital Planning

With the right data, you don’t have to wait for alerts or rely on reactive fixes. You can use connected insights to anticipate maintenance needs and strategically plan repairs, upgrades, and replacements based on performance trends.

Following best practices for computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS), you can track and extend asset health, flag early warnings, and support long-term capital planning.

This ensures your systems are not only functioning—they’re optimized.

2. Always-On Monitoring, Always-Ready Service

Predictive maintenance doesn’t mean nothing unexpected will happen again. But with a partner like UG2, what it does mean is that you have 24/7 visibility into your HVAC system—and 24/7 back up with rapid response capabilities.

Our expert mobile maintenance technicians can triage many problems remotely to quickly resolve issues while minimizing unnecessary visits. When needed, we’ll dispatch trained, licensed technicians with the right parts, minimizing downtime.

This seamless integration of insight and response means problems are solved faster, more accurately, and often before occupants ever notice—essential in mission-critical environments like life science labs and data centers.

3. Enhanced Indoor Air Quality & Health Standards

HVAC systems don’t just regulate temperature—they protect indoor air quality, comfort, and well-being. And a healthy building is a productive building.

UG2 goes beyond basic mechanical services to address health and comfort. High-efficiency filter replacements and indoor air quality (IAQ) assessments can all help facilities—especially in healthcare, higher education, and life science—meet elevated health and safety standards.

4. Sustainability & Energy Efficiency Gains

By continuously monitoring performance and correcting inefficiencies, connected HVAC systems reduce energy use and utility spend. This makes them a key tool in reaching Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals.

Our team can work with you to optimize system performance to not only meet emissions targets, but to also cut utility costs. It all starts with an energy audit where our experts will identify issues that are unnecessarily straining your resources, whether that’s insulation issues, air exchange inefficiencies, or underperforming equipment.

5. 5-Star Service from a Team of Experts

With UG2’s integrated approach, your team gains a trusted partner that not only monitors performance but actively manages it.

Known for our rigorous safety standards and industry-leading quality management and training, our team ensures your systems deliver the comfort, reliability, and savings your building depends on.

Ready to bring connected HVAC performance to your facility? Learn how ~~UG2’s team~~UG2 can help you take a proactive approach to HVAC for even smarter building operations.

Creating a Positive First Impression and a Lasting Impact That Benefits Both Students and the Institution

Facility leaders play a pivotal role in shaping the student experience on campuses across the country. This experience significantly influences academic success, personal growth, and long-term alumni loyalty—all factors that can impact an institution’s bottom line.

In a recent Facility Executive article, UG2 Director of Operations Raymond Jimenez explains that a proactive, student-centered approach to facility management is essential to enhancing the student experience, strengthening lifelong alumni relationships, and elevating an institution’s reputation.

Curious how dorm life can be made safer, cleaner, and more engaging through smart FM strategies? Here’s a snapshot of five ways facilities executives can fuel success—for students and the school.

1. Focus On Strategic Planning

Proactive planning is essential to minimizing disruptions. Jimenez recommends facility services teams allot about 40% of their teams, to third-shift crews for overnight cleaning and to use break periods for major projects to stay ahead of issues.

2. Commit To High Standards and Clear Service Level Agreements

Beyond adhering to high standards, such as APPA 2 level for cleanliness, facilities management leaders should collaborate with stakeholders to create Service Level Agreements with priority timelines.

3. Implement Self-Service Work Orders

You can’t fix what you don’t know. Give the campus community—students, faculty, staff, and even visitors—the ability to report issues via a digital work-order system.

4. Communicate And Collaborate

Creating open lines of communication between facility services teams and residential life, safety teams, event management, and other key stakeholders helps prevent misunderstandings and keeps everyone working toward the same goal.

5. Prioritize Student Safety And Comfort

Safety needs to remain the top priority for any campus facility services team. Ongoing safety training and routine life cycle analysis of furniture and appliances can ensure timely upgrades.

For expanded details and insights on five ways to elevate the student experience, read the full Facility Executive article and be sure to check out our blog for additional posts about creating positive campus environments.

Understanding Safety’s Relationship to Mental Health and Wellness

The idea of radically separating our personal lives from our work lives might make for entertaining television—after all, a streaming series on this topic has gained popularity and won awards. But regardless of this sci-fi concept, in the real world, we all recognize that our home and work lives are inextricably connected. And who would want it any other way?

We applaud the idea of highlighting Wellbeing as a theme of National Safety Month this year. Research has drawn clear connections between mental wellbeing and safety, and we’ve certainly witnessed, anecdotally, the positive impact health and wellness have on every aspect of workplace performance and satisfaction, particularly on safety.

At UG2, we embrace the whole person at work. It’s what makes our company excel at attracting and retaining the very best talent. And it’s part of what makes us a preferred employer, where employees often opt in for the long term.

Making Space for Mental Health and Wellness at Work

Along with offering outside resources to employees looking for support, UG2 strives to create a culture that prioritizes wellbeing and promotes understanding of mental health and wellness. We do so by introducing employees to wellness practices like mindfulness, yoga, and gratitude practices, and by promoting a relationship-based workplace that emphasizes mutual care and respect.

We understand that prioritizing self-care is critical in an environment where commitment to our teammates and customers can put us at risk of ignoring our own needs. For that reason, we train managers and supervisors to incorporate regular check-ins along with informal opportunities to connect and communicate. Knowing that it is essential that we treat wellness as a topic that is never taboo goes a long way, we take care to acknowledge the importance of mental health and wellbeing in conversations about workplace safety.

Digging into the Data

Research confirms that stress has a significant impact on decision making, and the CDC reports that stress and poor mental health can impact employees across many aspects of their work: job performance and productivity, engagement with tasks, communication with coworkers, physical capability, and daily functioning.

We believe it’s the employers’ and supervisors’ responsibility to deliver resources, solutions, and activities designed to improve mental health and wellbeing, and OSHA agrees. Effective programs are a win-win, as data shows that for every $1 spent on common mental health concerns, employers see a $4 return in productivity gains.

Safety & Health Magazine recommends that employers begin by educating themselves on workplace mental health and building awareness around mental health issues and the importance of self-care. Experts add that senior leadership must continuously foster a company culture that values mental health, beginning with senior leadership.

These insights validate UG2’s longstanding focus on our employees’ wellbeing. We are proud to be part of a company that embraces the whole person, and as we move forward in developing the next generation of talent, we are also committed to integrating an understanding of mental health and wellness into our practices, benefits, programs and policy development.

UG2 Honors Our First Graduates of the BOMA Boston Women’s Leadership Initiative

At UG2, developing future leaders is more than a business strategy—it’s a reflection of our core values. Our people are our most valuable asset, and investing in their growth is essential to delivering exceptional service and driving our industry forward.

That’s why we’re incredibly proud to celebrate two of our own, Ana Figueroa, UG2 Account Manager, and Stefhania Agudelo, UG2 Senior Operations Support Associate, graduates of the inaugural class of the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) Boston Women’s Leadership Initiative Program.

This achievement is more than a milestone—it’s a powerful reflection of Ana and Stefhania’s commitment to growth and excellence.

“I learned to communicate with more clarity and impact and built strong relationships with other women in the industry,” says Ana. “These new perspectives and tools help me serve my team and our customers with even greater excellence.”

Empowering Personal & Professional Success

The Women’s Leadership Initiative is focused on four key pillars: Empowerment, Growth, Education, and Networking. Over the course of the year, selected members from BOMA Boston participated in four curated workshops, virtual learning sessions, and informal events—all designed to build confidence, leadership skills, and strong connections within the commercial real estate and facilities management community.

Participants committed to monthly programming that encouraged deep reflection and bold action—skills that Ana and Stefhania now carry into their roles at UG2 each day.

“For me, it was Empowerment that made the biggest difference,” says Stefhania. “Being part of a program that believed in my leadership potential helped me believe in it, too. That confidence translates directly into how I support our teams and clients—by listening actively and leading by example.”

BOMA Boston is the third largest of BOMA’s 88 affiliates, representing more than 700 members and over 200 million square feet of commercial real estate in Greater Boston. Its diverse network of clients and affiliates creates a powerful ecosystem for exchanging ideas and uncovering valuable insights.

Why It Matters: Investing in People

UG2 is proud to sponsor participation in programs like the Women’s Leadership Initiative because they align directly with our core values. We strive to elevate our people and our industry by fostering leadership at every level. We know that when our team members feel empowered, valued, and prepared, they show up stronger for our clients, their colleagues, and themselves.

“Ana and Stefhania’s participation in this program speak volumes about their drive and character,” says Lauren Lanzillo, UG2 Vice President of Culture & Community. “We’re incredibly proud to support their journey and can’t wait to see what they accomplish next.”

Looking Ahead

As graduates of this first cohort, Ana and Stefhania now serve as role models and trailblazers—not only within UG2, but across the broader BOMA Boston community. Their success reminds us that nurturing talent is critical to maintaining the highest standards of excellence in facility services.

Congratulations, Ana and Stefhania! Your achievements inspire us all. We’re honored to be part of your leadership journey and look forward to seeing how you continue to make an impact.

UG2 is proud to be a perennial platinum sponsor of The Outstanding Building of the Year (TOBY) and Industry Awards for BOMA Boston.

Keeping People and Property Safe, Inside and Outside of Your Facilities

Facility management extends well outside of the walls of our buildings. Neglecting the exterior aspects of our properties can have dire consequences. UG2 operates in a wide variety of environments that require specific attention for pedestrians in parking lots, as well as the safety of both vehicle operators and the properties themselves. As National Safety Month’s week three theme (Roadway Safety) reminds us, maintaining the exterior spaces of your property, including walkways, roadways, exterior stairs, and parking areas, is critical to the safety of everyone accessing your facilities.

Assessing customers’ unique needs and circumstances. A cookie-cutter approach to facility services is inviting safety failures. With the wide variety of spaces we operate out of, ranging from buildings in city skylines to public venues, we view each of these sites as a unique opportunity to create safe work practices tailored to the venue. Whether it’s providing further training on golf cart operations in parking lots or simply pedestrian management, UG2 works with each client to ensure our teams are properly trained and authorized to carry out the work required at the high level we expect of ourselves.

Taking a team approach. Teamwork is at the center of everything we do here at UG2. For the property managers we work with, we embody this ideal. We recognize that safety planning necessitates the involvement of all stakeholders and the coordination of multiple teams. We work to actively integrate with our clients’ teams and processes to ensure safe work practices and working conditions are met not only in the building but also outside and on the roadways.

Accounting for Mother Nature. Storms and seasonal challenges require their own set of safety checklists, and inclement weather necessitates heightened attention before, during, and after a weather event. Roadways and safe vehicle operations are heavily affected by inclement weather. To mitigate the hazards associated with it, we work closely with our drivers across the fleet to ensure they all receive training on inclement weather driving. Every driver ensures that they uphold the expectations outlined in the training to avoid any disruption to our clients.

Involving our experts. Keeping facilities’ walkways and roadways safe means engaging

our operations and maintenance professionals to ensure roadways are appropriately marked and in good condition. They work in coordination with our electricians and facility engineers to ensure that lighting conditions are optimal and every bulb is in working order at all times. Even with our expert teams working regularly to ensure these standards, things happen. To address this and provide the high level of services expected by us here at UG2, our emergency mobile maintenance crews are available 24/7 with the equipment and expertise to solve any unanticipated problems that arise immediately.

Emphasizing communication. At every facility, a team’s ability to communicate about an issue and get an immediate response is critical. At UG2, our employees prioritize effective communication strategies with coworkers and customers in everything they do.

Accidents happen, things get missed, and unfortunately, people get hurt. That is simply the nature of life. Here at UG2, we understand it will never be perfect; we use that understanding to our advantage. The constant evolution of our safety plans and programs creates an environment for our teams and customers that fosters growth and development, encouraging employees to not only consider safety but also genuinely care about those around them embodying the ideals we strive for at UG2: passion, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to providing the highest level of services to our clients.

Leveraging Communication, Collaboration, and Connection for Meaningful Safety Strategies

UG2 identifies and embraces industry-leading safety practices—but the very best policies are useless if they aren’t rigorously implemented and regularly re-enforced. National Safety Month’s second week features Employee Engagement, which underscores the importance of our front-line talent in our safety success—and in yours.

UG2 engages our employees in a myriad way

Hiring the best. Our safety partnership with our employees starts before they even appear on site with a customer. We intentionally recruit talent from a wide range of backgrounds who share an enthusiasm for learning and growing. An eagerness to excel and openness to improving are key factors in an employee’s inclination to stay engaged and not only thrive within our culture but contribute to it.

Asking for input. We view mentoring and development as a two-way street. We continuously learn from our employees, and their feedback enables us to tailor our services to the needs of every customer and to build on safety practices that are practical, workable and helpful to the team members most directly impacted. We not only welcome employees’ input, but we also routinely solicit it and rely on it to inform us of our evolving safety practices.

Recognizing and rewarding achievement. Reinforcing safety practices by publicly calling out excellence helps everyone involved maintain the focus on positive outcomes. Such actions also underscore management’s commitment to putting safety before all else. Any discussion of a successful project or relationship has a safety angle, as we pose questions such as, “How did we ensure this task was completed without injury?” and “What practices contributed to its safe completion?”

Bridging the language and communication gap. We recognize that, as many of our employees, partners and customers speak a primary language other than English, the burden is on us, particularly on supervisors and management, to ensure materials and instructions are provided in the appropriate language. We work to ease the way for every stakeholder to engage fully in safety-related discussions, inspections and protocol reviews.

Teaching soft skills. Soft skills are important to success in the workplace generally, and they can have a real impact on how information about safety is received and acted upon by employees. Soft skills that can help encourage the adoption of safety practices include team building, problem solving, self-confidence, work ethic, cultural sensitivity, leadership, and listening.

Making safety fun and creative. As UG2 Director of Environmental Health and Safety Adam Rabesa often points out, when safety training and related conversations are engaging and enjoyable, employees are much more likely to absorb, retain, and act on the information. One strategy we like involves making a game of safety with activities like safety-related bingo and trivia. Fun, rewards and good-natured competition are helpful reinforcements for different types of learners.

Connection and authentic relationship-building are at the heart of our success when it comes to engaging employees to buy in to and help advance a culture of safety. We create space for formal and informal two-way mentoring relationships from an employee’s first days with UG2, because we know that one way we have remained leaders in safety is by deeply listening to and learning from our front-line talent.

How UG2’s Emerging Tech, Proactive Prevention Practices, and Superior Response Times Keep Tenants on Board

The residents considering a move to your multi-family properties have a long wish list, from beautifully run spaces that support their comfort and ease to 24/7 reliability to access to a stellar team maintaining every ingredient that impacts their experience there. Fortunately, as many elite multi-family buildings coast to coast have experienced, working with UG2 as your partner in this endeavor means your tenants are very likely to stay with you, too.

How do we do it?

We stay:

Ahead of their requests. Our nimble teams of highly skilled employees excel at the latest technologies and innovations. They use leading-edge platforms to ensure superior prevention and maintenance. Every time an apartment turns over, our expert team jumps into action inspecting, updating, repairing, and replacing every inch of it, from paint and flooring to energy-efficient appliances and A/C units. They have perfected preventative maintenance, inside and outside of your building, to guard against surprises.

Present and accessible. Our response time is unmatched because we are on the ground, in house, and immediately available—with the capacity to connect instantly to a wider team of expert facility engineers and certified technicians. If our on-site team can’t handle a tenant’s request, we have a resource at our fingertips who can.

Calm, cool, and collected. We model accountability, transparency, communication and relationship-building at every level of the company. We train our teams in the soft skills required to navigate high stress situations and complex dynamics. It’s easier to take ownership of an issue and problem-solve when you know management has your back and will reward you for it.

Staffed with consummate professionals. UG2 recruits and develops the most dedicated, hardworking employees in the market—professionals who care deeply about their work and embrace every opportunity to learn, well beyond their best-in-class training. Our teams work seamlessly with contributions from several key positions, including superintendent/resident manager, front of house team, mechanic/handyperson, maintenance technician and janitorial team, and day porter, cleaners, gardeners and landscapers.

UG2’s success is grounded in an appreciation that your tenants want the maintenance of their spaces to appear effortless. They don’t have the patience for faulty equipment, disruptive repairs, or unanswered requests for assistance. Of course, we also excel at customizing our solutions quickly and effectively, so as we get to know your property and your people, we continuously refine our approach.

As amenities increasingly become part of the package, our teams expand with the specialized expertise for optimal management. And thanks to our reputation for excellence and strong partnerships in the industry, UG2 has the relationships to bring in outsourced services for niche needs from elevator and fire pump maintenance to oversized chillers and water treatment.

Facility services for multi-family residences is a highly complex undertaking that requires expertise ranging from facilities engineering to five-star customer service delivery. As much as any other customer base, our multi-family residential building customers demand the best of UG2. We take great pleasure in delivering, and in demonstrating, time and again, the staying power of service excellence.

Improving What We Do, Every Step of the Way

The first of 2025’s National Safety Month themes, Continuous Improvement, exemplifies why we observe National Safety Month to begin with: Reminding each of the importance of safety and revisiting how we are doing and how we can improve are at the heart of safety experts’ efforts across the country and here at UG2.

The UG2 approach is to avoid the “set-it-and-forget-it” mindset. In order for safety practices to stick, awareness must be at the forefront of people’s minds every day, and for that to occur, companies, managers and employees themselves need to continuously innovate and uncover new ways to promote a culture of safety.

While UG2’s strategies for advancing our practice are always evolving, they include some elements that have stood the test of time:

Elevating safety to a leadership position. UG2 benefits from the guidance and insight of our in-house industry experts. Our team incorporates national risk mitigation efforts for all sectors of the company, driving safety culture and overseeing regulatory compliance.

Performing internal audits and monitoring progress. Our team operates as a third-party auditor for all of our safety environmental programs—and we act on his findings to ensure that regulations are met, standards are exceeded, and our progress is always advancing. Conducting regular safety audits and tracking the results allows us to be proactive in reducing hazards and eliminating habits that are impacting safety.

Opening every meeting with a safety tip. By creating a routine where you start daily meetings with a recommended safety practice helps set the tone and reminds employees that safety takes precedence in all we do. This strategy is even more effective if you involve everyone on the team by assigning a different employee to pitch their tip each day.

Soliciting employee input. Just as we tailor our practices to the needs of our customers, we continuously refine our safety approach based on those on the frontline charged with implementing it. Our teams on the ground have a range of ways to provide feedback, from team meetings to one-on-ones to employee surveys. The accessibility of our supervisory and leadership teams and our rigorous communication practices combine to make information sharing immediate and actionable.

Addressing issues in the moment—and in advance. Traditional responses to safety are just that—responses. A forward-thinking and far more effective approach involves addressing issues proactively, which means anticipating events and implementing changes before they have the chance to derail your day. Incorporating that knowledge into your ever-refined safety plan is how you continuously improve.

Ensuring ongoing best-in-class training opportunities. UG2’s state-of-the-art Training & Innovation Lab in 2019 moved us light years ahead of the competition when it comes to sharing and disseminated emerging safety guidance. Our online platform allows us to keep our teams and customers trained, up to the moment, on rapidly-changing knowledge and best practices.

UG2 remains laser focused on enhancing our safety programs to keep them relevant, fresh, and motivating for our teams. We achieve high safety ratings thanks to a rigorous and comprehensive approach that utilizes leading and lagging safety indicators, incorporates hazard mitigation into every interaction, recognizes and rewards safe behaviors, and includes leader audits, self-inspections, risk and hazard assessments, permit to work audits, and JSAs

Leveraging new tactics as we operate as responsible citizens of your industry.

New Article Highlights the Characteristics of FM Leaders

Few events have shaped our world today in general—and facility management in particular—like the far-reaching impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. As many reflect on the emergent strategies and lessons learned five years later, John Correia champions the people continuing to perform critical work in his recent FMJ article, The Real Heroes: Harnessing FM’s superpowers.

Following are highlights from John’s insight into what makes facility services professionals excel.

The qualities and characteristics that set facility managers apart

Putting customers first. Leaders prioritize people and display empathy, vigilance and dedication in all that they do. Great FMs not only manage to model this consistently, they also instill and encourage that people-first ethos in every one of their team members.
Centering excellence. While much of the magic facility managers accomplish goes on quietly behind the scenes, managers themselves are the opposite of invisible. In fact, they are almost omnipresent given their constant accessibility and responsiveness.
Modeling teamwork. Strong leaders understand they are also coaches, empowering and supporting every person on their team—but also acting as a fully responsible team member who is not above doing any task, whether it’s picking up trash, mopping spills or subbing in for an absent employee.
Innovating and problem solving. Facility management requires flexibility and thinking on your feet—even more so when you are tailoring solutions to the unique needs of every customer. Effective managers excel when challenged to think on their feet. They are quick thinkers, efficient problem solvers, and a force for calm amid the storm.
Communicating seamlessly. Clear, consistent communication is essential when it comes to understanding needs, coordinating services, and addressing issues as well as building relationships and trust. That means listening attentively, too—being fully present and focused on the speaker.

A Glimpse at FM’s impact on industries and communities

Effective leaders in facility services elevate industries, spaces, and everyday lives. Correia’s article highlights a few memorable examples.

Thriving office spaces: FM teams go well beyond the basics of maintaining great workspaces—they shape corporate culture and help advance companies’ success.

Critical research and lab environments: At UG2, we are proud to play a role supporting researchers in universities, life science and biomedical firms, and pharmaceutical companies.

Inspiring educational facilities: From maintenance technicians to landscaping and custodial teams, FM teams positively impact students’ daily experiences in myriad ways.

Reliable data centers: FM teams in mission-critical data centers help ensure business continuity, boost efficiency and lower costs through diligent asset management and preventive maintenance.

Memorable sports and entertainment venues: FMs working behind the scenes at stadiums, arenas and convention centers are key to delivering positive, memorable guest experiences.

When it comes to identifying the qualities that help FM leaders excel, no one is better qualified than John Correia and the leadership team at UG2. To learn more about the characteristics that have enabled UG2 to maintain an unmatched standard of excellence amid unprecedented growth, read more of Correia’s article here, or get in touch with us directly today.

Protecting Your People, Property and Facility from Cyberattacks

Technology brings major benefits to facility services. At the same time, our increasing reliance on tech can make for new vulnerabilities in a moment when cyberattacks are on the increase. A 2024 report from Panaseer found that cybersecurity failures are costing businesses $30B annually. From silent data breaches to system-wide shutdowns, facility managers are facing the potential for real and catastrophic impacts.

In order to make the most of emerging technology and also protect our facilities and the people who rely on them, we must incorporate leading, expert-informed cybersecurity practices as part of a robust safety planning strategy.

The New Frontier in Safety Planning

Sound cybersecurity practices share some themes and strategies with effective safety planning—beginning with the role of experts. Just as leaders like UG2 have incorporated safety into our operations at every level, making it a part of everyone’s job, and expanding our leadership team to include an executive-level manager of safety and operational excellence, cybersecurity requires guidance from those in the know, and buy-in from across the company.

Conversations about cybersecurity practices should be at the heart of your onboarding process and should remain a routine feature of training sessions, meetings, and performance reviews.

UG2 continuously collaborates with our bench of experts and our customers to this end. We not only tune into, adapt and incorporate best practices, we also continuously revamp our policies and procedures to reflect the best advice and to tailor our approach to customers’ needs.

Five Areas of Focus for Cybersecurity

While issues and recommended responses are constantly evolving, today’s experts home in on certain areas when advising facility services providers on cybersecurity.

They include:

Limiting access, authenticating users and requiring best practices like multi-factor authentication. Controlling systems access is the first line of defense against cyberattacks and system failures.
Issuing regular software and systems updates. Because software systems face continuous prodding for flaws and weaknesses, even the slightest delay to an update can open a facility up to a harmful attack.
Implementing network segmentation. This practice involves setting up firewalls between systems, so that a security breakdown on one area doesn’t rapidly expand facility wide.
Prioritizing training and refreshers for every employee on maintaining secure systems. UG2 is uniquely positioned to accomplish this thanks to our industry-leading Training and Innovation Lab.
Conducting regular security audits and acting on vulnerabilities. Safety audits must occur on a regular basis, and facilities must use the information gleaned from those audits to update their plans and protocols.

The Importance of Cross-Training and Communication

A combination of following best practices, industry expertise and immediate communication enables leaders to leverage AI to detect unusual network activity and act on it immediately to protect the digital safety of building systems facility-wide. Partnering with an expert provider for integrated facility services means teams can be cross trained on one another’s challenges, vulnerabilities and strategies, and can communicate issues instantly.

Building up our cyber resilience—our ability to withstand, respond to, and recover from cyberattacks and support our customers in doing the same—is a core priority for UG2. Contact us today if you have questions about protecting your systems and securing your business operations, today and in the future.

We Honor the Facility Managers Powering Our Industry — and Our Company

Facility services affects you throughout the day in ways that are invisible but critical. Maybe you’re attending a medical appointment, enjoying a concert or playoff game, or stopping by a friend’s apartment. You could be running an errand at the mall, or simply ordering a product safely manufactured at one of our customers’ locations. You likely aren’t thinking about the locations where these everyday activities play out, and all that goes into them to keep them operating safely and effectively—but we are.

Each year, World FM Day asks us to consider the impressive impact of those working in facilities management to ensure safety and comfort in the spaces where we live and work. This year’s World FM Day theme captures where UG2 excels.

Here’s how our teams embody Resilience in Action: Thriving in a World of Change.

Keeping facilities healthy, safe and productive. Our people are deeply familiar with the systems and strategies that work to keep buildings operating optimally, like following a schedule of daily inspections, prioritizing preventative maintenance, conducting air quality assessments and providing access to emergency maintenance. We maintain safe, healthy environments that operate to our customers’ exact specifications by developing an institutional knowledge of every facility they touch.

We take a rigorous and comprehensive approach to safety that utilizes leading and lagging safety indicators, incorporates hazard mitigation into every interaction, recognizes and rewards safe behaviors, and includes leader audits, self-inspections, risk and hazard assessments, permit to work audits, and JSAs. Our high safety ratings are the envy of our competitors and a reason our customers stay with us for the long term.

Serving as leaders and mentors. Our employees are extraordinarily generous with their insights and experience whether they are forming formal and informal mentoring relationships or sharing knowledge through our Training & Innovation Lab.

They fully support their peers and coworkers and are instrumental in UG2’s efforts to develop the next generation of facility services leaders. They embrace opportunities for cross-training, excel at operating from a team approach, stay attentive to one another’s needs and challenges, and step in to provide seamless support when an issue arises.

Acting as stewards of sustainability who consider our customers’ bottom line. UG2 leads the way in combining forward-looking problem solving with an emphasis on sustainability, efficiencies and cost savings. Our commitment to environmental stewardship underpins every aspect of our services, from our collaborative approach to identifying customers’ goals to the equipment and products we utilize in their spaces.

UG2’s place as an industry leader in environmental stewardship is something our employees take particular pride in. They work in myriad of ways to advance sustainability, incorporating green products, requesting and offering training opportunities, and promoting ideas for efficiency within the organization and with our customers.

Ensuring a bright future for facility services. Our employees’ impact on the industry is apparent in the ways they showcase UG2’s core values. Day in and day out, they are living examples of the guiding principles UG2 was founded upon, such as thinking outside the box, acting as an extension of our customer’s team, and being a citizen of our industry and our customers’ industries.

When it comes to connecting with people, solving problems, and building true partnerships, there’s simply no team more talented than team UG2. Our people live and breathe the details, innovations and preventative practices that keep our country running, and we could not be prouder of them.

Importance of Mental Health and Wellness in Facility Services

As we enter Mental Health Awareness Month, UG2 is reminding our employees, customers, and partners that putting people first means recognizing there’s no separating our workplace selves from our out-of-work lives. We understand that every one of us brings our whole self to work, and that having a safe, rewarding and fulfilling career means supporting our team’s emotional wellness as much as we do their physical health.

At UG2, we take seriously the advice from experts at OSHA and the World Health Organization that employers should leverage the workplace as a source of mental health resources and activities. Our foundational values prioritize putting people first, and since our co-workers and colleagues feel very much like family, taking care of one another is simply second nature. In fact, we have long made this a priority through the work of our senior leadership team—in particular through the efforts of UG2 Human Resources Team and other leaders in the organization like UG2’s Vice President of Culture and Community, Lauren Lanzillo.

UG2’s Human Resources and Benefits team provides employees with a range of outside resources for mental health and wellness.We also work to deepen our teams’ understanding of mental wellbeing, and we incorporate awareness efforts and practical tools and strategies into our employees’ everyday work lives.

Our commitments include incorporating wellness practices like mindfulness and gratitude practices; promoting a team environment that emphasizes mutual care and respect and is sensitive to the diverse backgrounds and needs of individuals. Additionally, we strive to create opportunities for team bonding and connection amongst team members through our numerous team programs and events. These events celebrate the value of interpersonal relationships and the immense importance of having a support system at work.

Supporting Wellness in the Workplace 365 Days a Year

Businesses see clear benefits from supporting employees’ wellbeing through activities and awareness campaigns focused on mental health and wellness. The McKinsey Global Institute found that every $1 invested in mental health initiatives yields a return of up to $4 in improved productivity. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) attributes untreated mental health conditions with multi-fold increased rates of missed work. And at UG2, we know that our successful efforts to build community and promote work/life balance are key to our high rate of talent retention.

Just like physical health, mental wellbeing can impact employees’ focus, decision-making, engagement—and, ultimately, their physical safety. This reality informs UG2’s longstanding focus on our employees’ wellbeing and leaves us truly committed to integrating an understanding of mental health and wellness into our program and policy development going forward.

UG2 Proudly Acknowledges the Next Generation of Talent

At UG2, we take every opportunity to applaud our apprentices. We are thrilled to acknowledge those bright and committed professionals, and we are grateful to them and to the numerous individuals who help make our apprenticeship program such an extraordinary success.

The timing is fitting as we mark National Apprenticeship Day on April 30, 2025. (National Apprenticeship Week has, for 10 years, shone a light on apprenticeship’s contributions to our industry. Based on feedback from partners and stakeholders, the planners behind this endeavor have decided to move the celebration from fall to spring and, to ease the transition, they compressed this year’s celebration into a single day.)

Creating a Crucial Pipeline

Apprenticeships are essential for creating a pipeline of much-needed talent in the trades, and UG2’s founders had the foresight to prioritize recruiting, training, and supporting the skilled tradespeople our industry and economy depend on. Our apprentices are mentored and monitored by some of the most talented industry professionals and O&M leaders out there, and the return on investment is huge. Participating students gain exposure to different environments along with a wealth of knowledge from their more experienced peers, which adds to their education, visibility, and technical efficiency.

Our approach involves building connections at all levels. UG2 partners with schools in the communities where we live and work to build awareness about the apprenticeship process. We strive to ensure that students are aware of opportunities and have the support to explore different career paths with a stable employment future. We work with institutions like Massachusetts Maritime Academy, California Maritime, and Le Moyne College to raise awareness about careers in facility services and extend apprenticeship and internship opportunities.

We take a deliberate and thoughtful approach to mentoring—cultivating a culture where employees actively embrace opportunities to both mentor and be mentored, creating space to share knowledge, gain insights, and foster continuous growth across our teams. Within our growing company, we prioritize promoting from within and supporting advancement among our incredibly diverse workforce.

Our apprentices benefit from being a part of our work to cultivate community through our core values.UG2 has always been intentional about identifying and embracing core tenets that not only allow us to excel professionally but ensure that we are continuously building a community. They cover a range of ideals we strive for including leading with integrity and respect, keeping safety at the forefront of every conversation, appreciating the diversity that is one of the most gratifying aspects of our company, and becoming citizens of our industry and of our customers’ industries. These core values keep us grounded and focused on the wellbeing of our community as a whole and help make UG2 a place to connect and thrive.

By engaging with partners to offer apprenticeship opportunities, UG2 provides future leaders with hands-on experience in all aspects of our work, from troubleshooting issues to relationship management to learning best practices. And the advantages flow both ways. Our apprentices get support, encouragement and the tools to build a rewarding career. We benefit from the energy, creativity, innovation and problem-solving of an incredible new generation of talent.

Our Teams Go Above and Beyond to Provide Sustainability

“Our Power, Our Planet” is the theme for Earth Day 2025, which takes place on April 22. UG2 is taking this moment to shine a light on the ways our people act as a force for sustainability, caring not only for the facilities entrusted to us but for the wider world.

Across the country, UG2 teams are celebrating with a range of activities, such as participating in various earth day events with our customers and volunteers in New England will be planting trees to advance the health and resilience of the planet. When it comes to sustainability, as with everything we do, our people are the driving force behind our ability to elevate everyday practices.

That commitment to excellence benefits our customers directly. Just one example: During their rounds, our technicians collect electric, gas and water meter readings by scanning asset QR codes with smartphones. The data allows us to see usage levels, anticipate when repairs may be needed, take steps to proactively prevent equipment breakdowns, and help customers determine when run-to-fail makes more sense than repairs.

Our people tailor sustainability to meet different facility’s needs. Sustainability can become its own waste of resources if organizations take a cookie-cutter approach. To be successful with sustainability in the facility services industry, plans need to align to each specific building or organization, as each customer and setting brings its own unique goals, needs and obligations to fulfill.

Our teams hold themselves and each other accountable. Our methodical and disciplined business approach centers the idea that short term actions have long term consequences, a concept at the heart of sustainability practices and environmental stewardship.

Maintaining that discipline as we engage with our work as citizens of our industry and our customers’ industries—all while investigating and adopting cutting-edge technology—is how we elevate facility services as a whole and sustainability practices specifically.

While they do this work quietly and without fanfare or fuss, our employees routinely earn accolades for their efforts. UG2’s approach and transparency, our deep bench of expertise and nimble approach to introducing change has won us the gratitude of countless customers and recognition in the form of awards from our customers and from the industry.

We have been honored time and again for achieving excellence, sustainability, safety, and quality as a facility services industry leader. That tells us our teams are doing right by our planet and by our customers, which makes us incredibly proud.

In partnership with our customers, UG2 integrates environmental stewardship practices into all we do. That commitment informs the products we use, guides the way we train our employees, shapes the promises we make to our customers, and—most importantly it influences the way we measure success.

How could your facility do better to advance sustainability while protecting your bottom line? We have ideas! Contact UG2 today.

New Article Details Benefits, Challenges and Strategies in Facilities Management

Corporations, life science and healthcare facilities, residential properties, public venues and more are increasingly leaning into partnerships to manage their facilities. Unfortunately, not every relationship will prove to be a winning investment. In a new Facilities Net article, Jonathan Peck, UG2 senior vice president of operations, shares how he has helped the teams at UG2 hone and refine their customer service and relationships—an approach that consistently brings the highest customer satisfaction and retention rates.

“Success depends on the type of partner you choose, how you manage them, and whether your goals and culture are aligned,” Peck writes in How Smart Facility Management Outsourcing Can Propel Your Business Forward.

Peck begins by distinguishing strategic partnerships from transactional relationships. A true facility management professional develops a strategic, solution-based partnership with every customer. The right provider acts as an extension of your team, working to understand your needs, operational challenges and long-term goals. Instead of being one more aspect of your job to manage, a strategic partner shoulders the burden and brings peace of mind. That requires a proactive approach that leverages data and technology to focus on asset longevity, energy efficiency, and streamlined operations. A strategic and innovative partner with broad expertise across disciplines will take these benefits even further.

He urges customers to pursue partners with a culture of excellence. Successful partnerships are built on trust, but how do you know you can rely on a particular provider? Peck lays out several factors to keep in mind.

Accountability. Look for a partner who sets clear goals based on key performance indicators—one that measures their performance and makes the data accessible to you.
Transparency. Your expert provider of choice will keep you informed about their efforts, accomplishments, progress and plans. Inquire about their communication strategies and technology and alsoask about the involvement and availability of their leadership team.
Proactivity. A leading FM team will take a future-forward approach. Rather than waiting for issues to arise, they’ll prioritize recommendations that enhance services and operations with a proactive, detailed plan.

Investigate their approach to training and retention. In facility management, as in many industries, the competition for talent is growing as veteran workers leave their positions and fewer young professionals enter the skilled trades. Facility management partners that succeed in attracting and retaining talent do so through robust employee development, real mentorship practices that allow for a two-way flow of information and expertise, and a strong history in labor relations to maintain an engaged, fulfilled and productive workforce.

Test their technology acumen. Emerging technologies and automation can elevate facility services, drive efficiencies and reduce costs. Leaders in FM should be adept at understanding and implementing these technologies. Artificial intelligence, for example, can have a role in everything from optimizing HVAC loads and performance to completing effective skills assessment across teams. Look for providers who are operating at the leading edge of technology, with the expertise, talent and foresight to recommend solutions—and even develop their own.

Choosing the right outsourcing partner to manage your facility takes some effort, but the potential return on your investment is enormous. Read more of Jonathan Peck’s expert insights at facilitiesnet, or contact UG2 to talk through your questions and concerns.

UG2 Partners with Customer in Complex Transition

Challenge:

A global property management firm came to UG2 with a unique request. They were ramping up to buy one of LA’s largest buildings and knew they needed to replace the existing facility services manager. The sale timeline was a moving target, but the potential new customer wanted to give a 24-hour termination notice immediately upon closing. UG2 needed to be waiting in the wings, ready to be on site with virtually no notice and begin delivering facility operations & maintenance and janitorial services within a day.

This would be a complex and weighty undertaking with major implications, but the firm knew UG2’s unmatched reputation, and our Northern leadership team in California had full confidence in our people.

Solution:

Our goal was to ensure a smooth transition while shouldering as much of the work as possible, freeing up the customer to focus on other aspects of the transition. We developed a detailed action plan that prioritized:

Conducting thorough exploration and analysis. To quickly understand as much as possible about our new customer and their facility and identify every issue of importance, we spent several weeks gathering intel. We drilled down into everything from property sale updates, potential stumbling blocks, and facility blueprints, to existing equipment and setups, UG2’s evolving potential scope of work, related staffing needs, roles, and challenges.

Ensuring constant communication and alignment. Operating from a shared understanding of objectives, roles and responsibilities is integral to any successful partnership. When effecting major changes on a tight timeline, there’s no room for misinterpreting a request or overlooking any task. To ensure success, this partnership demanded constant contact, and we spoke directly many times a day, in person, when necessary, to avoid missteps. UG2’s internal team communication and alignment were just as critical. Our account leadership maintained regular contact with UG2’s critical corporate teams from HR and payroll to IT. This enabled us to ensure everyone was on the same page and everything would be ready to go at the drop of a hat.

Adhering to an organic and evolving master plan. UG2’s on-boarding experts follow a proven methodology that is adaptable to a wide range of customers, industries, facilities and situations. For this complex undertaking, we developed a master transition plan and shared it among all team members. This living document mapped out and prioritized all necessary tasks, identified who was responsible, and laid out timelines and processes to confirm completion or revisit as needed.

Harness resources and relationships. Long before the sale went through, UG2 had every critical resource at the ready, from staff and supplies to mobile maintenance teams and emergency services. Our HR and IT teams procured employee onboarding equipment like laptops, phones, and emails. All related paperwork was in UG2’s system, fully executed. We leveraged a strong partnership with a janitorial supplier, who stocked a truck with thousands of dollars’ worth of vacuums, scrubbers, mops, buckets, and more, a week ahead of the expected property sale close date, with the caveat that we might need to cancel at the last minute. Our deep experience and long-established relationships made all of this possible.

Result:

When UG2’s leadership received the call on a Wednesday afternoon that the property sale had closed, they signed the paperwork at the customer’s site within the hour and activated our transition plan. Our facility engineering and janitorial teams were on-site early the next morning, running on all cylinders.

UG2’s comprehensive preparation, agility, and constant communications paid major dividends. Our property management customer was able to ensure an excellent tenant experience, with no surprises and no service disruptions. And UG2 proved, once again, that even complex, lightning-fast transitions can go smoothly and pave the way for superior facility services from an elite team—one who will be in it for the long haul.

Going Above and Beyond for Our Customer and Community

Storm preparedness requires continuous planning, training, coordination and refinement, but the overwhelming impact of Hurricane Helene and the extraordinary ways our teams stepped up offer a lesson in how having the right people on your side can make all the difference.

As we shared in an earlier blog, UG2 benefits from seasoned professionals who inform our approach to emergency preparedness. They work closely with our teams, beginning with core best practices and building on those to create highly individualized plans tailored to each facility. Those detailed plans incorporate lengthy checklists, assign roles linked to key constituents, and include clear communication protocols that enable real-time monitoring of progress and emerging issues. And as always, our collective planning and decision-making prioritize safety above all things.

Helene’s Recovery Efforts

As Helene wrought destruction, headlines, articles and images captured the storm and its aftermath for the public. Still, the reality communicated by our teams on the ground in North Carolina shocked even the most experienced among us. The human toll of these storms was traumatic to witness, even from afar. But our teams moved through indescribably difficult events with extraordinary professionalism, demonstrating, time and again, their care, compassion and seemingly endless capacity for creative problem-solving. UG2 team members not only went above and beyond the call of duty to support our customers but also protected one another and stepped up for the community as a whole.

Just a few examples of hundreds of remarkable actions taken by UG2 employees:

UG2 employees and their family members volunteered with a local church, Montmorenci UMC, before the storm arrived, picking up Manna FoodBank supplies, transporting them to the church, and unloading them in preparation for a community market. Such efforts are essential in a community where over 50% of the people have food needs.
Our team also set up center barriers at mall entrances, assisted IT in running wires from the roof through the office to get the office back online and worked with our customer’s roofing vendor to check on roof leaks and HVAC units of tenant spaces.
Employees who were unable to return home safely due to flooding spent their time helping to clean and sanitize the mall, removing down trees and shrubbery, and clearing parking lot drains to keep the lots from flooding.
Team members drove to a community 2.5 hours away to pick up essential supplies and transport critical items to an operational post office.
Our employees who had their power and water restored volunteered to do laundry for others and even opened their homes to provide access to showers.

“I know that people have seen the devastation online,” one employee wrote, “But it doesn’t compare to what we have seen on the ground. Businesses, bridges, roads, homes… all have been swept away. It’s been difficult all around, but everyone has remained very hopeful, grateful, and thankful that we are together. It is a family. We needed one another and were able to provide that support and love.”

We are beyond grateful to our employees and awed by their compassion and their action in the face of life-threatening circumstances. There’s no one else we would rather have on our teams and by our side.

Expressing Gratitude for the Time, Talent and Tenacity of our Janitorial Crews

It’s National Cleaning Week, and we can tell you without hesitation that our cleaners are the best in the business. But you don’t have to take our word for it—we have it in writing, many times over, from grateful customers. Here is just a sampling of thank you notes we recently received:

“Your cleaning staff have been phenomenal lately! They are wiping down walls from when we previously had furniture and even dusting the lighting fixtures.”

“Our nurses would like to shout out to our UG2 team, as we know they always work hard creating a clean and welcoming environment and also turning over rooms quickly and efficiently to allow for patient throughput.”

“Thanks to you and your team, I take pride in the cleanliness we see in all the areas of the building, and I know our customers are getting a good first impression as they walk through the door, enter a conference room, or walk down the hallways.”

“A heartfelt thanks to your team for all their efforts taken, not just recently but over the last two years, to raise the levels of cleanliness in the hospital.”

Given the wide range of contributions our cleaners make, it’s never a surprise to hear such words of praise. A day in the life of a UG2 custodian is nearly impossible to capture. In part, that is because every hour of every day is different, and packed with the highly detail-oriented steps, processes, and procedures specific to their individual assignment. It is also difficult to capture their impact because, as packed as their schedule can be with tasks, every one of our cleaners tends to go above and beyond in their duties, impressing not only our customers but their colleagues and supervisors in their efficiency, problem solving, and attention to the small things that have a big impact.

At any given moment, you might glimpse a UG2 cleaner: disinfecting the breakroom at an office park, restocking the patient-safe cleaning products at a veterinary hospital, wiping down row upon row of seats before the show in your favorite music venue, attending a university training on new campus safety guidelines, checking the portal for new workorder requests at a multi-family residential property, or one of hundreds of other tasks that make facilities shine.

And for every act that’s on their daily checklist, there is a quiet act of kindness, whether it’s holding a door open, making an extra recycling run to keep things spotless during an important presentation, calling a frequent visitor by name, or going above and beyond to help a new student’s family on move-in day.

We recognize how fortunate we are to have such generous, hardworking, highly skilled problem solvers on our team. That’s why we are committed to supporting our people in every way we can, from remaining accessible and responsive when the unexpected occurs to equipping them with the latest innovation and technology. We offer ongoing professional development through our training academy, mentoring, and Learn with Leaders program, we take an active interest in their career plans and priorities, and we strive to offer pathways to a fulfilling and rewarding career.

So, cheers to the janitorial staff who do so much to keep us comfortable, safe, and healthy. We know we can never acknowledge them enough. You might not have time to send a note next time you notice a cleaner going above and beyond, but if you let them know it in the moment with a heartfelt thank you, you will be sure to brighten their day.

Reflecting on the Parellel Practices between Facility Engineering and Healthcare

Practicing healthy habits and staying on top of wellness checks sounds like solid advice you might hear from your family doctor. That same language is prevalent in discussions about ensuring optimal operations in buildings and facilities.

As an Engineering Manager in UG2’s Northern California region Paul Faleschini is deeply familiar with the systems and strategies that work to keep buildings operating optimally. He finds the metaphor useful, whether he’s sharing his expertise in an industry publication like IFMA’s Facility Management Journal or breaking down UG2’s approach for a customer.

Partnering with the right Operations & Maintenance team means benefitting from a professional trained to diagnose issues before they cause irreversible damage or setbacks that interfere with everyday life.

Performing daily wellness checks. Maintaining a healthy facility begins with following a schedule of daily system inspections. When experienced O&M facility engineers take the lead on these regular checkups, they can quickly and accurately detect potential problems — and take action.

Arranging for annual air quality assessments. Cost cutting measures should never include skimping on the system maintenance that is critical to sustaining air quality. Just like humans require annual physicals, healthy facilities rely on annual inspections by a professional who tailors the assessment to the specifics of the building.

Being proactive about healthy habits. Maintaining our health can mean adopting proactive strategies around diet and exercise. A similar approach to preventative maintenance helps facilities can avoid equipment failures and their domino effect. Sewage systems, HVAC, and fire, life, and safety require that O&M create and follow schedules that align with industry standards.

Ensuring access to urgent care. Problems and flareups can be unpredictable and require quick and accurate diagnosed as well as an action plan. Partnering with a provider that offers 24-hour mobile maintenance gives facilities a huge advantage.

Trust your care to an expert. Getting the right diagnosis is important for both people and building equipment. The majority of building systems use a building management/automation system (BMS/BAS) which provides performance data in real-time. If the system alerts engineers of poorly performing equipment, an inspection can take place using electrical meters, pressure gauges, and other tools to find the route of the problem.

Consider a second opinion. Just like a medical diagnosis, a second opinion can be quite helpful when attempting to pinpoint a problem and come up with a cure. Seeing the equipment issue in person and having a team of experts is key. This is especially true now that a lot of building systems are automated. Sensors don’t always detect what someone can see first-hand.

Invest in wellness. FM teams know that keeping systems and buildings healthy leads to comfortable and safe workspaces which in turn, attracts occupants. One study even showed that tenants pay 4-7% more for healthy certified spaces.

All in all, when a facility is in poor health, it affects both people and businesses. Following these best practices will promote long-term wellness and provide immediate peace of mind. If you’d like to take a deeper dive into proper healthcare for buildings, access Paul’s article here or get in touch with us at UG2.

Celebrating International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month 2025

The important contributions of facility services workers are too often overlooked — and even, at times, invisible. Fortunately, various celebrations throughout the year offer us a chance to shift that narrative, and we are thrilled to again embrace International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month as an opportunity to call out the women who continue to move UG2 forward.

Our 2025 theme, “Women of UG2 — Leading the Way,” captures the impact of the mentors, leaders and innovators who drive UG2’s success, on the front lines and in our regional offices. Every hour of every day, there are women working tirelessly to improve all that we do. Throughout March, we are sharing some of their insights and accomplishments across our social media platforms. You’ll get glimpses of their critical efforts as they manage building inspection processes, improve operational efficiency, train employees on workplace violence prevention, implement practices to support our overnight shift workers, and more.

Historically, in the US and around the world, facility services is a male-dominated field with women making up less than 24 percent of the facility management workforce and only 15 percent of senior-level positions, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But we know that the impact women have on the industry is outsized, because we witness it firsthand.

We are proud to have women leading the way at every level, and we are intentional when it comes to providing opportunities for success. We cultivate leadership throughout the year by sponsoring employees’ attendance at events like the Conference for Women, supporting organizations like the Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Network, targeting professional development opportunities and participating in the CORENET Leadership Program.

Of course, the personal is just as important as the programmatic, and that is why some of the more memorable observations you’ll see this month are in the form of quotes and encouragement that come directly from the women of UG2 themselves:

Never downplay your accomplishments.

Have great work ethics.

Develop unique skill sets.

Believe in your abilities.

As a people-first company, we take these words of advice to heart. We believe in the abilities of our women leaders, and we strive to never downplay your accomplishments. Thank you for going above in beyond in all that you do!