The University of Arizona Tech Park and Jacobs celebrate 20 years of collaboration!
Located in one of Arizona’s fast-growing suburban settings on Tucson’s southeast side, the UA Tech Park’s spacious campus encompasses 1,267 acres and has 2 million square feet of space for high-tech offices, R&D, and laboratory facilities. This purpose-built environment is a place where emerging companies and technology giants work side by side. Jacobs has served as an extension of the Tech Parks’ team by providing assistance with construction coordination, operations, lab management and maintenance services for the past 20 years at the facility.
The collaboration between the organizations started with a challenge to find a vendor for building operation and maintenance services that could provide quality results in terms of service, record keeping, and cost accountability. That challenge turned into opportunity for Jacobs. In 2003, the initial facilities team was humble in size and operated by a different name (originally IDC Facilities West/CH2M HILL/CH2M), but through the years the team grew in size and responsibility. The company was awarded the contract in 2003 that included 33% of the space at the UA Tech Park campus including: building maintenance, tenant support, and equipment; project management; subcontractor oversight; and engineering support.
In March 2008, the service area expanded to include 67 percent of the campus. Within two months of the initial contract award, the team implemented a working preventive maintenance program for all equipment and buildings, followed by a 10-year equipment renewal plan that covers all buildings and equipment.
Jacobs worked with the UA Tech Park team to address a major challenge faced with product failure. Developing an initial process and working with mechanical engineers, and contractors, the group came together to build, and operate a passivation system and operating procedures that prolongs the life of all new heating and cooling water coils. Jacobs assisted the contractor with all new and remodeled construction specifications to increase energy efficiency.
Training for proper lab processes and technique.
The UA Tech Park management’s satisfaction with the exceptional performance led to a strong collaboration that has continued year to year. The Jacobs team at the UA Tech Park has operated under several different organizations (IDC Facilities/CH2M Hill/CH2) but the commitment to excellence and the team members remained 
the same. In 2017 the organization was acquired by Jacobs and that’s when the collaboration between the two organizations grew significantly.
New projects and different technical challenging assignments took place as a result of the UA Tech Park’s growth. The institutional knowledge of the Jacobs team aided in rising to the new opportunities and their ability to quickly adapt supported the growth of the UA Tech Park.
The UA Tech Park operates as a self-sustaining campus of innovation that is home to over 100 tech focused businesses. The interior buildings are continuously modified to meet the demands of high maintenance organizations. As a self-regulating organization, construction requests are managed in-house and carefully reviewed for long-term reliability and impact on buildings and co-tenants. The Jacobs team assists with project coordination of scheduled capital improvement, building renewals, planned and unplanned maintenance, in addition to tenant improvements and construction coordination. Operating as if a city within itself, the park is its own authority when it comes to construction permitting. This process reduces costs and streamlines the time it takes for tenants to renovate and build out new space, allowing the Tech Park to move at the speed of business.
In celebration of their 20th anniversary, Jacobs has spotlighted several Jacobs employees through the People of the Park campaign which features stories about employees who work onsite building culture and community here at UA Tech Park.
Interested in learning more? Contact Omar Jacobo.
Checking the operation of a solar panel system that augments the energy supply for the building.
Meet Chris Cobo from Jacobs Engineering Group Inc.! Chris is the Lead Maintenance Technician/High Voltage Electrician and has been working at the UA Tech Park for 6 years. Day to day, Chris supports the park with repairs and maintenance related to the site infrastructure and supporting systems, including high voltage electrical work. In his time here, Chis has brought in tips, tricks and tech from the mining industry to make working with the high voltage safer for the whole team!
Meet Shae Sonderer, Project Engineer at Jacobs Engineering Group Inc.! Shae has been at the UA Tech park for 2 1/2 years! She is responsible for plant operational efficiency and reliability and tracks a myriad of projects for improvements and repairs to the site utilities. #TechnoloysBestAddress #OurJacobs #UATechPark #Tucson #Arizona
Meet Marj Rinaldo, Facilities Plant Operator on the Jacobs Engineering team. She’s been working at the UA Tech Park for two years and is a Navy Veteran. In her role, she is responsible for the safe and efficient operation of the site Central Utility Plant. Fun fact about Marj: she is a competitive bike rider and has won numerous races, including the 2022 Tucson Classic. Thanks for all you do to keep the park running, Marj!
