FACILITY MANAGEMENT ARTICLES
Dealing with a Game-Changer
The Portland streetcar system is roughly twenty years old, relatively new by public transportations standards in the United States. It was built when planners and government officials had a solid idea of what to expect regarding the city’s climate. Typically, temperatures in Portland can drop into the 40’s (F) in the winter and go up into the high 70’s in the summer. But the summer of 2021 has turned everything upside down.
Smart Building Technology: Shaping 2021
More than half of organizations plan to increase their investment in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and smart building technology in 2021. Interestingly enough, these business plans are comparable with investment trends that came after the 2010 recession, now likely a result of preparation for the post-pandemic world.
4 Parking Lot Maintenance Mistakes Made by Facility Managers
Revitalizing the appearance and strength of a parking lot is a top priority for many facility managers this year. After a tumultuous 2020, many are beginning to think about how they can get back into a regular maintenance routine. After all, sealcoating and repairing a parking lot not only beautifies your property, but also keeps patrons safe as they enter and exit a business.
CASE STUDIES
Carrier’s Turnkey Chiller Installation Delivers Efficiency
The Cherokee Nation W.W. Hastings Hospital is a 150,000 square foot facility. Over the years, patient visits have grown from 60,000 to 400,000 per year, with an attendant increase in staffing numbers. Heat generated from advanced healthcare equipment has added to the cooling demand. Carrier provided a solution to the increasing chiller requirements.
Reusable Acoustic Blankets Reduce Chiller Noise for College Classes
Just as thermal insulation keeps in heat, acoustic insulation blankets keep in sound. Just covering a compressor isn’t enough to reduce chiller noise unless an insulation maker also pays attention to equipment geometry. The State University of New York at Oneonta learned about the benefits of covering compressors thanks to Shannon Global Energy Solutions.
Scottish Rite Center Sizes Up Cooling Tower Technology Options
The Scottish Rite Center in Wichita, Kansas recently ran into a common problem with its metal cooling tower that supported the HVAC system – it had completely rusted-out. When TempleLive took over the facility, the company was determined to make it a premier venue. Part of that strategy was to preserve the facility’s architectural elegance from all sides.
SubAir Puts Hydronics in Play at New Columbus Soccer Stadium
When the defending MLS Cup champion Columbus Crew SC opens its new downtown stadium and training complex this summer, they are sure to be the envy of Major League Soccer franchises everywhere. The stadium will have first-in-class amenities and training facilities for its athletes, and will also have the most advanced, state-of-the-art technology in its field.
Carrier Safeguards Priceless Papers With Optimal Efficiency at Mount Vernon
The Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington was built in 2010-2013 to extend education about Washington’s life. The designers anticipated that the library would require a state of the art HVAC system in order to protect the thousands of eighteenth and nineteenth century books and papers in the collection. Carrier provided a solution.
Technology Integrators Merge IT at Hospital With Physical Security Systems
Traditionally, security systems were installed as independent systems by security integrators. However, the continuing advancement of IP-based technology now place that task squarely at the feet of technology integrators with an extensive knowledge and background in IT. BTI Communications Group is an integrator that provided a needed upgrade solution.
PRODUCTS IN ACTION
Stucchi Eliminates Catastrophic Damage to Waste Compactors
Stucchi announced today that the company has developed a patented Compactor Break Away Safety System or C-BASS, that mitigates the risks associated with servicing self-contained compactors by preventing catastrophic damage from accidental drive-off errors. The C-BASS system is a result of Stucchi’s 60+ years of designing and manufacturing some of the industry’s best hydraulic coupling solutions.
AJ Manufacturing Adds Ionization to Its HEPA Filtration Tech
AJ Manufacturing has introduced two new options to its industry-leading Criti-Clean Ultra HEPA filtration units in order to combat airborne viruses more effectively such as SARS-CoV-2, as well as bacteria, mold and other pathogens. The new built-in modules include Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) Radiation and Needlepoint Bipolar Ionization.
How Can You Prevent False Fire Alarms?
Malicious false fire alarm calls are unacceptable and put fire personnel, security officers, and citizens at risk. A proactive approach is needed to help reduce false fire alarms – and sometimes completely eliminate them – and the answer is STI’s Universal Stopper® Low Profile protective cover.
General’s Typhoon® Trailer Jet Storms Through Big Line Clogs
Great for a wide range of heavy-duty plumbing, drain cleaning, maintenance, and rental applications, the Typhoon® trailer jet from General Pipe Cleaners blows away blockages in big lines and long runs.
The Future of Electric Scissor Lifts is Here
JLG Industries, Inc., elevates the access industry once again with its now available all-electric DaVinci™ AE1932 scissor lift. Featuring zero hydraulics to help eliminate job site leaks and zero emissions to help control job site pollution, this 19-ft scissor lift is purpose-built for applications where stringent environmental regulations must be met.
Ask the Drain Brains: How To Clear Grease Clogs – Fast!
Nothing clears a clog for good, but the best tool to clear grease clogs quickly and easily is a Water Jet. Grease sticks to the walls of a pipe. So, when your snake punches a hole in grease to get the water flowing, you haven’t really cleared the clog completely.