2019 June
Today, there are more than 60 million students and faculty in the United States. With such a significant portion of the population attending educational facilities, a growing number of schools are opting to participate in “greener” practices that benefit the students, budget, and environment.
2019 June
The healthcare industry has been slower than many others in adopting green and sustainability initiatives. The hospitality industry, in contrast, got on board with environmental responsibility more than 25 years ago. Industry stakeholders viewed it as a way to provide their guests with rooms that were cleaner, safer, and healthier.
2019 May
Legionella pneumophila is a waterborne bacteria that is the cause of a severe form of pneumonia called Legionnaires Disease. The number of people getting sick from Legionella bacteria in healthcare environments has been steadily and substantially increasing in the last decade as these facilities often house those who are most susceptible.
2019 May
The recent shootings in New Zealand serve as one more wake-up call reminding facility managers (FMs) they must be prepared for almost any emergency – or catastrophe – at just about any time in any of the facilities they manage. Shooting incidents such as this, whether they happen in schools, office buildings, or churches, synagogues, and mosques are becoming all too common.
2019 May
Energy efficiency is a core aspect of a smart building, and yet building energy use has actually risen over the past several years in even the most efficiency-conscious cities. We all hear a lot about intelligent buildings – so much that you’d think they were everywhere. But when you look at the data, it seems that most buildings are as dull-witted as ever.
2019 April
Smart buildings have been a concept for decades. Sustainability thinkers have been advocating them for years, and they’re a hot topic in building trade publications. So why is it that the brightest thing about most buildings remains their always-on lights?
2019 April
Flooring is a major investment in any facility – and with it comes the costs associated with maintaining it. From cleaning products and maintenance equipment to personnel salaries, flooring upkeep can quickly become a substantial operational outlay.
2019 April
While emergency lighting is critical to life safety and must function to code, no one wants to see the devices ruin the aesthetics of a building’s interiors. Industry professionals are increasingly keeping the lights hidden or camouflaged until needed to ensure it artfully blends in with its surroundings.
2019 March
Hospitals and healthcare facilities utilize a significant amount of energy to ensure a safe and comfortable environment for patients, staff and visitors. To streamline efficiencies, reduce operating costs and increase revenue, many are making the switch to LED technologies.
2019 March
For facility managers of malls, grocery stores, and other large commercial buildings, ensuring safety and preventing slip and fall litigation can come down to documenting that their walkway surfaces meet safe standards in terms of available traction, particularly when wet – when falls are more likely.