Archives

The New Era of Office Security: Leveraging Technology for Safety and Efficiency

By Cormac Twomey, Envoy Aug 29, 2024 Access Control

Updated: Aug 29, 2024

Today’s workplaces are always changing. With decentralized offices, increasing visitor numbers, and constant security worries, facilities managers have their hands full. Manual processes and old-school security systems just can’t keep up, leading to vulnerabilities and bottlenecks. Traditional tools create blind spots in data and security, limit space optimization, and hinder effective resource planning. Thankfully, technological […]

TSA Names 2024’s Cutest Bomb-Sniffing Dog

By Joe Bebon, Editor Aug 29, 2024 Emergency Preparedness

Updated: Sep 5, 2024

Give a big round of a-paws for Barni, an explosives detection canine at the San Francisco International Airport (SFO)! He has been named the winner of the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) 2024 Cutest Canine Contest. The agency uses the annual contest to highlight the important role of security canines. Last week, the TSA held its […]

EPA Funds $34M to Improve Indoor Air Quality at Schools

By Joe Bebon, Editor Aug 28, 2024 Green Building

Updated: Aug 28, 2024

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has selected five groups to receive $34 million in grants for projects helping address indoor air pollution in K-12 schools in low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities across the country. This announcement comes after the agency revealed $26 million in funding to protect children from lead in drinking water at schools […]

Back to Basics: How to Keep Parking Garages Secure

By Corey Sipe, Associate Editor Aug 27, 2024 Access Control

Updated: Aug 27, 2024

Back to Basics is an article series that highlights important but possibly overlooked information facilities management professionals should know.  Facilities management and security professionals whose facilities include parking garages should take steps to increase the security of these structures, which have their own unique challenges. Many busy facilities have parking garages because more vehicles can be […]

Faces of Facilities: Melissa Grimes from ESFM

By Joe Bebon, Editor Aug 26, 2024 Faces of Facilities

Updated: Sep 25, 2024

Melissa Grimes serves as a regional vice president at ESFM, the corporate facilities management division of Compass Group USA. In her role, she supports life science pharmaceuticals accounts with over 25 campuses across North America totaling more than 100 buildings. According to Grimes, her most important responsibility is contributing to the success of her team […]

Circle K Cashier Shooting Prompts OSHA Workplace Violence Fine

By Guy Burdick, Contributing Writer Aug 23, 2024 Emergency Preparedness

Updated: Aug 23, 2024

Convenience store chain Circle K faces a $16,131 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fine after a store cashier in Orlando, Florida, suffered a serious gunshot injury, the agency announced August 14. OSHA inspectors learned that two unidentified men entered the Circle K location on Silver Star Road shortly after 1 a.m. on January 19, 2024; pointed firearms; […]

There’s Real Value in Water Efficiency

By Klaus Reichardt, CEO & Founder, Waterless Co. Aug 23, 2024 Green Building

Updated: Aug 23, 2024

On July 29, 2024, Cal Water, the third largest water utility company in the country serving half-a-million customers in California, announced that it has helped its customers reduce their water bills by 20.5% in the last 15 years. This is compared to what they might have been charged without water conservation and water efficiency efforts […]

Connecting the Dots: How Tech Can Boost Visibility and Autonomy in School Operations

By Raj Subramanian, Facilio Aug 22, 2024 Energy Management and Lighting

Updated: Aug 22, 2024

In 2018, a third of Baltimore’s schools closed due to heating issues. In 2019, schools in Providence, R.I., faced leaking sewage and contaminated drinking water. These aren’t signs of low funding—average U.S. public school spending per pupil actually rose 8.9% to $15,633 in fiscal year 2022. So, what’s the problem? Research paints a clear picture. […]

Top 3 Strategies to Design and Build Eco-Friendly Facilities in 2024

By Tommy Linstroth, Green Badger Aug 21, 2024 Design and Construction

Updated: Aug 21, 2024

The need for new buildings and facilities is soaring, buoyed by surging demand for everything from manufacturing to clean energy infrastructure and the triumvirate of legislation making construction more cost-effective, including the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) Act. While this […]

Do High School Restrooms Make the Grade with Students?

By Joe Bebon, Editor Aug 21, 2024 Design and Construction

Updated: Aug 21, 2024

It’s back-to-school time, and this year a survey got the “deets” about teens’ handwashing habits, restroom evaluations, and whether or not they stay home from school when they’re sick. The Healthy Handwashing Survey, conducted by Bradley Company, connected with 1,012 high schoolers ages 14 to 18 to gather their insights and opinions. Handwashing & Health […]