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Balancing Energy Efficiency, Compliance, and Patient Care in Healthcare Facilities

When patients visit a healthcare facility, they are not thinking about how many kilowatt-hours of energy the facility is using, or how the facility may be reducing its cubic feet of natural gas consumption annually. When patients visit a healthcare facility, they are thinking about the care they’re going to receive. As healthcare facility managers, […]

Industry Groups Join Forces to Launch Healthy Workplaces Coalition

The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) and ISSA–The Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association announced the launch of the Healthy Workplaces Coalition, a new coalition of more than 40 national organizations, industry leaders, and trade associations collaborating to support and advance federal policy aimed at helping businesses and organizations better afford and implement health and safety improvements […]

A Pill for Every Ill and the Precautionary Principle with Facility Cleaning

In the 1950s, benzodiazepine drugs were first introduced by pharmaceutical manufacturers. These drugs were found to treat a wide range of problems, including anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia, muscle spasms, nervous tics, even ringing in the ears, better known as tinnitus. By the 1960s, the most famous of all the “benzos,” as they were called, was […]

The Most Important Functions of Facility Management

In any building, the foremost objective of facility management is to provide a conducive environment that enables building users to gain the maximum benefits from being in that space. Achieving this objective requires a skillful administration of certain functions to optimize the four major areas of facility management—people, place, process, and technology. Facility management that […]

The Top U.S. Cities for ENERGY STAR Certified Buildings

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced its annual “Top Cities” list, spotlighting the cities with the greatest number of ENERGY STAR certified commercial and multifamily buildings in 2021. Los Angeles leads with nearly 650 ENERGY STAR certified buildings. Close behind is Washington, D.C., with nearly 500 buildings, followed by Atlanta in third place. […]

Hazardous Chemical Compliance in Storage and Distribution Facilities

Based on inspections over the last several years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has found many chemical storage and distribution facilities “are not developing safety precautions; instituting maintenance, monitoring, and employee training measures; and preparing risk management plans to remain in compliance with Clean Air Act (CAA) and Emergency Planning and Community Right to […]

7 Ways to Make Facilities Better for Mental Health

Nobody wants to work in a dark, cramped place with drab-colored walls and cubicles. Today’s workplaces must take steps to acknowledge that productivity is directly affected by workers’ mental health. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and we here at Facilities Management Advisor want to give facilities management professionals the advice they need to help […]

Better Buildings Initiative Surpasses $15B in Energy Savings

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a total $15.3 billion in energy savings through the Better Buildings Initiative, a public-private partnership with more than 900 businesses, state and local governments, utilities, housing authorities, and other organizations across the United States pursuing ambitious energy, waste, water, and/or greenhouse gas reduction goals and sharing their solutions. […]

Survey Reveals Screening Contractors Should Be Everyone’s Business

As workplaces continue to bring workers back to the physical workplace in a post-COVID-19 environment, even if it’s only part time, they must ensure compliance issues are addressed. The cost of not doing so jeopardizes not only company assets but also, and more importantly, the safety of those in the workplace, including employees, contractors, and […]

Faces of Facilities: Nelson Peña from Sam’s Club

Nelson Peña, Facilities Manager for the Southeast Region at Sam’s Club, is passionate about maintenance and proud of the work his team and employers are doing for sustainability. A membership-only retail warehouse club owned and operated by Walmart Inc., Sam’s Club has over 600 locations across the U.S. and Puerto Rico. In his role, Peña […]