Category: Back to Basics

Back to Basics: 6 Commercial HVAC Maintenance Tips for Winter

Back to Basics is an article series that highlights important, but possibly overlooked, information facilities management professionals should know. Before Jack Frost comes knocking on their doors, facilities managers should ensure their commercial facility’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are in tip-top shape. A failed HVAC system can not only lead to discomfort […]

Back to Basics: Defining Net Zero for Facilities

Back to Basics is an article series that highlights important, but possibly overlooked, information facilities management professionals should know. Most facilities professionals have heard the term “net zero buildings” before but perhaps don’t know exactly what it means or why they should convert their facilities to net zero. Commercial, educational, industrial, and nonprofit facilities should […]

Back to Basics: 6 Tips to Fight Water Waste in Your Office Building

Back to Basics is an article series that highlights important, but possibly overlooked, information facilities management professionals should know. Did you know that one dripping faucet could waste 3,000 gallons of water per month in your office facility, while a running toilet could waste 10 times as much? Using a rate of $0.00295 per gallon, […]

Back to Basics: Flood Mitigation 101

Back to Basics is an article series that highlights important, but possibly overlooked, information facilities management professionals should know. No matter where their facilities are located, facilities managers should have a long-range and short-range plan to mitigate flood damage to their buildings, as well as a plan to clean up damage caused in the aftermath. […]

Back to Basics: Lighting Improvements for Healthy Buildings

Back to Basics is an article series that highlights important, but possibly overlooked, information facilities management professionals should know. A key aspect of a healthy facility is healthy lighting, not just to go green for the environment but also for the health of occupants. Facilities managers should therefore examine ways they can redesign their facilities […]

Back to Basics: What Flooring Types Are Best for Your Facility?

Back to Basics is an article series that highlights important, but possibly overlooked, information facilities management professionals should know. Whether facilities managers are constructing a new building, taking on a major renovation, or simply redoing a small office, deciding what flooring to purchase is important. Considerations should include how the right flooring can affect occupants’ […]

Back to Basics: Emergency Exits and Keeping the Way Out Clear

Back to Basics is an article series that highlights important, but possibly overlooked, information facilities management professionals should know. During a fire or another emergency, your employees need a clear exit route and clearly marked and unlocked exit doors. Your employees’ exit route must remain unobstructed by equipment or stored items, and employees must be […]

Back to Basics: PSAP and EOC Facilities

Back to Basics is an article series that highlights important, but possibly overlooked, information facilities management professionals should know. With April being Emergency Communications Month, let’s spotlight facilities that are vital in responding to emergencies. Public safety answering points (PSAPs) and emergency operations centers (EOCs) are critical facilities that provide essential services to the community […]

Back to Basics: How to Address Lead Paint in Your Facilities

Back to Basics is an article series that highlights important, but possibly overlooked, information facilities management professionals should know. Facilities professionals seeking to renovate older buildings should do their due diligence to determine if their buildings have lead paint. Why Lead Paint Is Dangerous The dangers of lead-based paint (LBP) caused the federal government to […]

Back to Basics: Workplace Fire Safety and Prevention

Back to Basics is an article series that highlights important, but possibly overlooked, information facilities management professionals should know. Fires present a real danger to businesses, especially in workplaces where fire hazards are part of the job. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), a fire department in the United States responds to a […]