Category: Design and Construction

Engineer working on a solar panel install

Cut Out Power Conversion Process to Increase Energy Efficiency

The electrical grid in the United States – including generation, transmission, and distribution – is based on alternating current (AC). However, an increasing number of devices required by modern life (e.g. computers, mobile devices, and LED lights) run on direct current (DC), requiring that the power be converted before it can be used. As it currently […]

Manager safety leadership

Control Facility Hazards with ‘Prevention Through Design’

Saving money and preventing workplace injuries right from the drawing board are the simple principles behind “Prevention Through Design” (PtD). One common example of PtD is lockout/tagout practices for machinery, but the practice has many applications in the facilities management space. Basically, PtD is the control of workplace hazards by addressing them during the design […]

slips, trips, and falls

Prevent Slips, Trips, and Falls Using ANSI Standards 1264.1 and 1264.2

At last year’s annual conference of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), ASSP’s outgoing President Jim Smith presented a session titled “The A1264.1 Standard: Wall and Roof Openings; Stairs and Guardrails/Handrails.” The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Standards 1264.1 and 1264.2 could be helpful for facilities management professionals looking to design their workplaces with […]

Team standing during meeting

Do You Run a Sedentary Facility?

The modern facility manager is at a bit of a cultural crossroads where new ideas and expectations about how a building should function bump up against older designs, and of course, budgetary concerns. Concerns about money and wanting to get the most out of existing furniture and fixtures are legitimate but attracting younger workers to […]

U.S. Green Building Council Releases Top 10 List of States LEED-ing the Way in Green Construction

On Monday, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) released its annual list of Top 10 States for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), the world’s most widely used green building rating system. To create the list, states were ranked based on the number of LEED certified square feet per person. Combined, the states that […]

Visitors in a busy office

Infographic: Is Your Facility Hip to Workplace Trends?

Though we’re just now starting the first full week of 2019, the year is starting with a bang. The most recent government jobs report highlights the ongoing addition of jobs to the economy, which continues to create an incredibly tight competition for the best talent. This infographic explores some of the recent trends facility managers […]

Workers streaming into a reopened facility.

Infographic: Retail Facilities Management Association Predicts Major Trends for 2019

The new year has arrived, so let the predicting begin! In this infographic, the Professional Retail Store Maintenance Association (PRSM) presents their predictions based on their 2019 Trends Report about what retail facilities managers can expect for the coming year. Some follow already in-process trends, such as an increase in mixed-use spaces, while others, like […]

slips trips floor infographic

Slips, Trips, and Other Rooftop Fall Hazards

Injuries from slips and falls are bad enough but are amplified when they happen on a rooftop. This infographic details some of the finer points to better understand the risks of working on a rooftop and provides some details regarding protection.

Construction vehicles at building site.

EPA Proposes Clarifications for Construction General Permit

Responding to petitions for review from the National Association of Home Builders and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the EPA is proposing modifications to its 2017 Construction General Permit (CGP). The CGP comprises National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) requirements for construction site operators disturbing 1 or more acres of land or less than 1 acre […]