Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
Poorly circulated room air raises the potential exposure to contaminants by up to six times, according to a new report from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). The researchers say the experiments quantify the effects of overhead heating on room air mixing, with implications for COVID-safe meetings and classrooms.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) September 20 announced “enhanced and expanded efforts” to address worker exposures to excessive heat and heat-related illnesses. The agency will develop a National Emphasis Program (NEP) and workplace heat standards, according to a White House announcement of interagency efforts to address heat hazards.
The United States faces a projected shortfall of a staggering $85 billion in public school facility funding every year, according to a recent report. The report, 2021 State of Our Schools Report: America’s PK-12 Public School Facilities, was released by the 21st Century School Fund, the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), and the National Council on School Facilities. In addition […]
People would feel safer with more data on indoor air quality (IAQ) during these trying times, according to a new survey ordered by measurement tech company Vaisala. The survey, which included over 4,000 respondents in the United States, France, Germany, and Finland, was conducted in summer 2021 and studied people’s concerns regarding indoor air during […]
The global market for commercial intelligent building (IB) solutions has experienced double-digit growth in the past decade and is slated to keep growing through 2030, according to a new report from Guidehouse Insights. IB solutions assist in remotely managing and controlling multiple building automation systems (BASs), such as HVAC controls, lighting controls, fire and life […]
As the country enters the 2021-2022 school year amid a lingering pandemic, the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) has highlighted key strategies for improving ventilation in schools and institutions of higher education (IHEs), such as colleges and universities, to help prevent COVID-19 and maintain a safe environment for in-person learning.
Having spent months on end in multiple lockdowns, many workers around the world are now starting to make a gradual return to the office and restoring a sense of day-to-day normalcy back into their lives. However, while this is an incredibly exciting transition for a lot of people, the coronavirus pandemic hasn’t exactly gone away. […]
It seems as if we have been here before. But for some reason, this time it’s different—it is worse. So much so that it looks and feels as if we are headed for a real game-changer. I am referring to the drought now in California and many parts of the western United States. This year’s […]
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded $82.6 million in funding to 44 projects that will lower Americans’ energy bills and help meet President Joe Biden’s goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 by investing in new energy-efficient building technologies, construction practices, and the U.S. buildings-sector workforce.
If you’re a college or university trying to attract parents of prospective students, post-pandemic, you’ll likely want to up your game when it comes to perceived campus cleanliness and indoor air quality (IAQ). That’s according to a new survey by JLL, a professional services firm that specializes in real estate and investment management. Conducted in […]