Category: Maintenance and Operations

OSHA Offers Workplace Safety Tips for the Holiday Season

To make sure this holiday season is truly joyful, the U.S. Department of Labor reminds employers and workers not to overlook workplace safety and health. For a sad reminder of how an on-the-job tragedy can leave families, friends, and co-workers grief-stricken, look no further than Akron, Ohio, where a 25-year-old worker—hanging holiday lights on a […]

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 […]

Chill Out the Germs: Facility Cleaning Tips for Cold and Flu Season

As we prepare for the holidays, we’re again in the middle of another season of the most unpleasant gifts: the common cold and, certainly much worse, what some call the “tripledemic” of influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and COVID-19. The “CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) continues to anticipate that the upcoming fall and […]

Why Smart Buildings Are a Smart Choice for Corporate Facilities Management

Smart buildings are modern structures engineered to automate various functions, rendering daily operations more efficient, safe, and cost-effective. This shift towards intelligent infrastructure is particularly noticeable in the corporate sector, offering a blend of architectural intelligence, energy conservation, and streamlined operational management. This article explores the various advantages that smart buildings bring to the corporate […]

One World Trade Center Completes Energy-Efficient Lighting Upgrade

The New York Power Authority (NYPA) and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey completed the installation of energy-efficient LED lights throughout One World Trade Center, the tallest building in the United States. The project began in April 2022. Such lighting projects directly support BuildSmart 2025, a statewide energy efficiency program administered by NYPA […]

How Facilities Managers Can Fight Rising Costs

With rising inflation, possibly confusing but smart technology solutions, and an increase in energy efficiency mandates, facilities managers are increasingly struggling with how to do more with less. At Facilities Management Advisor’s FM NOW: Smart Buildings virtual summit on November 1, Phil Zito, CEO of the Smart Buildings Academy, was the guest speaker for the […]

What’s Ahead for FM Costs in 2024?

Facilities management (FM) costs are slated to rise again in 2024 but moderately compared to a spike in 2022, according to a new report from CBRE’s Global Workplace Solutions (GWS) business. The report expects FM costs to increase 2.5% in the U.S. in 2024, down from a forecast gain of 3.3% in 2023 and a […]

Obtaining Sustainable Waste Reduction in Facilities

In 2018, the United States generated 292.4 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW), which is the trash created by homes, businesses, and institutions. While 32% was recycled or composted, Americans still have a long way to go in improving waste reduction and reducing our impact on the environment. As a facilities manager, you have […]

ENERGY STAR Lighting: A Decades-Long Success Story Ending on a Bright Note

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY STAR program is celebrating over 25 years of achievements in lighting efficiency. The celebration comes as the ENERGY STAR label for most lighting is poised to sunset after a long, successful run and the recently enacted federal sales ban on incandescent bulbs. Since the ENERGY STAR label for […]

4 Restroom Cleaning Tips for World Toilet Day

Toilets are key to people’s health and wellness; however, 3.5 billion people worldwide still don’t have access to safe or properly managed toilets. In honor of World Toilet Day taking place on Nov. 19, Cintas Corp. shared four tips for creating a comfortable and clean restroom atmosphere in your facility. “Having clean and hygienic restrooms […]