Category: Maintenance and Operations

EPA Announces $58M to Reduce Lead in Water at Schools and Childcare Facilities

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced $58 million in grant funding to help protect children from lead in drinking water at schools and childcare facilities across the country. Thanks to an expansion under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, projects that remove sources of lead in drinking water are now, for the first time, eligible […]

The CDC Ventilation Update Couldn’t Have Come Sooner: Real-Time Monitoring Is Needed Now

Editor’s note: The views expressed in op-eds are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect those of Facilities Management Advisor. The recent Canadian wildfires greatly impacted air quality hundreds of miles away in major American cities, demonstrating how disasters in one country can affect the health of others. This issue also came to light in […]

Safety First: Facility Design with Security in Mind

Security consultants should work with facilities management on the design and implementation of security methods and technologies in order to have the best facility security possible. Facilities Management Advisor’s FM Now: Secure Buildings online summit was held on June 20 and included an opening keynote session called “Design Development Considerations for Security Systems.” The session […]

N.J. Awards Nearly $400M to Support Higher Education Infrastructure Improvements

The New Jersey Office of Higher Education has awarded nearly $400 million in capital facilities grant funding to colleges and universities across the state. The funding, which is part of the joint solicitation of four revolving Capital Facilities Bond programs, will support 54 infrastructure and technology enhancement projects throughout New Jersey’s higher education sector. “New Jersey remains […]

A Comprehensive Guide to Building Maintenance Management

In our daily lives, we all desire safety and comfort within the spaces we inhabit, be it at work, at home, or during leisure activities. However, the importance of building maintenance management often goes unnoticed until an issue arises. This article aims to shed light on the significance of building maintenance management by providing an […]

New OSHA Program Targets Workplace Hazards in Warehouses, Distribution Centers

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has launched a national emphasis program to prevent workplace hazards in warehouses, processing facilities, distribution centers, and high-risk retail establishments. In the past 10 years, warehousing and distribution centers have experienced tremendous growth with more than 1.9 million people employed in the industry. The Bureau of Labor […]

College of Southern Maryland Makes Switch to Electric Vehicles

Beep! Beep! What eliminates the carbon dioxide equivalent of 42 trees, and can be found zipping around the College of Southern Maryland’s (CSM) La Plata and Regional Hughesville campuses? It’s the college’s new Polaris GEM utility vehicles—a sign of things to come as CSM begins transitioning to a smaller, less gas-reliant fleet of vehicles. This […]

Summer Fire Safety Tips for the Workplace

As facilities managers know, summer brings increased risks of fire hazards that require proactive planning and risk mitigation. With higher use of electrical equipment such as fans and air conditioning, risks of electrical overloads and arson attacks rise. Not to mention that reduced staffing levels can also impact safety practices. The summer is a great […]

The Pros and Cons of AI in Facility Management

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly securing a foothold in the facility management space. A quick Google search for “AI tools for facility management” will produce a host of companies offering AI-driven tools to help with everything from maintenance management to space optimization. Facility managers who are eager to exploit the benefits of AI-driven tools should […]

JCSU Facilities Director Details Summer Campus Overhaul

Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU), a historically Black university located in Charlotte, N.C., is giving its more than 150-year-old campus a facelift this summer as the Department of Facilities rolls out upgrades in academic, athletic, administrative, and residential buildings across the campus. The initiative, spearheaded by Director of Facilities Erna Perkins-Jones, began nearly three years […]