Category: Maintenance and Operations

Former Surgeons General, Execs Issue Policy Prescription for Healthy Buildings

Organized by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), a group of renowned public health leaders issued an open letter to the nation’s policymakers titled “Buildings as a Prescription for Health.” The letter, signed by six former Surgeons General and six executives from top public health organizations, urges members of Congress, mayors, governors, and school superintendents to […]

Integrating Content Strategies into Facilities Management

As a facilities manager, it might be hard to see the value of a content strategy. For your business, it may seem that investing in such a strategy would cost too much of your already limited time and resources. But increasingly, facilities managers are discovering the true ROI of content marketing and how it can […]

U.S. Green Building Council Launches Draft Version of New LEED Certification

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) introduced a draft of its LEED v5 Operations and Maintenance (O+M) rating system for existing buildings. Buildings are responsible for around 40% of global energy-related carbon emissions, with 28% stemming from operational emissions, which include energy needed to heat, cool, and power them. LEED v5 is the newest version of LEED (Leadership in Energy and […]

Making the Case for Paper Hand Towels in Public Restrooms

Even though it’s been over three years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, expectations for safer and cleaner facilities persist, especially in restrooms. So much so that one TikTok user has garnered tens of millions of views on her videos testing the spread of bacteria from various air hand dryers in facility restrooms. With hygiene […]

How Facilities Can Improve Their Air Quality

As facilities managers continue to improve their buildings’ indoor air quality (IAQ), they should learn about the new American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Standard 241; the different types of air-cleaning technologies and their costs; and their occupants’ needs. Facilities Management Advisor had an educational session on August 17 as part of […]

NFPA Survey: 80% of Skilled Trade Workers Rely on Digital Tools Daily

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has released survey results collected from over 330 industry professionals at the NFPA 2023 Conference & Expo. The research findings reveal insights around trends and attitudes on digital transformation, training, and educational programs. Respondents represent the electrical, manufacturing, construction, engineering, architect/design, facility maintenance, fire service, and insurance/risk management fields. […]

The State of Facility Maintenance Amid the Return-to-Office Surge

With the Labor Day holiday officially in the books, not only is back-to-school season in full swing, but the return-to-office (RTO) is underway, as well. Over the past few years, the late summer and early autumn have marked a rallying point for companies’ RTO efforts. While Zoom’s recently revamped RTO policies have been grabbing the […]

DOE Offering $400M for States to Update Building Energy Codes

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has released program guidance and opened applications for $400 million in formula funding to states and territories for adopting and implementing building energy codes that reduce utility bills, increase efficiency, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and make buildings more resilient to climate disasters. “A transition to a clean energy economy […]

D.C. Convention Center Earns LEED Green Building Certification

The Walter E. Washington Convention Center, a 2.3 million square-foot facility in Washington, D.C., has been awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The convention center achieved LEED v4.1 Operations and Maintenance: Existing Buildings Gold certification for implementing practical and measurable strategies and solutions in […]

An Actionable Plan to Achieve Net Zero

How do we achieve net zero? This is a key question that facilities managers and other stakeholders are increasingly being required to ask themselves. The world is evolving, and a central piece in this evolution is the shift toward net-zero carbon emissions. This is a marked shift from 10 years ago, when the focus was […]