Category: Maintenance and Operations

Energy Department Announces $500M for School Upgrades

As part of the new Biden-Harris Action Plan for Building Better School Infrastructure, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has released a Request for Information (RFI) for a $500 million grant program from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for K-12 public school energy upgrades. According to the DOE, the program will help deliver cleaner and healthier classrooms, […]

How FMs Can Maximize Effectiveness in Hybrid Work Environments

In these pandemic days, everyone is talking about hybrid workplace arrangements. Nearly three-fourths of companies say they’re using or planning to use a hybrid work model, yet few articles are discussing how hybrid work will affect the role of facility managers. Hybrid working affects facility managers’ jobs in unique ways, and they will need to know how […]

Top 50 U.S. Cities for Termites, a.k.a. ‘Wood-Eating Machines’

There seems to be a changing of the guard, as the city of Angels has apparently become the city of… termites? Pest control specialist Orkin revealed Los Angeles is claiming the top spot for the first time on the company’s annual Top 50 Termites Cities list. Miami, the historic frontrunner, has fallen to second place, […]

Biggest Challenges for Facilities Managers in 2022

With the arrival of 2022, the world has begun to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic and many things have changed about the way we live. This sweeping change has clearly created challenges in virtually every industry and every workplace, and this is certainly true for facilities managers. Of course, it is worth pointing out that […]

Eco-Friendly Pest Control for Landscaping

An eco-friendly pest control plan is the best way to ensure your landscaping remains pest-free and has the healthiest impact on your building, employees, and the environment. Whether you’ve dealt with ineffective pest control methods in the past or you’re proactively looking to keep critters and pests at bay, opting for an eco-friendly route can […]

cleaning

Back to Basics: Cleaning, Disinfecting, or Sanitizing? What’s Right for Your Facility?

Back to Basics is an article series that highlights important, but possibly overlooked, information facilities management professionals should know.  It’s important to properly clean, disinfect, and sanitize to make buildings healthy. There is some confusion among the three terms, but it’s important to focus on cleaning and disinfecting unless your facility or local, state, or […]

What Are Healthy Buildings?

As we head into Healthy Buildings Week here at Facilities Management Advisor, one might ask: “What are healthy buildings?” Healthy buildings involve a variety of categories, including design, cleaning protocols, ventilation, water quality, safety and security, clear communication and signage, encouragement of active occupants, and certification programs. Healthy buildings take on added importance as many workers […]

Do You Need an Office Manager or a Facility Manager? Know the Difference

Although office managers and facility managers have some overlapping roles and responsibilities, their contributions in the workplace are different and unique. As an employer, recruiter, or potential commercial building owner, if you are currently considering employing either of these managers in your premises, here are the details to help you narrow down which of these […]

Better Buildings: How Facilities Management Impacts Both Security and Productivity

There can be no doubt that the buildings we work in have a big impact on us. This issue was brought to the forefront during the COVID-19 pandemic, as many people were asked to work remotely.  Interestingly, around one-third of workers admit that they are less productive when working from home. So, we can say […]

5 Ways COVID Changed How Americans View Public Restrooms

Upon entering the third year of the pandemic, Americans are not only more sensitive to germs in public restrooms, they now hold higher standards for the cleanliness, condition, and technology used in these shared spaces, according to the annual Healthy Handwashing Survey from Bradley Corp. conducted in January. Despite ongoing COVID-19 outbreaks, most Americans have […]