Tag: air quality

EPA Announces $3 Billion to Help U.S. Ports Cut Emissions

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched the $3 billion Clean Ports Program to fund zero-emission equipment, infrastructure, and climate planning at U.S. ports. According to the EPA, the program is designed to help ports across the country transition to fully zero-emissions operations—serving as a catalyst for transformational change across the freight sector. The funding opportunities were […]

EPA Awards Nearly $1 Billion for Green School Bus Fleets

Following “overwhelming demand,” the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has selected 67 applicants to receive about $965 million in grants through the Clean School Bus Program. That’s more than double the $400 million in grants initially planned when the EPA called for applications in April 2023. The funding is made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, […]

USGBC Officials Reveal Details of LEED Version 5 Draft

During a November 16 webinar, more information was released regarding the highly anticipated draft of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) version 5 Operations and Maintenance (O&M) rating system. The draft was released in September 2023 at the 2023 Greenfield Conference and Expo. While the launch of LEED […]

Incorporating a Biophilic Design into Your Facilities

As more employees return to the office in a hybrid or fully in-office setting, it’s important for facilities professionals to work with building management on de-stressing the workplace by implementing biophilic design principles, which involves the use of nature in facility designs. During Facilities Management Advisor’s Healthy Buildings Week 2023, guest speaker Kelly Walowski, global […]

How to Improve Facility Health Through WELL

COVID-19 brought wellness to the forefront of everyone’s minds, and as infection numbers are yet again going up, many facilities managers are looking for ways to make their facilities healthier by becoming WELL-certified through the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI). Angela Spangler, senior director of global market development for IWBI, was the speaker for the […]

Crypto.com Arena Earns WELL Health-Safety Rating

The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) has awarded its WELL Health-Safety Rating to Crypto.com Arena, home of the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers, the NHL’s LA Kings, and the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks. “As an organization dedicated to delivering the most memorable sports and live entertainment experiences, Crypto.com Arena has been at the forefront of adopting stringent cleaning […]

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 […]

Facility Managers Improve IAQ by Combining UV‑C and MERV 8 Technologies

Long before the pandemic, researchers knew that poor indoor air quality (IAQ) made workers sick and decreased cognition and attendance. A Harvard study of more than 3,000 workers showed that sick leave doubled among employees in poorly ventilated areas. Poor air IAQ has also been shown to decrease office workers’ cognitive function and decision-making, as well […]

Back to Basics: 10 Ways to Prepare Your Facilities for Wildfires

Back to Basics is an article series that highlights important, but possibly overlooked, information facilities management professionals should know. With summer in full swing, along with rising temperatures and increased dry vegetation, facilities management professionals should be reminded that this year’s wildfire season has already begun—and it’s becoming a larger problem than in the past. […]

7 Ways Organizations Can Lead Workers Into a Hybrid World

As workplaces continue to deal with the challenges of developing an effective hybrid environment for their employees, it is important that facilities managers work together with executives so they can help their organizations succeed while meeting the needs of both management and employees. Mike Petrusky, host of the “Workplace Innovator Podcast” and the “Asset Champion […]