Tag: architecture

The Rise of Office-to-Amenity Conversions in Commercial Real Estate

Offices are increasingly vacant. According to Moody’s Q2 2024 CRE trend report, office vacancy rates have exceeded 20% this year as businesses reduce their space or leave the office entirely, driven by the continued demand for hybrid work. In response, building owners and facility leaders are under increased pressure to offer enhanced amenities, to help […]

Decarbonization Strategies for the Whole Building Life Cycle

As climate change reshapes our world, the demand for environmentally responsible building practices has never been more urgent, especially given that the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry contributes more than 37% of global carbon emissions. A new focus on sustainable construction is emerging, with a particular emphasis on the critical role of embodied carbon. […]

GSA Adopts New Accessibility Guidelines for Federal Buildings

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced a final rule amending the Federal Management Regulation to adopt the new accessibility guidelines issued by the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board). The Access Board’s guidelines establish that pedestrian facilities in the public right-of-way dedicated to transportation are readily accessible to and usable by people with disabilities. The […]

How FCA Designed Its New Philadelphia HQ for Employee Wellness

The pandemic forced us to focus on the health and well-being of our bodies. Now as we look ahead to the future of work, the same focus should also be placed on our environments. While it is an individual pursuit, wellness is significantly influenced by our physical, social, and cultural environments. The Global Wellness Institute […]

Under Construction: Top Facility Projects of April 2024

Facilities Management Advisor’s “Under Construction” series highlights some of the latest, most interesting facility project announcements every month. A Greener JFK Airport In light of Earth Month, April had a bunch of clean energy project announcements. John F. Kennedy International Airport—which topped our inaugural installment of this series with a multibillion-dollar facelift in 2022—takes the […]

U.S. Green Building Council Seeks Public Input on New LEED Certification

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has opened the first public comment period for its draft Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design version 5 (LEED v5), the latest iteration of the globally recognized green building certification. Although the update initially focused on operations and maintenance of existing buildings, it has since been expanded to include […]

Under Construction: Top Facility Projects of February 2024

Facilities Management Advisor’s “Under Construction” series highlights some of the latest, most interesting facility project announcements every month. More Room for Largest HBCU During Black History Month, there were several notable facility projects that honor and benefit the Black community. The list includes the reconstruction of a 1738 fort; plans for a new Jackie Robinson […]

Is Physical Security an Afterthought in Building Design?

Brivo, a provider of cloud-based access control and smart building technologies, announced the results of its research into integrated physical security in building design by architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) practitioners. The report finds that despite an increased commitment to “security-by-design” principles, the industry is still spending significant time and money post-build to fix security […]

Lessons in Sustainability: Three Universities Creating Green Campuses

Higher education plays a key role in how we address the challenges of climate change—not only in our scientific understanding of the cause and effect of carbon emissions, but also in how our built spaces can adapt. Because many college and university campuses feature historical (even outdated) infrastructure, many are taking opportunities to build new […]

Faces of Facilities: Erna Perkins-Jones from Johnson C. Smith University

Diversity, equality, and representation are essential across all industries, including facilities management. In honor of Black History Month, Erna Perkins-Jones shares her FM success story, discusses what the annual observance means to her, and offers advice for future facility leaders, no matter their skin color. Perkins-Jones is the director of facilities at Johnson C. Smith […]