Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized 103 U.S. manufacturing plants that earned the agency’s ENERGY STAR certification in 2023, a designation reserved for manufacturing plants in the top 25% of energy efficiency in their sector. Together, these facilities prevented more than 8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, equivalent to the emissions from […]
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced $425 million in funding to help reduce industrial emissions and advance clean energy manufacturing in coal communities across the country. Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and managed by the Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC), the Advanced Manufacturing and Recycling Grant Program will support small […]
In 2023, facility and maintenance managers saw the emergence of advanced technologies and artificial intelligence, new environmental sustainability regulations, and higher-than-ever customer expectations. With so many conflicting priorities, it is easy for facilities professionals to feel their heads spin. In a recent survey of manufacturing and facilities management companies, maintenance professionals report a heavy focus […]
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has released its second annual Industry Trends Survey, which reveals skilled trade workers’ sentiment around the current state of labor, training, and technology on the jobsite. NFPA collected responses from 310 U.S.-based workers in the electrical, manufacturing, construction, engineering, architect/design, facility maintenance, fire service, and insurance/risk management fields. In […]
Continuous improvement in manufacturing refers to ongoing efforts to enhance products, services, or processes. The improvements can be incremental over time or achieved through breakthrough moments. However, the goal is to streamline operations, reduce waste, and increase efficiency and productivity in manufacturing facilities. Embedding a culture of continuous development and refinement in manufacturing facilities is […]
Facilities Management Advisor’s “Under Construction” series highlights some of the latest, most interesting facility project announcements every month. $11B Chip Factory Texas Instruments (TI) broke ground on its new 300-mm semiconductor wafer fabrication plant in Lehi, Utah. Dubbed LFAB2, the facility will connect to TI’s existing wafer fab in Lehi and ultimately help the company manufacture tens […]
Editor’s note: FM Perspectives are industry op-eds. The views expressed are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect those of Facilities Management Advisor. The Southeast has quietly emerged as one of the leading geographic regions for manufacturers to relocate their facilities today. Boasting plentiful opportunities from infrastructure to real estate costs, a move to the Southeast is […]
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. […]
Leading states are strengthening policies to enable widespread use of electric cars, trucks, and buses, but all states will have to dramatically step up their efforts to enable a full transition, according to a new report. The 2023 State Transportation Electrification Scorecard from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) evaluates states’ policies to encourage electric […]
Despite concerted efforts to reduce both serious injury and death on the job, workplace fatality rates in the United States have remained largely unchanged over the past three decades. To help reverse this devastating development and assist organizations on their safety journeys, the National Safety Council (NSC) recently released a white paper through its Work to […]