Author: Anurag Lal, President & CEO, NetSfere

Strengthening Physical and Digital Security Against Data Breaches

According to Verizon’s 2022 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR), 82% of data breaches involved the human element. When that percentage is used to determine how many of the 1,802 data breaches in 2022 could have been avoided if human error were not a factor, the number is an eye-opening 1,478. That makes a compelling case […]

Sydney Opera House Earns Green Building Rating for ‘World Leadership’

The iconic Sydney Opera House has achieved a 6 Star Green Star rating from the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA). Honeywell, a Sydney Opera House Global Goals partner since 2021, said it helped Australia’s most famous building attain the globally recognized sustainability rating through retrofits using the company’s technology. The opera house is now one […]

Homeland Security Issues First Department-Wide Policy on Body-Worn Cameras

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas has announced the first department-wide policy on body-worn cameras (BWCs) for its law enforcement officers and agents. The department’s plan will include a phased implementation of BWCs while working with Congress to secure the necessary funding to equip agents nationwide with the recording devices. The new policy […]

Colorado Passes ‘Landmark’ Law on Wildfire Resiliency and Building Codes

On May 12, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed SB23-166, a new law establishing a Wildfire Resiliency Code Board to enhance building codes, bolster fire-resistant construction, and protect against wildfire risks in the state’s wildland-urban interface (WUI) areas. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and International Code Council strongly supported SB23-166 and have praised its passage, […]

Faces of Facilities: Carla Gonzalez from ESFM

With two years of experience in facilities management, Carla Gonzalez is relatively new to the industry. But she is already a strong leader, loves her job, and plays a major role in sustainability. Gonzalez is an operations manager at ESFM, the corporate integrated facilities management division of Compass Group USA. The company provides FM services […]

CBRE Report: Most Companies Requiring Office Attendance

Companies are more proactive about office attendance than last year, with 65% saying they’re requiring in-office work at least some of the time, according to a new survey by CBRE of 207 companies with U.S. offices. This is more than double the respondents that required in-office attendance last year. Partly due to those proactive efforts, office […]

Survey Finds Mass Adoption of Smart Building Tech, Gap in Data Analytics

A new survey reveals that while many U.S. businesses are embracing smart building technology to increase energy efficiency and lower costs, they may fall short of their goals due to an inability to master the data. Toggled, a building management solutions company and wholly owned subsidiary of Altair, recently surveyed more than 500 U.S. facility decision-makers throughout […]

CDC: Aim for 5 Air Changes Per Hour in Buildings

On May 12, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its “Ventilation in Buildings” guidelines to include a discussion on “How much ventilation is enough?” to help prevent airborne disease transmission. “When possible, aim for 5 or more air changes per hour (ACH) of clean air to help reduce the number of germs […]

University of California Inks Major Wind Energy Deal to Power Campuses

In a move to step-up its clean energy goals, the University of California (UC) has signed its first-ever wind energy contract. The deal represents the university’s largest renewable energy commitment to date in support of campus decarbonization. UC entered the 85 megawatt (MW) power purchase agreement with Pattern Energy, which is developing the 3,500 MW […]

K-12 School Safety Toolkit Aims to Boost Bystander Reporting

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) have released the K-12 Bystander Reporting Toolkit, a new resource to support K-12 schools in strengthening school safety reporting programs and encouraging bystander reporting among students and the broader school community. The toolkit offers simple strategies and guidance K-12 […]