Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
Give a big round of a-paws for Barni, an explosives detection canine at the San Francisco International Airport (SFO)! He has been named the winner of the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) 2024 Cutest Canine Contest. The agency uses the annual contest to highlight the important role of security canines. Last week, the TSA held its […]
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has selected five groups to receive $34 million in grants for projects helping address indoor air pollution in K-12 schools in low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities across the country. This announcement comes after the agency revealed $26 million in funding to protect children from lead in drinking water at schools […]
Melissa Grimes serves as a regional vice president at ESFM, the corporate facilities management division of Compass Group USA. In her role, she supports life science pharmaceuticals accounts with over 25 campuses across North America totaling more than 100 buildings. According to Grimes, her most important responsibility is contributing to the success of her team […]
Convenience store chain Circle K faces a $16,131 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fine after a store cashier in Orlando, Florida, suffered a serious gunshot injury, the agency announced August 14. OSHA inspectors learned that two unidentified men entered the Circle K location on Silver Star Road shortly after 1 a.m. on January 19, 2024; pointed firearms; […]
On July 29, 2024, Cal Water, the third largest water utility company in the country serving half-a-million customers in California, announced that it has helped its customers reduce their water bills by 20.5% in the last 15 years. This is compared to what they might have been charged without water conservation and water efficiency efforts […]
In 2018, a third of Baltimore’s schools closed due to heating issues. In 2019, schools in Providence, R.I., faced leaking sewage and contaminated drinking water. These aren’t signs of low funding—average U.S. public school spending per pupil actually rose 8.9% to $15,633 in fiscal year 2022. So, what’s the problem? Research paints a clear picture. […]
The need for new buildings and facilities is soaring, buoyed by surging demand for everything from manufacturing to clean energy infrastructure and the triumvirate of legislation making construction more cost-effective, including the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) Act. While this […]
It’s back-to-school time, and this year a survey got the “deets” about teens’ handwashing habits, restroom evaluations, and whether or not they stay home from school when they’re sick. The Healthy Handwashing Survey, conducted by Bradley Company, connected with 1,012 high schoolers ages 14 to 18 to gather their insights and opinions. Handwashing & Health […]
As the new school year approaches, college students nationwide are preparing to move into campus dormitories and off-campus housing. Through their annual “Campus Fire Safety for Students” campaign in September, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and Center for Campus Fire Safety (CCFS) want to ensure students, parents, and campus housing staff and administrators have the relevant information and resources […]
Creating a facility master plan is a bit like piecing together a puzzle—there are a lot of moving parts to consider. Whether you decide to bring in external help or lean on your internal team, the key is to ensure your plan accurately reflects your facility’s current state, anticipates future changes, and outlines a clear […]