Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
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 […]
The Morrison Center, constructed on the National Security Agency (NSA)/Central Security Service (CSS) Washington East Campus in Fort Mead, Md., has received the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification—the first project on the campus to earn the designation. The 843,000 square-foot, seven-story facility opened in November 2022. As the […]
By 2030, the number of electric vehicles (EVs) on American roads is projected to reach 26.4 million. Furthermore, President Joe Biden has set a goal of having 50% of all new vehicle sales be electric, again by 2030. In order to support this EV initiative, the president also announced his vision of building 500,000 new […]
Back to Basics is an article series that highlights important, but possibly overlooked, information facilities management professionals should know. Most facilities professionals have heard the term “net zero buildings” before but perhaps don’t know exactly what it means or why they should convert their facilities to net zero. Commercial, educational, industrial, and nonprofit facilities should […]
Smart buildings are modern structures engineered to automate various functions, rendering daily operations more efficient, safe, and cost-effective. This shift towards intelligent infrastructure is particularly noticeable in the corporate sector, offering a blend of architectural intelligence, energy conservation, and streamlined operational management. This article explores the various advantages that smart buildings bring to the corporate […]
With the growing adoption of renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and bioenergy, many industrial and commercial facilities managers are looking to add renewables to offset fossil fuel use, reduce energy costs, and meet sustainability goals. However, choosing the right renewable energy system requires careful evaluation of a facility’s unique energy needs, siting, costs, and […]
The New York Power Authority (NYPA) and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey completed the installation of energy-efficient LED lights throughout One World Trade Center, the tallest building in the United States. The project began in April 2022. Such lighting projects directly support BuildSmart 2025, a statewide energy efficiency program administered by NYPA […]
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY STAR program is celebrating over 25 years of achievements in lighting efficiency. The celebration comes as the ENERGY STAR label for most lighting is poised to sunset after a long, successful run and the recently enacted federal sales ban on incandescent bulbs. Since the ENERGY STAR label for […]
In October, the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (NOENMCC) received three prestigious awards: the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Community Leader Award for the South Central Region and two Love Your City Awards from LifeCity. With 1.1 million square feet of exhibit space under one roof, NOENMCC is among the largest convention centers in the U.S. These new awards celebrate […]
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a groundbreaking, innovative technology that profoundly transforms facilities management. Running a facility encompasses a wide range of day-to-day tasks, ranging from asset management to security and access control, and IoT is pivotal in making those tasks and duties more manageable and autonomous. IoT in Facilities Management IoT technology is […]