Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced a historic long-term purchase of electricity, including carbon-pollution-free electricity (CFE), from Constellation New Energy Inc. The deal marks the GSA’s first long-term, multi-agency purchase of electricity and aims to increase resilience and reliability for federal agencies while protecting against price increases. With a focus on new nuclear power, […]
Demand for commercial building electrification has been growing over the past decade as organizations aim to reduce their carbon footprint and become more energy efficient. By electrifying systems such as HVAC, water heating, and cooking, building owners and organizations have been able to achieve benefits such as increased energy efficiency, reduced carbon emissions, and safer […]
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has opened applications for the 2025 Renew America’s Schools Prize, which will offer $90 million for facility upgrades that improve health, safety, and energy costs in K-12 public schools across America. Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this third round of funding builds on $178 million awarded in 2023 and […]
Facilities managers have faced various challenges throughout 2024, including sustainability, labor shortages, and innovations in technology, all while ensuring building compliance standards. As sustainability efforts and technology innovations grew this year and labor shortages continued, facilities managers needed to ensure that they had the right tools to monitor and optimize their resources and chart the […]
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that 70 applicants across 27 states, three Tribal Nations, and one territory have been tentatively selected to receive over $735 million to assist in the purchase of over 2,400 zero-emission vehicles through its first-ever Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program. The majority of the funding will go toward adopting […]
L’Oréal USA, the U.S. subsidiary of global beauty and cosmetics giant L’Oréal Groupe, announced its corporate office in El Segundo, Calif., has been awarded two LEED Platinum certifications and a WELL Platinum certification. This achievement marks the first time a L’Oréal building has received three platinum certifications (the highest level available) in sustainability and occupant […]
Planning a major facility renovation or new build in 2025? The state of the construction industry could have an impact on your project. JLL’s new 2025 U.S. Construction Outlook details the opportunities, challenges, and key focus areas for the U.S. construction industry in the coming year, accounting for a rapidly shifting political and economic landscape in […]
Cleaning is a key part of facilities management, providing a safe, healthy, and presentable space for facility occupants and visitors. At the recent ISSA trade show in Las Vegas, Steve Ashkin, president of The Ashkin Group and a leading voice for sustainability in the professional cleaning industry, was asked about the potential impact of the […]
The New York Power Authority (NYPA) announced it installed a suite of energy efficiency upgrades at Stony Brook University Hospital (SBUH), an academic medical center on Long Island, N.Y. Totaling nearly $20 million, the projects directly support BuildSmart 2025, a statewide energy efficiency program administered by NYPA aimed at reducing energy usage in state facilities […]
For hotels, dormitories, public housing, and assisted living facilities, balancing occupant comfort, energy, and cost-consciousness can take titanic effort. With buildings accounting for approximately 30% of final energy consumption globally and half of final electricity demand, the matter is even more pressing. Energy management thermostats offer a solution designed to address the balance of comfort […]