Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
In an ongoing effort to ensure school safety, the Virginia Department of Education has awarded $12 million in School Security Equipment Grants to 433 schools across 99 divisions. “Every parent wants to know their child is safe at school, and these school security infrastructure grants help make that promise real,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Emily Anne […]
It’s late November at a major international airport. A woman walks calmly past a line of travelers, glides through what appears to be an airline personnel lane, and approaches a gate. She doesn’t show a boarding pass. She didn’t clear a traveler security checkpoint. Yet she boards a flight bound for Europe, undetected, unverified, and […]
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month—a timely reminder that today’s facilities managers aren’t just responsible for physical spaces, but also for the digital systems that power them. For an in-depth discussion on smart building cybersecurity, please don’t miss the upcoming webinar, “Facilities in the Digital Era: How to Defend Against Cyberattacks.” More event info and FREE […]
Higher education institutions across the United States have experienced tightened budgets because of fluctuating enrollment rates, increasing costs, and a surge in security demands. As a result, facilities managers have had to make strategic cuts and reallocate resources without compromising efficiency, safety, and compliance. Investing in new technologies and training is crucial for surveillance and […]
While most facilities managers view access control as a security necessity, forward-thinking managers are discovering it’s a powerful operational asset. Today’s smart access control platforms deliver measurable return on investment (ROI) beyond security, from reducing administrative overhead and automating compliance reporting to optimizing space utilization. Let’s look at three broad capabilities that facilities managers can […]
Indiana officials have approved nearly $27.1 million in grants to support security initiatives at 494 schools across the state. The funding comes from the Secured School Safety Grant (SSSG) program. Established in 2013 and administered by the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, the program issues matching grants to public and private schools, charter schools, and school coalitions. […]
As facilities managers tasked with balancing energy efficiency and security, you’ll find that artificial intelligence (AI) offers powerful tools to streamline operations, cut costs, and enhance resilience. Here are proven, practical strategies to harness AI for smarter energy management while bolstering facility security and control. 1. Predictive Maintenance for HVAC and Equipment One of the […]
Give a big round of a-paws for Steeler, an explosives detection canine from Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT)! The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has named the two-and-a-half-year-old Labrador retriever the winner of its 2025 Cutest Canine Contest. The agency uses the annual contest to highlight the important role of security canines. The TSA recently held its nationwide […]
Hospitals and other healthcare facilities are in a unique position relative to active shooter threats and other types of workplace violence. As opposed to other types of critical infrastructure such as banks and factories that are tightly locked down under multiple layers of security, hospitals are generally open and accessible to nearly all members of […]
There is no such thing as perfect, airtight security. This is a hard truth that facilities managers have to accept. Any security setup is going to have gaps somewhere. Our job is to minimize those gaps to reduce the odds of a malicious actor slipping through and help keep the facility safe amidst a rising […]