Category: Sustainability/Business Continuity

A Pill for Every Ill and the Precautionary Principle with Facility Cleaning

In the 1950s, benzodiazepine drugs were first introduced by pharmaceutical manufacturers. These drugs were found to treat a wide range of problems, including anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia, muscle spasms, nervous tics, even ringing in the ears, better known as tinnitus. By the 1960s, the most famous of all the “benzos,” as they were called, was […]

The Most Important Functions of Facility Management

In any building, the foremost objective of facility management is to provide a conducive environment that enables building users to gain the maximum benefits from being in that space. Achieving this objective requires a skillful administration of certain functions to optimize the four major areas of facility management—people, place, process, and technology. Facility management that […]

The Top U.S. Cities for ENERGY STAR Certified Buildings

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced its annual “Top Cities” list, spotlighting the cities with the greatest number of ENERGY STAR certified commercial and multifamily buildings in 2021. Los Angeles leads with nearly 650 ENERGY STAR certified buildings. Close behind is Washington, D.C., with nearly 500 buildings, followed by Atlanta in third place. […]

Better Buildings Initiative Surpasses $15B in Energy Savings

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a total $15.3 billion in energy savings through the Better Buildings Initiative, a public-private partnership with more than 900 businesses, state and local governments, utilities, housing authorities, and other organizations across the United States pursuing ambitious energy, waste, water, and/or greenhouse gas reduction goals and sharing their solutions. […]

ENERGY STAR Awards Honor Sustainability Efforts of Over 200 Organizations

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) have announced the winners of the 2022 ENERGY STAR Awards. These 210 organizations, which represent the top ENERGY STAR partners, are making important contributions in support of America’s clean energy transition. They come from 37 states and span nearly every sector of the economy, including Fortune 500 […]

Air Quality ‘Report Card’ Ranks Most Polluted and Cleanest Places in U.S.

Countless studies have found that good indoor air quality is critical for facility occupants’ health. But are your facilities, themselves, located in a region with a dangerous amount of outside air pollution to combat? The American Lung Association has released its 23rd annual “State of the Air” report card, which tracks and grades Americans’ exposure […]

Amazon: A Case Study in How Strategic Warehouse Placement Can Drastically Reduce Shipping Times

Few businesses can compete with Amazon—not just as a retailer, but also in shipping, data management, and even warehousing. To become the juggernaut it is today, Amazon has evolved to provide many of its necessary service needs.  For its warehousing needs alone, for example, Amazon reportedly owns nearly 319 million square feet of fulfillment center […]

Energy-Efficient Lighting Upgrade Planned for One World Trade Center

The New York Power Authority (NYPA) and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey have announced that energy-efficient LED lights will be installed throughout One World Trade Center, the tallest building in the United States. “NYPA and Port Authority are partnering to upgrade and modernize the lighting at One World Trade Center, which […]

FAA Partners with U.S. Airports to Meet 2050 Net-Zero Climate Challenge

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and U.S. airports have launched an Airport Climate Challenge to help achieve the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. Airports can take advantage of several FAA funding programs to meet this goal, including grants for low- or zero-emissions vehicles, renewable energy production, energy assessments […]

How the University of Pittsburgh Plans to Become Carbon Neutral

In February 2020, the University of Pittsburgh announced its goal to go carbon neutral by 2037—13 years sooner than the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s call for global carbon neutrality. A new report, the Pitt Climate Action Plan, spells out how the university will achieve that goal through investments in clean energy, transportation, efficiency, and other areas. […]