Category: Sustainability/Business Continuity

Now & Next: Empowering Women in FM (Infographic)

In honor of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, top advocates in facilities management offer insights and inspiration for both seasoned professionals and women considering a career in the space. Please help spread the empowerment by sharing this Q&A infographic!

Climate Change and Existing Buildings

For those who might have missed it, the Nov. 3, 2021, broadcast of Good Morning America had a fascinating segment about the steps New York City is taking to protect the city, its residents, and of course, its scores of buildings from the progression of climate change. According to the segment, Hurricane Sandy, which in […]

Are We ‘Out of the Woods’ When It Comes to Water Shortages? Efficiency Tips for FMs

The rainy season in California begins each year in October. When it started in October 2021, nearly half of the state was experiencing “exceptional” drought. This is the most severe category of drought. As for the rest of the state, 87% faced “extreme” drought, the second-most severe category. But flash forward three months, and it […]

U.S. Agencies Seek Path to 100% Clean Energy for Federal Government

The Biden administration has taken an important step forward to decarbonize all U.S. federal facilities, with two major agencies launching a request for information (RFI) to help meet the clean energy goal. Issued by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), the RFI aims to gather market information and […]

Biden Admin Launches Building Performance Standards Coalition with State and Local Governments

The Biden administration is teaming up with states, cities, labor, and industry to launch the National Building Performance Standards Coalition, a first-of-its-kind partnership between 33 state and local governments dedicated to delivering cleaner, healthier, and more affordable buildings. President Joe Biden announced the new coalition during his remarks at the recent U.S. Conference of Mayors’ […]

Top 10 States for LEED Buildings in 2021

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced the ranking of its annual Top 10 States for LEED, with Illinois once again topping the list and demonstrating leadership in green building. Illinois certified 3.16 square feet of building space per person under LEED in 2021. LEED is the world’s most widely used green building program and was created by […]

U.S. Superstores Have Huge Rooftop Solar Potential

By covering their roofs with solar panels, America’s big-box retail and grocery stores could generate enough clean electricity to power more than 7.9 million U.S. homes, according to a new report from Environment America Research & Policy Center and Frontier Group. The report, titled “Solar on Superstores: Big Roofs, Big Potential for Renewable Energy” also shows that […]

Today’s Top Challenges for Facilities Management Professionals

The COVID-19 era has been a challenging time for facilities management staff as they focus on extensive cleaning and indoor air quality issues. However, there are several other large issues that have impacted their profession, including The Great Resignation, supply chain shortages, lead time and building commissioning, inflation, environmental sensitivity, and networking. Facilities Management Compliance […]

3 Methods for Facility Managers to Grow Their Sustainability Efforts

Companies seem to be experiencing a sustainability shortfall, despite an uptick in the number of properties seeking Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, and similar accreditations. Although most corporate leaders agree that sustainability merits support, many organizations still don’t have formal sustainability measures in place. However, closing that gap may land squarely in the lap […]

WWF and Northwestern Offer Guide on Sustainable Building Materials

The green building materials market is expected to skyrocket in the next five years, catalyzed by an urgent need to build structures that can respond to more intense weather patterns and offer lower carbon footprints. However, there have been few ways to compare basic materials and understand the impact of using them. Now, Northwestern University […]