Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
Colgate-Palmolive has signed a 20-year virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) for a solar energy project outside of Waco, Texas. With start-up anticipated in 2025, the 209-megawatt (MW) Markum Solar Farm is expected to produce the equivalent of 100% of the company’s U.S.-based operational electricity needs. This news follows the company’s announcement in 2022, when it shared that […]
The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) has announced the member-elected executive committee and appointees to its global board of directors for the 2024-25 fiscal year. Effective July 1, Lynn Baez, FMP, SFP, IFMA Fellow, will lead the board as chair. She is joined by First Vice Chair Christa Dodoo, CFM, FMP, CIWFM, CMQ-OE, and Second […]
What constitutes a zero-emissions building? The Biden administration is working to create a national, standardized, and verifiable definition for all stakeholders. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has developed Part 1 of a draft national definition for zero-emissions buildings and is now seeking feedback from industry, academia, research laboratories, government agencies, and other stakeholders through […]
In this day and age, when many companies house much of their critical information and infrastructure online, it’s imperative to plan ahead. What would you and your company do in the event of an emergency or sabotage?
Following the catastrophic Maui wildfires, which are among the deadliest in U.S. history, and with the state of Washington now grappling with its own destructive blazes, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is urging governments, communities, and individual property owners alike to take science-backed steps to prepare for wildfire, reduce risks, and support more robust […]
Our first environmental enforcement report for August 2018 highlights the importance of running a compliant facility. Below, we present five recent cases—two of which resulted in penalties of over $1,000,000. These kinds of fines are a good reminder of the importance of environmental compliance to a facility’s bottom line.
In a move to step-up its clean energy goals, the University of California (UC) has signed its first-ever wind energy contract. The deal represents the university’s largest renewable energy commitment to date in support of campus decarbonization. UC entered the 85 megawatt (MW) power purchase agreement with Pattern Energy, which is developing the 3,500 MW […]
If you’re a college or university trying to attract parents of prospective students, post-pandemic, you’ll likely want to up your game when it comes to perceived campus cleanliness and indoor air quality (IAQ). That’s according to a new survey by JLL, a professional services firm that specializes in real estate and investment management. Conducted in […]
Until recently, physical keys and plastic ID cards were the backbone of campus access control and services, often tied to disjointed systems. Today, students expect seamless integration of campus services, including building access, dining, vending, laundry, copy and print, transportation, and more—all accessible on their phones. Much like concert tickets, debit and credit cards, airline […]
Property owners want to maintain a pleasant landscape for a host of reasons, such as attracting quality tenants or to portray themselves as a positive force for their community, among other reasons. Whether the landscape is beautifully ornamented or a simple, lightly planted green space, facility managers charged with maintenance and operations have come to […]