Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
Today’s employees – a workforce that includes many millennial and Generation Z workers who are notoriously independent and eschew loyalty to their companies in favor of flexibility – want to work remotely. Except when they don’t.
Climate Pledge Arena, home of the NHL’s Seattle Kraken and the WNBA’s Seattle Storm, has become the first arena in the world to achieve the International Living Future Institute’s (ILFI) Zero Carbon Certification. “Our Zero Carbon Certification recognizes highly energy-efficient buildings that are designed and operated to fully account for their carbon emissions impacts,” explained ILFI CEO […]
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has launched a national emphasis program to prevent workplace hazards in warehouses, processing facilities, distribution centers, and high-risk retail establishments. In the past 10 years, warehousing and distribution centers have experienced tremendous growth with more than 1.9 million people employed in the industry. The Bureau of Labor […]
A new analysis from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) found that, coupled with building envelope improvements, installing geothermal heat pumps in around 70% of U.S. buildings could save as much as 593 terawatt-hours of electricity generation annually and avoid seven gigatons of carbon-equivalent emissions by 2050. “To put that in context, 593 terawatt-hours is about 15% […]
In line with its goal to reach net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050, major home improvement company Lowe’s has announced plans to have rooftop solar installations atop 174 store and distribution center locations nationwide, including 20 sites currently in operation. Once each site is completed, the solar panels will provide approximately 90% of the […]
Why not charge your electric vehicle (EV) while charging yourself up with a strong cup of coffee? That’s what Starbucks and a Mercedes-Benz subsidiary plan to offer customers under a new strategic partnership to electrify over 100 Starbucks stores across the country. The deal is yet another example of major corporations embracing sustainability initiatives. The […]
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $50 million in funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for states to ensure that smart manufacturing technologies and high-performance computing are more accessible by domestic manufacturing firms. The State Manufacturing Leadership Program aims to remove existing barriers that prevent innovative, data-driven tools and technologies from being used by small- and medium-sized […]
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), in partnership with the Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office, the Fauquier County Fire Rescue System, and Fauquier County Public Schools in Virginia, successfully conducted a full-scale active shooter/reunification exercise aimed at bolstering the safety and security of K-12 schools on June 27. The exercise was held at Kettle Run […]
Are you prepared to fully reopen your facilities during an ongoing, if waning, pandemic and the threat of wildfires this summer? States and localities are rolling back pandemic precautions as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccinations roll out across the United States–President Biden pledged May 4 that 70% of American adults would receive at least one vaccine dose […]
An international survey of cleaners, commissioned by UNI Global Union, uncovers the significant challenges faced by cleaning professionals who work irregular and unsocial shifts. The survey, which received responses from over 2,500 cleaners in 32 countries across 6 continents, highlights the “detrimental effects” of nighttime on the health, well-being, and social inclusion of workers. The […]