Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
Sometimes a company’s employees just need to leave. Workplace emergencies can range from isolated chemical spills, fires, toxic gas releases, and active shooter incidents to local flooding; hurricanes; tornados; and, more rarely, terrorist attacks. Workplace lockdowns or sheltering in place may be the appropriate response, but sometimes you need to evacuate your facility. But first, […]
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that 93 U.S. manufacturing plants earned the agency’s ENERGY STAR certification in 2021. ENERGY STAR-certified plants are verified to be among the most energy-efficient plants within their industries. Together, they prevented more than 5 million metric tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the industrial sector, which is […]
How much time and money do you and your organization lose every year—or every day!—because someone has been unable to make a decision? It turns out that facility managers may have more influence on decision-making than you realize! As an architect and Certified Facility Manager with over 30 years’ experience helping people make facility-related decisions, […]
Michigan State University (MSU) officials recently shared a progress update on campus safety and security initiatives taken in response to a mass shooting on Feb. 13. Three students were killed and five others were injured during the tragic event. In late April, MSU’s Department of Police and Public Safety (DPPS) announced key findings from its ongoing […]
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced 43 Safer Choice Partner of the Year award winners across 20 states and the District of Columbia, recognizing their achievements in the design, manufacture, promotion, selection, and use of cleaners, detergents, and other products with safer chemicals. The Safer Choice program helps consumers and purchasers at facilities find […]
In these pandemic days, everyone is talking about hybrid workplace arrangements. Nearly three-fourths of companies say they’re using or planning to use a hybrid work model, yet few articles are discussing how hybrid work will affect the role of facility managers. Hybrid working affects facility managers’ jobs in unique ways, and they will need to know how […]
Floor care is continuous—from the moment a new floor is installed to its eventual replacement five, 10, or 20 years down the line, the work never stops. High foot traffic, tracking of water, dirt and debris, spills, stains, and more can significantly impact the appearance and longevity of any flooring. Floor care professionals are tasked […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) finally published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register on August 30, initiating a 120-day public comment period for the agency’s proposed heat illness prevention standard (89 Fed. Reg. 70698). OSHA first released the text of its proposal on the agency website on July 2. Comments on the proposed standard are […]
On November 1, 2018, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced the winners of its 2018 Leadership Awards. Each year, the USGBC, an organization dedicated to creating a sustainable future through cost-efficient and energy conscious design and construction, recognizes outstanding individuals and organizations at the forefront of the green building movement. The recipients of the […]
As a regional facilities manager at major real estate services firm Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), Sam Horton oversees a leading tech company’s properties across San Francisco. With a vast portfolio exceeding 4.6 billion square feet under management, Chicago-based JLL provides comprehensive services worldwide. In his role, Horton is in charge of over a dozen client […]