Tag: energy efficiency

Back to Basics: The True Cost of Water Pump Downtime in Facilities

Back to Basics is an article series that highlights important, but possibly overlooked, information facilities management professionals should know. Water pumps are among the most critical (and most underestimated) assets in modern facilities. They quietly support HVAC systems, boiler feed operations, domestic water supply, wastewater handling, cooling towers, irrigation, fire protection, and sanitation. When pumps operate […]

Under Construction: Top Facility Projects of February 2026

Facilities Management Advisor’s “Under Construction” series highlights some of the latest, most interesting facility project announcements every month. World Trade Center Office Tower Financial services giant American Express has revealed plans to build a new state-of-the-art global headquarters at 2 World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan—marking the final office tower to be built at the World […]

Awards Honor Green School Leaders of 2026

The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Green Schools National Network (GSNN) have announced the recipients of the 2026 Best of Green Schools Awards. The awards recognize 11 U.S. schools, districts, organizations, or individuals for advancing environmental stewardship, creating healthy learning environments, and promoting education for a sustainable future. “America’s students deserve […]

The Optimization Playbook: Lessons from the Central Plant

Behind every high-performing building lies an unsung hero: the central plant. These mechanical nerve centers—clusters of chillers, boilers, pumps, and cooling towers—quietly provide heating and cooling to hospitals, airports, campuses, and other complex facilities. When everything hums along, hardly anyone gives them a second thought. But when a pump fails or a chiller trips, the […]

Future-Proofing Buildings in 2026: Insights Every Facilities Manager Needs to Know

The buildings landscape is evolving at lightning speed, and staying ahead means more than just keeping the lights on. It requires a proactive approach, including embracing new technologies, adapting to regulatory changes, and reimagining traditional building operations. With innovation accelerating across every aspect of the built environment, facilities managers are uniquely positioned to drive meaningful […]

Which Countries Are LEED-ing the Way on Green Buildings?

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the global developer of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, and Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), the independent body that administers LEED certifications, have announced their annual Top 10 Countries and Regions for LEED ranking outside the United States for 2025. While the U.S. remains the […]

International WELL Building Institute Unveils Two New Ratings

The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), the organization behind the WELL healthy building certification standard, has revealed two new ratings designed to help real estate owners and operators deliver on investor and tenant demands for healthier buildings. Now open for enrollment, the WELL Real Estate Rating focuses on enhancing base building infrastructure while the WELL […]

IFMA Applauds Survival of ENERGY STAR Program

Once on the Trump administration’s chopping block, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY STAR program lives on after Congress recently approved $33 million to fund the program for fiscal year 2026. The bill, H.R. 6938, was signed into law on Jan. 23, following bipartisan approval from the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. The […]

Rethinking the Modern Office: How Smart Lighting Tech Can Help Drive Productivity

Five years into the remote work era, the push to bring employees back to the office continues. But the modern workplace can’t simply revert to its pre-pandemic state. With 14% of U.S. office space still vacant, return-to-office mandates remain a tough sell. In fact, 46% of employees have said they would consider leaving their job […]

How to Improve Sustainability in Manufacturing Facilities

It is the responsibility of manufacturing leadership to refine processes, make them leaner, and lower their facility’s carbon footprint—and to do that, they’ll need the help of facilities managers. Many conventional practices have become so embedded in the sector that their wastefulness is overlooked. It is time to think critically about how these procedures impact […]