Tag: sustainability

FAA Awards Nearly $1 Billion for Airport Improvement Projects

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is awarding $970 million to 114 airports across the country, spanning 44 states and three territories. The funding covers terminal expansions, sustainability, security, accessibility improvements, and more. “Today’s funding not only helps modernize airports to meet the needs of travelers today and for years to come, but also creates good-paying […]

Facilities Are Hit Hard When Extreme Weather Disrupts Power

This winter, frigid temperatures, high winds, and frozen precipitation across the country triggered record blackouts for homes and businesses, disrupted travel plans, and even delayed the meticulously scheduled NFL playoffs. As extreme weather events grow in frequency and intensity, power outages are becoming more common. These disruptions lead to essential businesses shutting down and lost […]

Illuminating the Triple Bottom Line for a Sustainable Future in Facilities

If you want to make a difference in today’s social, economic, and environmental climate, a great place to start is by examining what’s going on behind the scenes in facilities. Many consider social, economic, and environmental themes the triple bottom line (TBL) of facilities management. The TBL theory suggests that instead of one bottom line, […]

Lessons in Sustainability: Three Universities Creating Green Campuses

Higher education plays a key role in how we address the challenges of climate change—not only in our scientific understanding of the cause and effect of carbon emissions, but also in how our built spaces can adapt. Because many college and university campuses feature historical (even outdated) infrastructure, many are taking opportunities to build new […]

Under Construction: Top Facility Projects of January 2024

Facilities Management Advisor’s “Under Construction” series highlights some of the latest, most interesting facility project announcements every month. Hornets Arena Overhaul Hornets Sports & Entertainment (HSE) has unveiled plans for major renovations at Spectrum Center, home of the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets. Dubbed “Re!magine Spectrum Center,” the $215 million project includes a range of fan-focused and […]

FEMA Expands Disaster Relief Funding to Include Net-Zero Energy Projects

For the first time, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will fund net-zero energy projects through its Public Assistance grant program, which covers the rebuilding of schools, hospitals, fire stations, and other community infrastructure investments post-disaster. FEMA is also funding net-zero energy projects for its Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and now offers incentives through its […]

Study: Geothermal Heat Pumps Represent Major Opportunity for U.S. Building Decarbonization

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% […]

New York Offers $100 Million Under Clean Green Schools Initiative

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced $100 million is now available through the Clean Green Schools Initiative. The funding will support under-resourced public schools with projects to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, improve environmental sustainability, and decarbonize school buildings. “Creating a safe and healthy learning environment is critical to providing our children the best education […]

11 Facilities Management Certifications to Consider for 2024

As we entered 2024, many facilities professionals made New Year’s resolutions to boost their careers. Some will be going back to school to get a college degree in facilities management or a specialty such as sustainability or operations management. Others will be taking classes, or simply studying on their own, so they can gain the […]

Top 10 States for LEED Buildings in 2023

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has released its annual list of U.S. states leading the way on green buildings, and New York topped the list for the first time during a record-breaking year in 2023. The USGBC ranking is based on Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified gross square footage per capita over […]