Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
In a new scientific paper, a global group of experts has called for mandating indoor air quality (IAQ) in public buildings and presented a blueprint for national standards. The group is headed by Professor Lidia Morawska, a distinguished professor at Australia’s Queensland University of Technology and vice chancellor fellow at the U.K.’s University of Surrey. […]
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has selected nine applicants throughout the West to receive nearly $11 million in funding through the Wildfire Smoke Preparedness in Community Buildings grant program. The new federal program aims to enhance community wildfire smoke preparedness by providing grants to states, federally recognized Tribes, public preschools, local educational agencies, and […]
Air quality in the office may affect our level of creativity at work, according to scientists at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore). Working with global air filter manufacturer Camfil on a shared research project, the NTU scientists found in a study that high levels of volatile organic compounds—gases released from products such as detergents, pesticides, perfumes, aerosol […]
With winter on its way, it’s time for facilities managers not only to prepare for snow and ice and winterize their irrigation systems, but also to examine the interior and exterior elements of their facilities. Whether you manage a large facility like a college or hospital campus or a small facility like a small office […]
Facilities managers know the importance of maintaining proper indoor air quality (IAQ). As far as critical issues go, air quality, ventilation, and the prevention of pollutants are up there, as they pose a severe health risk to workers, not to mention productivity and efficiency. One of the most prevalent indoor air contaminants is volatile organic […]
As facilities managers continue to improve their buildings’ indoor air quality (IAQ), they should learn about the new American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Standard 241; the different types of air-cleaning technologies and their costs; and their occupants’ needs. Facilities Management Advisor had an educational session on August 17 as part of […]
How is the air quality inside your facilities? Is it time to reevaluate your HVAC systems and maintenance procedures? Proper ventilation and air filtration can lower indoor concentrations of both infectious disease particles and particulate matter from wildfires, protecting a facility’s employees, customers, and visitors. Particulate matter from wildfire smoke—material less than 2.5 micrometers in […]
In observance of the U.N.’s International Day of Clean Air on Sept. 7, Fellowes announced results from a recent U.S. and Canadian survey around workplace wellness. The survey, canvassing 1,085 U.S. and Canadian workers who work on-site indoors at least one full day a week, sheds light on the salient issue of indoor air quality (IAQ) in the workplace. […]
Editor’s note: The views expressed in op-eds are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect those of Facilities Management Advisor. The recent Canadian wildfires greatly impacted air quality hundreds of miles away in major American cities, demonstrating how disasters in one country can affect the health of others. This issue also came to light in […]
ASHRAE has announced its newly approved standard for airborne infection risk mitigation in indoor spaces. ASHRAE Standard 241, Control of Infectious Aerosols establishes minimum requirements to reduce the risk of disease transmission by exposure to infectious aerosols in new buildings, existing buildings, and major renovations. Infectious aerosols are tiny, exhaled particles that can carry disease-causing pathogens […]