Tag: water efficiency

GSA Plans Nearly $1B in Sustainability Upgrades at Federal Facilities

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced plans to use $975 million in Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding to upgrade federal buildings across the country with emerging and sustainable technologies. These plans are in line with President Joe Biden’s Executive Order 14057, which launched the Federal Sustainability Plan and charged the federal government to “lead by […]

Utah Governor Issues Water Conservation Order for State Facilities

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox has issued an executive order requiring water conservation at state facilities with the goal of increasing Utah’s drought resiliency. Utah is one of the driest states in the nation; in fact, some portions of the state have experienced drought conditions nearly every year since 2000. Under Executive Order 2023-07, each state […]

Under Construction: Top Facility Projects of April 2023

Facilities Management Advisor’s “Under Construction” series highlights some of the latest, most interesting facility project announcements every month. WNBA Training Facility Built by Women The WNBA’s Seattle Storm is building a new state-of-the-art training facility in the team’s hometown. The Seattle Storm Center for Basketball Performance will include two side-by-side basketball courts; two exterior 3x […]

UBS Arena Scores LEED Certification with Sustainability Initiatives

UBS Arena, home to the NHL’s New York Islanders, has been awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. Located on the historic grounds of Belmont Park, the entertainment and sports venue opened in November 2021 and is owned by the Oak View Group (OVG). “We are excited that UBS […]

Top 10 States for LEED Buildings in 2022

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) released its annual ranking of U.S. states leading the way on green building, with Massachusetts topping the list. The USGBC ranking is based on LEED-certified gross square footage per capita over the past year. The LEED rating system is the world’s most widely used green building program and was created […]

This Halloween, Protect Your Facilities from Energy Vampires, Creepy Crawlers, and More Scary Problems!

Although it’s time for Halloween, don’t be frightened by energy vampires, water witches, scary ghosts, and creepy crawlers. Here at Facilities Management Advisor, we want to give you a treat (and it’s not a candy bar). We know that what might scare you the most is not the bogyman, but high energy costs and the […]

What Is Aridification, and How Can Facility Managers Help Address the Issue?

An elderly but long-time Californian remembers 1976 as a fun year. The economy was finally pulling out of a recession that started in 1973. The Watergate “nightmare,” as then-President Ford called it, was behind us. And Californians were having a lot of fun with—of all things—a drought that year. They made up comical jingles to […]

USGBC Celebrates Over 23M Square Feet of LEED Certified Net Zero Space

In honor of Net Zero Buildings Week June 13-17, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) highlighted a milestone reflecting the growing demand for net zero buildings: The organization announced nearly 100 net zero certifications have been earned under the LEED Zero program, representing more than 23 million square feet of space. One-fourth of LEED Zero […]

Climate Change and Existing Buildings

For those who might have missed it, the Nov. 3, 2021, broadcast of Good Morning America had a fascinating segment about the steps New York City is taking to protect the city, its residents, and of course, its scores of buildings from the progression of climate change. According to the segment, Hurricane Sandy, which in […]

Are We ‘Out of the Woods’ When It Comes to Water Shortages? Efficiency Tips for FMs

The rainy season in California begins each year in October. When it started in October 2021, nearly half of the state was experiencing “exceptional” drought. This is the most severe category of drought. As for the rest of the state, 87% faced “extreme” drought, the second-most severe category. But flash forward three months, and it […]