Blogs

No one really wants to say this out loud, but the fact is that a LEED design alone won’t give you an energy-efficient building. Architects don’t want to say it because it sounds like they’re not doing their jobs when they design LEED buildings. The U.S. Green Building Council doesn’t...

For the past two years, Building Operating Management has sponsored the FMXcellence recognition program for facility departments. FMXcellence aims to do two things. One is to honor FM departments that are adding value to their organizations. The other is to spread the word about successful programs,...

In the 13 years since the US Green Building Council developed the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, the pursuit of LEED points has become an escalating priority for many facilities managers. Many in the field are already familiar with the program’s basic structure. LEED...

Long before there was LEED , long before Energy Star , there was CBECS . The Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey, as CBECS is formally known, provides a statistical baseline for the energy consumption of U.S. buildings. Never heard of CBECS? You’re not alone. But that doesn’t mean...

“Free energy” (in the form of sunlight) is right outside the window of every commercial building. The question for building owners and facility managers, however, is whether utilizing that sunlight within the building creates a net gain or loss from an energy standpoint. After all, more sunlight...

From door locks to badge readers to security guards, facility managers take many precautions to protect occupants and assets of commercial buildings. Today’s successful manager understands that tenants and employees, as well as furnishings and floorings, are potentially harmed every day by ultraviolet...

Facility managers are well-acquainted with the concept of intelligent building systems -- the network of sensors that efficiently adjust HVAC and lighting systems throughout the day in response to changing conditions. But with all the emphasis on making mechanical and lighting systems more responsive...

Architects and design professionals entrusted with historical properties face a unique challenge. Namely, to preserve the authentic appearance of both exteriors and interiors while still achieving modern-day standards of longevity, energy efficiency and protection. Nowhere is this challenge more acute...

Many facility managers feel like they’re getting mixed messages from building owners. On the one hand, they face pressure to control budgets—but at the same time may also be facing pressures to expand green building efforts. Fortunately, there are steps to take that address sustainability...

Let’s face it: green building methods aren’t always pretty. For the interior designer, green buildings sometimes seem to impose rather rigid design constraints. Fortunately there are significant ways to improve the aesthetics of an interior space while still retaining the functional aims...

Next Thursday (01/27), Join Building Operating Management and Maintenance Solutions magazine for a free webcast on Green Products. Click below for more information or to register. This is a 100% free, educational session. http://www.facilitiesnet.com/webcasts/bom_ms_012011_green/default.asp Hope to see...

There is no getting around it - your cleaning business needs high quality cleaning supplies and equipment so you and your employees can effectively do the job of taking care of your clients' buildings. There are several places you can buy the chemicals you need to clean. Over 50% of the respondents...

The Framework for Improving Building Operating Decisions is a research project being conducted at The University of Reading in partnership with Penn State. The goal of the research is to develop a concise and practical web-based decision support tool to help facility managers and facility management...

“A Framework for Improving Building Operating Decisions” is a research project being conducted at The University of Reading in partnership with Penn State. The goal of the research is to develop a concise and practical web-based decision support tool to help facility managers and facility...

Plant operators, building maintenance personnel and service technicians are continually faced with the convergence of the many technologies that are currently employed to operate our buildings' mechanical systems. From emerging wireless technologies, the millennial integration of electronic systems...

Plant operators, building maintenance personnel and service technicians are continually faced with the convergence of the many technologies that are currently employed to operate our buildings' mechanical systems. From emerging wireless technologies, the millennial integration of electronic systems...

While we would like everyone to be green at every turn, the short-term realities force green investments to also demonstrate a return. While it seems "unfair" to put a $ burden on green, it actually has two very positive effects. 1) It actually motivates the owner/investor when cold hard $...