unit cooling sistem, close up

The problems of scale

February 28, 2018

Facility managers (FM) in charge of maintaining chillers, boilers, heat exchangers, cooling towers, compressors or condensers know it’s not a matter of if they’ll have to deal with scale buildup, but when. Scale is the buildup of minerals (calcium, iron, …

Categorized: Buildings

Facility maintenance

Facility Condition Index

February 21, 2018

This is part two in a series on preventative maintenance.   Last month we looked at conducting a Facility Condition Assessment (FCA) as part of your larger preventative maintenance program. One outcome of conducting an FCA is it allows you …

Categorized: Buildings

New York City view behind the rainy window

Categorized: Buildings

Employee take note in boiler room

It’s time for a facility condition assessment

January 24, 2018

This is part one in a series on preventative maintenance.   Although you can never totally prevent all emergency repairs, a preventative maintenance program is a good way to head off most danger. The first step is to run a …

Categorized: Buildings

Air Conditioning Technician and A part of preparing to install new air conditioner.

Is it time to repair or replace your HVAC?

January 3, 2018

According to the EPA, HVAC systems make up approximately 38 percent of facilities’ energy use. Another statistic states replacing an HVAC system that is more than 10 years old can save a facility as much as 20 percent or more …

Categorized: Buildings

High angle view of business people discussing at lobby. Male and female professionals are in office. Focus is on executives at workplace.

For Better Productivity, Go Green

December 20, 2017

This is part six in our ongoing series on increasing employee productivity. In a 2007 study published by Building Research and Information, 12 U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) buildings (including courthouses, offices, etc.) determined that workers’ productivity is higher in …

Categorized: Buildings

Businesswomen sitting in offices behind glass screen. Mature female manager at desk on left with two younger women sitting at table on right.

How Customizing the Workspace Boosts Productivity

November 29, 2017

This is part five in our continuing series on employee productivity.   More and more offices are moving to an open-workspace design, which can be great for team collaboration. These kinds of workspaces often include low-walled cubicles, shared workspaces, and …

Categorized: Buildings

Businessman with briefcase walking in minimalistic interior with blank wall. Mock up, 3D Rendering

Green Products, Part One: The Wool-Based “Smart Wall”

October 18, 2017

Walls have lagged behind in terms of efficiency and technology. According to Lucas Johnson, a Seattle-based consultant for 475 High Performance Building Supply:   Most walls are built with toxic materials and end up being vapor retarded or, in many …

Categorized: Buildings

Saint-Hyacinthe, Сanada - October 24, 2016: SYNERGIA COMPLEX Built at the corner of Casavant Boulevard and East Johnson Street, Saint-Hyacinthe. The tower at prestigious offices will be built according to strict standards of sustainable development and seeks LEED certification. The building with modern architecture present an apparent wood structure as well as imposing fenestration, allowing access to natural light and great views.

Earn LEED credits with Cradle to Cradle certified products

September 27, 2017

In 2002, German chemist Michael Braungart and U.S. architect William McDonough wrote a book called Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things. The book was a manifesto, suggesting that we rethink the existing industrial “cradle to grave” strategy …

Categorized: Buildings

Close up of elderly person with walking zimmer

Better design means fewer falls

September 20, 2017

According to The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), falls are the leading cause of unintentional injury or death among people 65 and older. According to the American Geriatric Society, most falls for this population occur in hospitals and nursing homes, …

Categorized: Buildings