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Creating an Emergency Action Plan

July 5, 2018

July is emergency month at Vanguard, and our goal is to help you prepare your facility for any and all emergencies that may come your way, including hurricanes.   According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards, every …

Categorized: Disaster Preparedness, Emergency Preparedeness

Two smiling business people having a meeting

Are your employees putting your facility at risk for data breach?

June 27, 2018

It’s been in the news lately how participating in online quizzes can jeopardize your security. These quizzes, which are often found on social media, entice users to share personal data to find out fun, personalized answers. Cyber criminals often use …

Categorized: Security

Man and woman with documents in an office, smiling, close up

Human-centric lighting delivers improved productivity

June 20, 2018

In 2001, scientists identified a third photoreceptor—in addition to rods and cones—in the human eye. These photoreceptors are linked to our 24-hour body clocks (i.e., circadian rhythms, which affect our daily mental, physical, and biological changes). Thanks to their discovery, …

Categorized: Buildings, Energy Efficiency, Facilities Management

Modern LED strip lamp mounted on ceiling

Tubular LEDs: Are they worth it?

June 13, 2018

Designed to replace fluorescent lamps, tubular LEDs, or TLEDs, are becoming a popular choice for facility managers around the country. But are they a better solution than fluorescent light bulbs?   Today’s fluorescent lighting technology is very efficient. If you …

Categorized: Buildings, Energy Efficiency, Facilities Management

Young woman with dog in office

Addressing service animal requests

June 8, 2018

Employers are getting more and more requests from employees who want to use service animals in the workplace. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) allows for the use of service animals in public places like stores, hotels, and restaurants under …

Categorized: Facilities Management

Recycle Can

How to go zero waste

May 23, 2018

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that the U.S. generates more than 250 million tons of municipal solid waste each year. Much of this waste ends up polluting our land, water, and air, so many organizations, cities, and even countries, …

Categorized: Cleaning, Environmental, Facilities Management, Maintenance, Sustainaibility

Data protection and security important information in your mobile phone, Woman hand using smartphone and icon key on shield

How secure is your phone?

May 16, 2018

When it comes to personal computers, people seem to understand the security risks involved fairly well. Most people have some sort of anti-virus or -malware software on their computers and understand connecting your computer to a free Wi-Fi network can …

Categorized: Security

Corporate business team and manager in a meeting, close up

On management: Be the last one to speak

May 9, 2018

A facility manager’s job is about more than just managing a facility—it’s also about managing your employees as a leader. Author Simon Sinek recently gave an inspiring talk about how to solicit the best ideas, and the concept is simple: …

Categorized: Facilities Management, Professionalism

Green wall, eco friendly vertical garden

Thinking of getting a green wall? Think moss.

May 2, 2018

Living walls—aka green walls or vertical gardens—have become a popular item for many facilities around the world. These walls are made of living plants growing into a support structure that includes the necessary growing elements like soil, irrigation, and drainage. …

Categorized: Buildings, Environmental, Facilities Management, Maintenance

Recording closed Radiator Heater with Infrared Thermal Camera

Find trouble before it finds you with thermal imaging cameras

April 25, 2018

Thermal imaging cameras have been around since the Korean War. But in recent years, thanks to technological breakthroughs and cost savings, facility managers have found ways to use this technology to detect early signs of building deficiencies, troubleshoot electrical and …

Categorized: Buildings, Facilities Management, Maintenance