Meeting table/desk top view, businessman talking about business plan, progress report for business work, financial report, status, tablet, coffee, on the table, discussing with colleague at office

Define Success of Next Project with a Well-Written SOW

March 20, 2019

A Scope of Work (SOW) is a formal agreement between a service provider and the customer. It specifies all the criteria of a contract, detailing exactly what is expected of the vendor, and giving direction and purpose to every facet …

Categorized: Facilities Management, Professionalism

SCAM CONCEPT

The Top Cyber Scams of 2019

March 13, 2019

We’ve written about cyber scams before, but criminals are always trying out new approaches in their tireless effort to trick their way into our computer systems and bank accounts. While consumers have become savvier about cyber scams, people are also …

Categorized: Facilities Management, Information Management

Portable electric generator running in the cold winter.

How to Safely Use Portable Generators

March 6, 2019

Even though spring is around the corner, March is the snowiest month of the year for many locations in the US. A bad snowstorm can often lead to loss of power that could lead to rise in the use of …

Categorized: Emergency Preparedeness, Environmental

Businesspeople walking down office staircase

Categorized: Facilities Management, Professionalism

Seismograph with paper in action and earthquake - 3D Rendering

Categorized: Buildings, Disaster Preparedness, Emergency Preparedeness, Facilities Management

Woman exterminator in work wear spraying pesticide or insecticide with sprayer

Bed bugs at work!

February 13, 2019

Your facility may seem like an unlikely place for a bed bug infestation. After all, the top three places where bed bugs are found are single-family homes, apartments, and hotels. However, these nocturnal critters are master hitchhikers—they attach to luggage, …

Categorized: Buildings, Facilities Management, Maintenance

Back view business woman raising hand for asking speaker for question and answer concept in meeting room for seminar

Wrong thinking may lead to the right solution

February 6, 2019

At Vanguard Resources, we’re just as interested in the “manager” portion of the Facility Manager title as we are in the “facility” part. One thing any manager has to deal with at some point in their job is to come …

Categorized: Facilities Management, Professionalism

View of approaching rain storm, rainy clouds over the city, poor weather forecast. Malaysia, Cyberjaya. Tropical cyclone in asia.

Eco-friendly Roofing Options, Part Two: Blue Roofs

January 29, 2019

Last week we covered the benefits of green roofs; this week we’re going to focus on blue. The idea behind a blue roof is similar to a retention pond—except that the pond in question is on your roof. Also known …

Categorized: Buildings, Energy Efficiency, Environmental, Facilities Management, Maintenance, Sustainaibility

A portion of the new Vancouver Convention Center environmentally friendly, lush, 6 acre green roof.

Eco-friendly Roofing Options, Part One: Green Roofs

January 23, 2019

Vegetative, or green, roofs have been around for years, and have long offered promises of energy savings, reductions in storm-water runoff, beautification, and LEED points. However, many facilities have hesitation going green. This is partially due to fear of the …

Categorized: Buildings, Energy Efficiency, Environmental, Facilities Management

Icicles hanging from a brown pipe. Frozen water and metal surface, winter time concept. selective focus shallow depth of field photo

What should you do if a pipe freezes?

January 16, 2019

Earlier we discussed how to keep your pipes from freezing, but sometimes pipes freeze despite preventative measures. It’s vital to quickly get the water flowing through the pipe again—otherwise, the pipe will burst and damage your facility. Here’s how to …

Categorized: Buildings, Disaster Preparedness, Emergency Preparedeness, Facilities Management, Maintenance