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Advantages of high-performance window systems
Lisa May Facilities & GroundsAlong with providing natural light and outside views, operable windows present a seasonal opportunity for natural ventilation. In a skilled nursing facility, operable windows allow the patient some control of their environment, creating a more home-like setting.
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Preventing the hazards of aboveground storage tanks
Heather Rhoades EngineeringAboveground storage tanks are generally used in locations where installing underground tanks is not practical. Despite their many uses, ASTs can prove to be a hazard if they are not installed and maintained as required.
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Assessing risk in preparation for a disaster recovery plan
Curtis Fease Facilities & GroundsAnyone involved in facility management knows how difficult it can be to manage a building properly. From focusing on energy efficiency to meeting government regulations, the job can be extremely demanding. One of the most important parts of facility management, however, is also one of the most overlooked.
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Benefits of going green in the warehouse
Tracy Stevens Distribution & WarehousingGoing green or lean in your warehouse by streamlining processes and introducing cost-saving initiatives can bring many benefits. To stay competitive and be on the leading edge, going green is a win-win process. Here are some steps to take to make your warehouse more energy efficient, resulting in a smaller carbon footprint.
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High-performing buildings require highly‑qualified engineers
Peter Rojeski, Jr. Facilities & GroundsMany buildings have been designed to be energy efficient, but without proper "tuning" they will never achieve their potential. Like high-performance race cars, a high-performing building has many delicate control points that need to be periodically monitored and adjusted in order to maintain peak operating efficiency.
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AHR Expo highlights important trends in HVAC&R industry
Denny Hydrick Facilities & GroundsI recently attended the AHR Expo 2014 in New York City along with several thousand more freezing souls. The show is co-sponsored by AHRI and ASHRAE, which is obviously pointed towards HVAC professionals, many of whom are employed in some type of facility (vs. construction or service companies). This fact alone made the Association for Facilities Engineering presence almost a necessity.
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The View from Europe: MAC brings out the knife
Andrew Gaved ManufacturingAfter over a year of stalemate, the European Commission appears to have finally run out of patience with carmaker Daimler over its defiant refusal to use the HFO refrigerant R1234yf in its new cars. EC industry minister Antonio Tajani recently announced that the Commission would be taking legal action against the carmaker.
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Why 2014 is a good time to be in the lighting controls business
Allan McHale Construction & Building MaterialsThis is now the most exciting time for the lighting industry since the early 20th century. We are truly at an inflection point, and the forthcoming shakeout over the next five years will determine the winners and losers in the game — as well as who will be the lighting giants of the future. The impact of LED technology is providing vast opportunities to improve lighting products and controls and their efficiency. This has coincided with the mandated demand to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in buildings, thus creating this challenging opportunity.
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3 steps to energy efficiency for your facility
Mandy Gardner Facilities & GroundsThe steady expansion of the energy efficiency industry is occurring in a number of ways in America, from the installation of alternative fueling stations to the implementation of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) strategies in various buildings and institutions. In 2014, facility managers should be focusing on three technological modernizations: updated energy meters, facility software upgrades and serious efficiency goals for this year and the future.
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The View from Europe: The quest for life beyond the compressor
Andrew Gaved ManufacturingThese look like exciting times for the future of refrigeration. One of the undisputed holy grails for researchers working at the frontiers of refrigeration science is to find a way to cool without requiring compressors and all the inefficiencies that vapor compression brings with it. And, crucially, they want to achieve them in a way that is commercially sustainable.
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