-
Housing America part 4: The ambiguous role of design
Lucy Wallwork Construction & Building MaterialsOne architect I heard speak at an event last year described those working in her profession as "agents of expensiveness." It can certainly seem that way. One sector that doesn't come to mind when we think of architectural flair is that of public housing. There certainly has not been much cash to flash about recently. But it has not always been that way, and some are making steps to raise our expectations of the design of affordable and public housing. Can design really save the day?
-
Does DIY harm interior designers?
Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesThere's plenty of good news in the 2019 Houzz State of the Industry report. Among all the statistics provided in the report, though, one data point in particular caught my eye. When asked about their business challenges in 2018, 21 percent of interior designers — far more than any other group of professionals — cited "Increased popularity of DIY." In fact, it tied for No. 4 among a list of 14 possible business challenges. That made me wonder, are interior designers disproportionately disadvantaged by DIY consumers?
-
Safety tips for real estate professionals meeting with buyers or showing…
Terri Williams Facilities & GroundsIn 2018, 67 percent of real estate professionals experienced a situation that made them fear for their personal safety or the safety of their personal information, according to the 2018 Member Safety Report by the National Association of Realtors (NAR). In fact, 28 percent of respondents reported that they feel unsafe every few months. According to Mark Leetch, senior risk control consultant at CBIZ Inc., this is a very real problem. "Realtors face the exposure of sexual assault, robbery, and even being murdered," he says.
-
Large new logistics center to boost San Bernardino’s cargo capabilities
Matt Falcus Distribution & WarehousingOne of California’s most successful cargo airports is set to benefit from major development and investment to further cement its position as one of Southern California’s primary freight centers. The Eastgate Air Cargo Logistics Center will be built on 101 acres of vacant land at San Bernardino International Airport, with plans for a 658,000-square-foot distribution center and parking for up to 16 aircraft outside. Last year, Mark Gibbs, director of aviation at the airport, said, "There’s tremendous opportunity here for air cargo and logistics companies to realize significant efficiencies and lower expansion costs." It seems this has now come true.
-
Analysis: Standard work arrangements surprisingly dominate labor force…
Seth Sandronsky Association ManagementBeware of talk that we are living through the rise of nonstandard employment. We turn to a new analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data from the Center for Economic and Policy Research and the Economic Policy Institute based in Washington, D.C. “In 2017, the total share of the labor force working in nonstandard arrangements was 10.1 percent, down from 10.9 percent in 2005,” according to Eileen Appelbaum, Arne Kalleberg and Hye Jin Rho. Accordingly, the fraction of workers in standard work arrangements was 89.9 percent in 2017, roughly the same as 1995.
-
Why Brexit planning is making the UK cooling industry hot under the collar
Andrew Gaved EngineeringI don't know whether you have noticed, but the U.K. is supposed to be divorcing from the European Union in a month's time. Brexit is nearly upon us. Or is it? The problem is, to quote Donald Rumsfeld, we are very much in the realm of the "known unknowns" when it comes to the details of Brexit. In fact, as I write, we don't even know whether we are going to be leaving Europe as planned on March 29, because there is so little that the various political factions agree on that it seems more likely now that there will be a postponement. But for the cooling industry, there is an additional administrative burden to deal with.
-
Insects are dying en masse, endangering ecosystems
Scott E. Rupp Waste Management & EnvironmentalIf you've noticed a few less bugs buzzing about, that’s something to be concerned about, scientists warn. The number of insects in the world appears to be on the decline. Alongside this reduction in the world's bugs, there has never been much real long-term awareness of the decline. But, warning signs have been around for years about plummeting insect populations worldwide, scientists say. The declining numbers are so much so now that the levels are seen as potentially "catastrophic" and have not been well-understood until now. In other words, this is a very big deal for all of us.
-
During flu season, facility managers should make extensive preparations
Scott E. Rupp Facilities & GroundsFor weeks now, the flu season has been upon us, with 41 influenza-associated pediatric deaths occurring during the 2018-19 season so far, as reported recently by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Despite these deaths, research seems to indicate that Americans are conscious of the flu's potential impact on their health and are taking preventive measures to combat it. As many as 75 percent of people say they are more vigilant about their hand hygiene in response to virus outbreaks. On this note, they wash their hands more frequently and even more thoroughly and longer, according to a national survey conducted by Bradley Corporation. However, despite the vigilance of employees, employers should prepare for the flu season, too.
-
Study: Protecting the world’s inland waterways requires more participation
Scott E. Rupp Waste Management & EnvironmentalInland waterways are getting trashed. But there's good news in the days of darkening water, according to a new report that claims at least 15 percent of the world's inland surface water areas are covered by protected areas. The global target for such protected spaces is 17 percent as set out in Aichi Target 11 of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). There's a big caveat, though. These protected spaces are not distributed evenly across the globe, a study from the European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC) says.
-
How the IoT powers predictive maintenance in manufacturing
Joseph Zulick ManufacturingFor far too often maintenance has been treated as expendable. Now, however, the internet of things (IoT) has brought along technology in a useful package to help maintain factories. New sensor technology can measure pressure, distance, temperature, and much more in a smaller package and from greater distances. No longer are you required to modify a machine or tool. You can now use external laser technology to measure quality and keep track of machine maintenance. If you want to know if the machine is deviating outside of its temperature range, you’ll know. If you need to track power usage, you can even see the readout from a beach in Florida.
All Facilities & Grounds Articles