Smart Visitor Management Is Reshaping the Modern Building
Visitor management systems have transformed from paper logs into software‑driven platforms that integrate access control, AI, and mobile credentials. Modern solutions let hosts pre‑register guests, issue QR‑code or smartphone tokens, and enforce time‑bound policies across elevators, HVAC, and security cameras. Interoperability now allows landlords and tenants to share a single credential ecosystem, reducing friction and enhancing the visitor experience. AI automates notifications, anomaly detection, and dynamic door‑open thresholds, turning visitor data into actionable insights for facility managers.
Professor Study Seeking FMs, Technicians for Interviews
Researchers at Bucknell and UNC Charlotte are recruiting facility managers and technicians for interviews to develop a practical framework that embeds facility‑management expertise into the early design phase. Their analysis shows that the majority of serious skylight and HVAC injuries...
Hyperscaling Responsibly: Data Center Design for Sustainability
U.S. data‑center electricity use was 180 TWh in 2024 and is projected to more than double to 420 TWh by 2030, while water demand for AI‑server cooling could hit 300 billion gallons. Operators are responding with tighter Power Usage Effectiveness—average PUE now 1.56...
MEWPs: High-Level Training Issues
Mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) have become essential tools for facility maintenance, from façade inspections to HVAC servicing. As lifts grow more sophisticated and are used more frequently in data centers, manufacturing, and large campuses, OSHA, ANSI A92 and CSA 354...
7 Steps to Success for Facilities Executives
Facilities executives today juggle building operations, capital planning, staff supervision, and stakeholder communication, a reality exemplified by Brandon McCullough and Dr. Alicia Hart. Their careers show that success hinges on disciplined prioritization, treating every task as a project, and leveraging...
Data Centers’ Moment Comes Along with Controversy
Data Center World 2026 highlighted a pivotal surge in data‑center capacity, with 2026 projected to exceed the total of all previous years combined. AI‑driven workloads are the primary catalyst, prompting developers to race for new sites across the United States. Industry...
Lessons in Top-Level Sustainability From Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School has expanded its sustainability portfolio to include nine green roofs, the first of which debuted in 2009. The flagship meadow‑style roof on McCollum/MacArthur Hall spans 11,058 sq ft, using lightweight growing media to meet structural limits while delivering a...
Wireless Investments Deliver ROI as Complexity and Security Risks Grow
Cisco’s State of Wireless 2026 report shows that more than three‑quarters of enterprises are already reaping measurable ROI from wireless upgrades, with 78% reporting operational efficiency gains, 75% seeing higher employee productivity and customer engagement, and nearly 70% noting revenue growth....
Steel Window System Balances Historic Accuracy with Modern Performance
Hope's Windows introduced the University Series, a steel window and door system that faithfully replicates historic putty‑glazed profiles while meeting today’s performance standards. The line features 1‑3/4‑inch‑deep, high‑inertia frames that allow larger openings without extra mullions, and ultra‑narrow sightlines that...
The AI Revolution and Its Impact on Facilities Management
AI is reshaping facilities management by automating back‑office tasks such as invoicing, bid evaluation, and project coordination, while field work remains technician‑driven. Experts promote a “Third Monitor” approach, dedicating a screen to AI assistants that continuously support daily workflows. Agentic...
Acoustic Ceiling System Improves Learning at Houston's Thompson Intermediate School
Houston's Thompson Intermediate School, rebuilt after Hurricane Harvey, opened in August 2023 with a 181,000‑square‑foot campus featuring Rockfon acoustic stone‑wool ceiling panels. The panels provide high sound absorption—NRC 0.75 for Artic and 0.90 for Medical Standard—enhancing speech clarity and reducing...
Managing Facilities Without a CMMS: How Resourcefulness Wins Budget Battles
Maria Ruiz, UNICEF USA facilities operations manager, ran the nonprofit’s multiple offices without a computer‑based maintenance management system, relying on spreadsheets, an IT help desk, and manual tracking. By applying Lean Six Sigma principles she built preventive‑maintenance schedules, work‑order dashboards...
Reorganizing While Operating: Managing Facilities During Workplace Transformation
Maria Ruiz, a facilities operations manager at UNICEF USA, describes how her team is redesigning the organization’s New York and Washington offices while keeping daily operations uninterrupted. She stresses that facilities managers must be part of reorganization planning from the...
How BESS Operations Are Revolutionizing Urban Centers
Vertical battery energy storage systems (BESS) are moving from sprawling horizontal fields to multi‑story racks built near urban substations. Cities like Boston and New York are piloting these installations to shave peak‑load spikes, improve grid stability, and support renewable integration. The...
Coming Soon: Facilities That Also Happen to Be Farms
Vertical farms are emerging as a new class of commercial tenant, turning warehouses into year‑round food production sites. Area 2 Farms in Arlington, Virginia, has demonstrated profitability by offering a subscription‑based CSA that delivers locally grown greens and root vegetables....