The great COVID-19 disruption sent home workers, and forced organizations to rethink how jobs could be performed remotely. Countless offices were left empty and countless facility managers were left managing empty spaces. Fast forward 18 months and a (re)migration to the office is in full force. But how do organizations rebuild the office culture when so much has changed?
The (previous) trend of open concept seems counter-intuitive to the notions of social distancing, not to mention a sanitization nightmare, but the answer is in a holistic approach to retaining flexibility for workers, and more importantly for the building itself such that the space can adapt to a future that is still being shaped. Organizations are faced with a new set of priorities that include more than just annual productivity. The health and wellbeing of employees, a collaborative workplace, cost-effective growth, and a responsibility to the environment are rising trends that are shaping the workspace.
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Makita, a worldwide manufacturer of industrial power tools and equipment, continues to expand battery-powered options for cleaning with a growing system of cordless vacuums, blowers and accessories.
Makita’s extensive LXT cordless system powered by 18V lithium-ion batteries gives users over 275 products in one battery platform with solutions that include tools, outdoor power equipment and lighting, as well as an expanding range of vacuums and cleaning solutions. Makita backs it up with over 100 years of motor engineering and over 40 years in cordless equipment.
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Nanotouch Materials, creator of Nanotouch self-cleaning surfaces, has just launched a new Clean Workstation Kit designed to help create a more hygienic environment in the workplace. Whether your staff are on a regular, staggered or hybrid schedule, these kits can help ensure their workstations stay clean at all times — including employees working remotely, off-campus or in the field.
The photocatalytic self-cleaning mats and skins start by tackling the germs on the places we touch the most — our own desks, phones and computers.
The Clean Workstation Kit covers everything from a mousepad and tissue box cover to a large portable mat that can be used for laptop, water bottle and phone — anything that needs to stay clean.
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In these cooler months, maintenance solutions provider Goodway Technologies is reminding facilities managers (FMs) of the importance of properly cleaning and maintaining chiller systems. The practice is even more important this year, as some facilities may have seen periodic shutdowns or closures over the past year and a half, notes Goodway.
Why is chiller maintenance important?
Chiller tubes are susceptible to the buildup of scale and other sediments and residue. If your chiller has to work harder to reach the desired output, it will require more power and increase energy costs.
While it can be easy to defer maintenance for a variety of reasons, whether it be labor, budget or other priorities, there are costs associated with skipping maintenance, reminds Goodway.
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At the show, Danfoss’ new Turbocor VTCA400 compressor was named the 2022 AHR Expo Product of the Year, edging out nine other Innovation Awards category winners. The compressor is said to be the world’s first oil-free, variable-speed, magnetic bearing centrifugal compressor using a hybrid compression design that is optimized for use with low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerant R-1233zd in water-cooled chiller applications. The VTCA400’s patent-pending hybrid compression design uses a combination of mixed flow and radial impellers, enabling both high-performance and a compact footprint. Its hybrid compression design allows for a compressor footprint that is half the physical size and weight of a conventional radial-only design while maintaining high efficiency levels.
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Airthings, the Oslo, Norway-based provider of award-winning indoor air quality solutions for consumers, businesses and IAQ professionals, recently announced a new product addition to its portfolio: View CO₂ for Business. The battery-operated wireless sensor will empower schools and offices to take charge of their air quality by warning them when carbon dioxide (CO₂) exceeds recommended levels and indoor air quality (IAQ) deteriorates.
View CO₂ for Business combines easily with the rest of the products in the Airthings for Business solution, which lets you monitor, visualize, and control your indoor air quality remotely to ensure a safe and healthy environment.
High CO₂ levels can increase the risk of airborne virus transmission and cause lower productivity, drowsiness, headaches, and loss of concentration, points out Airthings. Since our bodies expel CO₂ when we breathe out, the levels can rise quickly in enclosed spaces with poor ventilation. For that reason, measuring CO₂ levels serves as a good indicator of indoor air quality and how well a ventilation system is working. Monitoring humidity and temperature indoors is also important as both conditions correlate with virus transmission.
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As the role of the facility manager expands, so does the FM team. Long gone are the days when managing a facility meant making sure the cleaning crew showed up and the lawn was mowed. Today, FMs oversee everything from the integration of smart building solutions to the implementation of sustainable practices. It is a complicated role that requires the assistance of a talented and dedicated team.
Like the head coach of a team, FMs are responsible for the success of their team. They must recruit team members, oversee their training, keep them motivated and ensure they perform to their full potential.
Whether an FM relies entirely on third-party vendors or manages a busy in-house department, they must have the right people with the necessary mix of talent and traits so they can build their championship team.
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by Eileen McMorrow — While waiting for two years, due to the pandemic, to stage their renowned educational conference, the NFMT 2022 (National Facilities Management and Technology Conference & Expo) conference team have developed educational tracks that are right on-target with the challenges faced by facilities managers (FMs), building management and workplace and educational institution professionals.
NFMT will be hosted in the Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland, where it has been held since 2001, by the publishers of Building Operating Management and Facility Maintenance Decisions magazines. Their goal was to bring education, networking, and product discovery to facilities professionals nationwide.
NFMT continues the tradition March 29-31, 2022, by offering broad-based education for facilities professionals from every type of organization: government, education, commercial, office, healthcare, retail, hospitality, and industrial.
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Delivering 7.4 million meal kits a month to more than 800,000 regular subscribers, HelloFresh knows its way around the kitchen—and helps customers by offering high-quality ingredients and step-by-step instructions.
The company has adopted a forward-thinking approach to sustainability, offering only responsibly-sourced seafood, meat and poultry from quality farms and encouraging home cooking. More than that, HelloFresh has a goal of encouraging and promoting a well-rounded, healthy lifestyle.
Clean hands=clean food
When preparing food, hand hygiene is of the utmost importance. Washing hands helps to remove bacteria and prevent the spread of germs. Just as important as proper hand washing is proper hand drying—and not all hand drying techniques are created equal.
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New events posted this week
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