April 2023
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and its Administrator Robin Carnahan recently presented the GSA Design Awards for 19 federal projects that represent the best contributions in architecture and arts in the last six years. The Honor Awards and Citations recognize federal employees and the project architects, engineers, landscape architects, urban designers, interior designers, artists, conservationists and preservationists whose exemplary work benefits the people who work in and visit federal buildings in communities nationwide.

Administrator Carnahan stated, "I'm thrilled to honor the professionals who have contributed their time and talents to ensure that federal buildings nationwide are vibrant, contributing parts of their communities. Through these awards, we are reaffirming our belief that excellence in design means creating spaces in which the federal government can deliver government effectively while also providing great overall experiences for the people who work in and visit federal facilities."

Designed to comfortably and creatively engage the littlest learners, Imaginasium Blocks and Blips are lightweight foam shapes that easily adapt to a diverse range of interactive learning and teaching methods. Easy to maneuver, these soft seating elements can be configured in countless ways to create agile and adaptable environments. When not in use, they store efficiently to make the most of your limited space, and their durable construction ensures they'll stand up to young learner’s wear and tear. Say goodbye to traditional student seating and hello to comfort and convenience with Imaginasium Blocks and Blips!

Explore the endless possibilities of the Imaginasium Collection today.
in this webinar, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and expert speakers use current science and evidence to explore some of the various indoor air quality (IAQ) technologies available to help schools implement recommended strategies to reduce airborne viruses while providing lasting improvements to IAQ.

The Navigating Mature and Emerging IAQ Technologies in Your Schools for COVID and Beyond webinar now can be viewed online. Learn how to:
  • Use the Framework for Effective School IAQ Management to develop a systematic approach to IAQ management, ventilation, and healthier indoor environments;
  • Identify funding and other opportunities to improve ventilation practices and IAQ management plans;

In Part 1, Data for all! In one place and always current. A Facility Condition Assessment will reveal everything, of Eileen McMorrow’s interview with Josh Lowe, co-founder and chief solutions officer, AkitaBox, he explained how traditionally, Facility Condition Assessments (FCA) of buildings were performed by A/E firms every five to seven years. That’s no longer acceptable. Contemporaneous data on buildings is in demand as property owners want to know how their real estate is performing or serving the needs of the business.
In Part 2, below, Lowe details how new software enables the availability of up-to- the-minute data to be accessible to the facility and building management team and all the technicians who service building equipment.

Why do living FCAs make sense as part of the lifecycle?
Lowe: I walk into facilities with chillers installed in the 1970s and ‘80s, and they are old, but functioning. The lifecycle should be for the life of the asset, and most things do not outlive the building shell. Data is for the lifecycle of each asset in the building, and it applies to the whole building. When the data was treated as transactional, the data died with the last touchpoint. Each person encountering an item for service must re-pull organic data on it. It is transactional, when we should be maintaining it for the full lifecycle of the equipment and the facility.

Educational leaders and administrators must manage many responsibilities when running a school, educational business, or building. It can be a heavy burden from meeting standards to overseeing curriculum and school safety. After all, you are responsible for the lives of children, administrators, and teachers. It’s not a small position to be in.

However, one task tends to get pushed to the bottom of the list. What is it? School cleanliness. School cleanliness isn’t just necessary for sanitation purposes. Cleanliness in schools or places of learning has a significant effect on the overall ability of students to learn and teachers to teach. In fact, recent studies show that emotional health and cleanliness are more closely related than previously understood.

All those stories you’re hearing about teacher burnout? Keeping a professionally clean school can help prevent it. Yes, really. When teachers and administrators can show up to their schools, feel they are being taken care of, and have a clean and organized place to teach, they can do their best.
FM provider OpenWorks lists 5 ways a clean school can help keep all employees safe, productive and happy.

Fast reads . . .
The Professional Facility Management Institute (ProFMI) released the following infographic at the recent NFMT show in Baltimore. The infographic offers a sneak peek at the interim findings of the 2023 FM Training Outlook Survey.

The full 2023 final report will be published in May. While you’re waiting, check out last year’s report results here. Find out more about the ProFM Credential at ProFMI.

BOOK OF THE WEEK
The Book of the Week from FMLink's new Books section is from the State & City Codes category. This collection of peer-reviewed books has been curated by the editorial team at FMLink to provide facilities, engineering and A&D professionals with access to publications relating to the State & City Codes topic.

The 2020 Florida Fire Prevention Code, Seventh Edition, is a comprehensive resource for accurately applying and enforcing requirements for helping to protect lives and property. You get two essential NFPA publications customized with complete changes, additions, deletions, and exceptions as incorporated in your state. Underlined text shows where the Florida code differs from the NFPA model codes.

NeoCon 2023 will provide programming across a range of educational topics and categories with CEU-accredited seminars that offer world-class expertise and insight on relevant topics. This year, CEU programming will be offered both online and in-person. All CEU Sessions, onsite and virtual, have been approved for continuing education credit with IDCEC for interior designers and AIA for architects. To receive credit for the virtual sessions, participants must remain on the webinar for up to 60 minutes and complete and submit the 10-question quiz provided.

Topics for Onsite CEUs include Workplace, Public Space, Industry Directions, Design Skills and DEI. Virtual CEUs also will be offered during the show. Topics include Technology, Sustainability, Healthcare, Wellness, Hospitality, Lighting, Education, Facilities Management, Urban Planning and Workplace Education. Sessions include:
  • Interconnectedness: Towards Learning . . . and Working in 2050
  • The Era of Immersive Experiences: Implications for Work and Learning Environments
  • Understanding Faculty Perspectives in Designing Classroom Environments
  • The Death of a City: Will Cities Die or Thrive Without the Workplace?
  • It’s Not Easy Being Green (But Let’s Do It Anyway); Building a Roadmap to Sustainable Furniture and Facility Practices
  • Restroom Revolution: A New Look at Accessibility and Inclusivity
  • The Pitfalls of Portfolio Consolidation

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