By Tim Fagan, president of 1-800-WATER-DAMAGE, Blue Kangaroo Packoutz and 1-800-BOARDUP — When most people hear about flooding, their minds take them to natural disasters like the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina or the flash floods Brooklyn experienced last fall. But to a facilities manager, flooding is more likely caused by internal damage to the plumbing or to the fire suppression lines. And the floods that result from these events are more of “when” than an “if” scenario.
Water supply lines can fail. Not only do they age, but they can also be damaged when the land shifts or by cold weather events. There are even times when an unsuspecting worker accidentally knocks the head off of a water sprinkler with the ladder he was using to hang decorations. The possibilities are endless. And, when you have buildings like hospitals that have water access in nearly every room, the chances for damage increase. But as a facility manager, it is your job to mitigate the risks of water damage, no matter how many ways it can happen.
|
|
|
|
As facility managers approach the winter months and plan for seasonal maintenance for chiller systems, Goodway Technologies, a leader in heat exchanger cleaning and maintenance equipment, shares best practices for routine maintenance and cleaning procedures to ensure optimal performance.
Conducting regular chiller tube cleaning and maintenance not only increases operating efficiency but also reduces energy costs, decreases downtime, and improves the overall performance of the chiller system.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), chillers can be one of the largest energy consumers in facilities. Thus, proper chiller maintenance and cleaning become paramount in ensuring efficient operation. While routine maintenance may not always be at the top of the task list, the benefits of cleaning can significantly reduce unnecessary expenses when a chiller is required to work harder to achieve the desired output.
|
|
The building technology at healthcare facilities and medical office buildings demand optimal performance at all times. FMs in healthcare and their building ops teams are seeking training because new tech, building operations and maintenance techniques are always emerging. For hospitals’ FM leadership and the staff they manage, it’s important to keep abreast of developments through education and visiting with suppliers. Training, networking and product knowledge have a solid home at NFMT 2024, the National Facilities Management & Technology show in Baltimore, March 12-14, themed, “We Are FM.”
As the first FM show every year, The McMorrow Reports & FMLink always attend, eager to see what’s concerning industry professionals and exploring sessions that are relevant for our readers. Education sessions that may have the greatest appeal for healthcare building managers include:
|
|
BOMI's FMC (Facilities Management Certificate) program provides an overview of vital information for running an efficient facility. Upon completing this program, you will have a comprehensive understanding of managing and maintaining cost-effective facilities that operate at peak performance levels.
Courses include:
- Design, Operation, and Maintenance of Building Systems, Part I
- Design, Operation, and Maintenance of Building Systems, Part II
- Fundamentals of Facilities Management
Upon successful completion of all three courses, FMC holders will be able to:
- Keep their property in top operational condition;
- Manage personnel and projects to ensure success;
- Build a career in facilities management; and
- Improve overall efficiency.
The certificate from BOMI is for those who manage the ongoing operation and maintenance of facilities.
Visit with BOMI at Booth 710 during NFMT, March 12-14, and learn more about the FMC.
|
|
Global building technology society ASHRAE has released the latest version of its energy efficiency standard for existing buildings, with an expanded focus to incorporate building decarbonization.
ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 100-2024, Energy and Emissions Building Performance Standard for Existing Buildings is a code-ready building performance standard that provides processes and procedures for reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions through improved energy efficiency and performance of all types of existing buildings, including residential, commercial, institutional and industrial. The latest edition includes carbon emissions performance requirements for existing buildings, as well as emissions targets for dozens of building types.
Key updates to the standard are as follows:
- New metrics provided for establishing greenhouse gas emissions targets, with continued improvements to energy efficiency and performance in existing buildings.
|
|
|
Schneider Electric, a leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, in collaboration with the technology companies Intel and Red Hat, has just announced the release of a Distributed Control Node (DCN) software framework for industrial automation. An extension of Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure Automation Expert, this new framework enables industrial companies to move to a software-defined, plug-and-produce solution, allowing them to enhance their operations, ensure quality, reduce complexity and optimize costs.
Next generation of industrial control
Aligned with the goals of the Open Process Automation Forum (OPAF), which is dedicated to driving interoperability and portability, the three collaborators have worked together to create a modern, network-based experience that will lead the way to the next generation of industrial control.
|
|
How many acres of floorspace do facility managers have to cover, literally? And where can FMs, their interior designers and architects find all the tile and stone trends and solutions in one place? Coverings, of course, Coverings, April 22-25 in Atlanta.
Workplaces are evolving and office spaces are being revitalized after a long pause. Along with the varied spaces is the demand for a variety of flooring solutions mixing carpet tiles and broadloom with hard-surface luxury tiles and stones. Some decisions have been made about returning to the office, and companies are preparing new interiors to meet the needs of the hybrid workplace. Further, campus life is also changing, and more hard-surface is coming into student teaching spaces, computer labs and dormitories.
Coverings attracts thousands of distributors, retailers, stone fabricators, contractors, specifiers, architectural and design professionals, facility managers, builders, remodelers, as well as reporters and bloggers who cover the tile and stone industry. These industry professionals attend Coverings to explore the latest trends, source global products, network with industry peers, gain project inspiration, access information and to find solutions to grow their business. Education sessions cover installation and fabrication, materials and trends, and workforce and profits.
|
|
Noritz North America’s sister company, water heating solutions provider Facilities Resource Group (FRG), has introduced the TTS Synergy Series: a “plug-and-play” commercial water heating solution design to save FMs time and floorspace. This turnkey commercial hot water solution features a turndown ratio of 66:1 and the capacity to provide over 1,600 gallons of hot water per hour. The series simplifies the process of replacing centralized water heating systems, offering various configurations of multiple tankless water heaters in a single rack to meet the demands of commercial settings.
The TTS Synergy Series consolidates water, power, gas, venting, and condensate-drain connections to a singular connection point for each. This groundbreaking solution significantly reduces rack installation time and costs by simplifying the installation process and minimizing onsite labor. With a compact footprint, the TTS also optimizes space in the mechanical room — ideal for facility managers and building owners striving for increased efficiency and ease of use.
|
|
This week's Featured Book from FMLink's Books section is from the OSHA Safety 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 OSHA Safety topic.
Help reduce risks to power systems with the 2022 edition of NFPA 110, Standard for Emergency and Standby Power Systems. Provide backup power systems users can trust and help protect people and property by using the updated requirements in NFPA 110, Standard for Emergency and Standby Power Systems. Readiness of emergency power in the case of disruption of the normal utility supply is a vital consideration in safeguarding building occupants. Unfortunately, poor installation, planning, and maintenance practices are all common causes of emergency power supply system (EPSS) failure.
Improve occupant safety and help ensure systems are correctly installed, tested, and maintained.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
