Sustainability
Commercial building and facilities management resources for corporate facility executives, building operators and facility managers in all industry and service sectors. Sustainability articles below.
EPA Recognizes 2018 WasteWise Winners
The 10 winning organizations collectively prevented and diverted over 356,000 tons of waste from entering landfills, saving them over $19.6 million in landfill fees.
Solar, Waste Heat Help Power Athletic Facility
At Phillips Academy in Andover, MA, a new student athletic facility achieved LEED Platinum certification.
Physical Activity, Sustainable Materials Create Healthy Residence Halls
Residence halls can be designed to promote physical activity and healthy habits, while using healthy materials and building systems to provide a healthy environment.
Bank Of America Reduces Energy Costs With Solar Panels
Through its Onsite Solar Initiative, the company will install solar panels at more than 60 locations, including financial centers, ATMs, and offices.
A Fresh Look At Green Cleaning
With sustainability in mind, here are two facility cleaning materials to look at anew.
IECC Committee Approves EV Charging Proposal
The proposed code by Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP) would require new commercial and high-rise residential buildings to facilitate installation of future electric vehicle charging.
Davies Office Recognized For Supply Chain Excellence
A leading provider of sustainable workplace solutions, the company received the 2019 Supply Chain Sustainability Excellence Award from Con Edison.
$500,000 Grant Will Help 15 U.S. Communities’ Sustainability Efforts
The U.S. Green Building Council will use the Bank of America grant to support its LEED for Cities and Communities Program.
In Pittsburgh, Phipps Conservatory And Botanical Gardens Hosts “Big Green Block Party”
The adaptive reuse of an on-site public works garage facility at Phipps is aimed at achieving three rigorous green building standard certifications.
DOE Celebrates Better Buildings Initiative Partners’ Progress
More than 900 organizations participating in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's Better Buildings Initiative have achieved the equivalent of $8.4 billion in energy and cost savings.
2019 Zero Energy Buildings Count Nears 600
The official 2019 count is 580 certified, verified, and emerging projects, according to the newly released 2019 Getting to Zero Project List from the New Buildings Institute.
Registration Open For 2019 Facility Executive Live!
This third annual conference and networking event will take place on September 19, 2019 on the campus of George Mason University in Arlington, VA.
Osram, FSG Form Partnership For Smart Building IoT Solutions
Osram and Facility Solutions Group (FSG) are joining forces to offer turnkey smart building IoT solutions to the commercial, industrial, and retail industries.
Measuring The Value Of Resilient Design And Construction
A new report from the Portland Cement Association suggests that reinforced concrete structures reduce recovery costs after disasters hit and are likely to save money in the long run.
Bringing Rooftop Gardens To Ground Level
In Columbus, OH, building a green roof into an existing structure provided an innovative solution for parking needs and open space for an urban park.
Friday Funny: The Environmental Impact Of Dragons
Dragons are game changers in HBO’s Game of Thrones series. But what would happen if these massive beasts really did roam the planet?
7th Annual Campus RainWorks Challenge Winners Named
The national competition engages college students in the design of on-campus green infrastructure solutions to address stormwater pollution.
Crossville Announces 2018 Recycling Program Milestones
The tile maker's all-time recycling total nears 126 million pounds of fired waste diverted from landfills due to its Tile Take-Back and TOTO USA recycling programs.
Design For Daylighting
Brighten the outlook of building occupants and reduce lighting costs by bringing natural light inside.
USGBC Explores Green Building Industry’s Role As Global Solution
The new report takes a closer look at Americans' views on environmental issues and how the green building industry can be better positioned as a global solution.
3M Products Help To Promote Facility-wide Sustainability
From cleaning products to window film and architectural finishes, the options are numerous for sustainable facilities.
Enhancing School Security: What You Should Consider
Budget, lighting, environments and other challenges to school security—and potential solutions for each.
Hunter Douglas RB 500+ Automated Roller Shades Earn UL Certification
Hunter Douglas Architectural Window Coverings' RB 500+ automated systems offer ultra-quiet technology, ADA compliance, and meets all child safety standards.
USGBC Launches LEED v4.1 For City, Community, Residential Projects
This new version of the LEED green building program raises the bar for sustainable housing and cities.
Linetec Introduces Two New Wood Grain Finishes
Linetec has added two new patterns, Aged Light Oak and Aged Dark Oak, to its Gold Series Palette of wood grain finishes for architectural aluminum products.
Collaboration Provides Cloud-Based Advanced Energy Management Capabilities
Carrier Connect Wi-Fi thermostats can now interface with Encycle’s cloud-based Swarm Logic energy savings technology, improving HVAC system efficiency using IoT-enabled services.
Georgia Aquarium Wins Water Sustainability Award
The Evoqua Water Sustainability Award recognizes companies that use technologies in innovative, sustainable ways and have made significant strides in water reduction.
Biodigester Handles New York Food Distributor’s Organic Waste
Faced with New York City's stringent commercial recycling laws as part of its “Zero Waste Design Guidelines,” Jersey Lynne Farms composts its solid food waste into drain-safe wastewater on site.
100 Manufacturing Plants Earned ENERGY STAR Certification In 2018
Plants from the automotive, baking, cement, corn refining, food processing, glass manufacturing, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and petroleum refining sectors qualified, 15 of them for the first time.
AI-Powered Leak Detection, Water Conservation System Launches
The WINT Water Intelligence solution helps organizations achieve two primary goals: To prevent damage from water leaks, and to improve sustainability by significantly reducing water consumption.
Four Honda Plants Earn EPA ENERGY STAR Certification
Marysville, East Liberty, and Anna auto manufacturing plants in Ohio, plus a fourth in Greensburg, IN achieved U.S. EPA ENERGY STAR certification for outstanding energy efficiency in 2018.
Armstrong Flooring Supports Product Sample Recycling Programs
The initiatives ensure that product samples live on beyond the specification process, through recycling efforts that also inspire future designers and artists.
Improving Long-Term HVAC Performance
Cumulative impact of three operational strategies helped a multi-tenant office building recertify LEED and boost its ENERGY STAR score.
Orign High Back Conference Chair From Keilhauer
Designed by EOOS, Orign offers softer, more casual take on conferencing which encourages individuals to come as they are and feel comfortable.
Moving Buildings Toward Clean Energy
There are many tools available to facility management teams that can be used to propel buildings to zero-emission energy goals.
Interface Carbon Neutral Floors Program Adds nora Rubber Flooring
The company’s entire product portfolio — carpet tile, luxury vinyl tile and rubber flooring — is now carbon neutral across its product lifecycle.
Impact Occupant Behavior To Increase Recycling Rates
Facilities teams are a key to encouraging and easing this waste management effort.
U.S. Steel Tower Achieves LEED Building Operations, Maintenance Certification
The 64-floor skyscraper in downtown Pittsburgh is now the second-largest LEED for Building Operations and Maintenance: Existing Buildings V4 office building in the world.
Facility Executive Of The Year 2019
Richie Stever, director of operations and maintenance, University of Maryland Medical Center, aims high and delivers results.
China Is Top Country For Global Green Building
Mainland China leads USGBC'S Top 10 list of global green building leaders outside the U.S., with more than 68 million gross square meters.