Magazine

Digital IDs and the Future of Campus Access Control I want to share some thoughts on a topic that’s been buzzing around the higher education industry: digital ID accessed through smartphone wallets and their potential to completely transform the student experience—on campus, in student living facilities, at sports and event venues, and even how students…

If you have an emergency in your facility and can’t call anyone, you have a big problem. Charles Schulz, director of public safety and in-building distributed antenna systems (DAS) at Alliance Corporation, addressed this issue and potential solutions during Facilities Management Advisor’s virtual session “Improving Cellular and Public Safety Radio Signals in Buildings” on May…

I’ve been having a lot of conversations lately with friends who have achieved the professional sustainability dream. They’re working at prestigious organizations, they’re running big programs — they’ve made it! Unfortunately, they’re not feeling as content as they had expected to be. There are lots of reasons that can lead to dissatisfaction with our work….

In 2024, facility executives face a challenging environment where post-COVID-19 issues, such as labor shortages, supply chain struggles, inflation and return-to-work policies, are impacting operations. There’s no shortage of opportunity either, as we seek to improve sustainability and resilience. Even so, there is a need to focus on the core skill of asset management: creating…

Facilities management is a diverse and dynamic field – encompassing everything from custodial services to skilled trades. To date, the field is still largely dominated by men, and according to the International Facility Management Association (IFMA), women make up only 25 percent of the facilities management workforce. While men may hold the majority of positions…

The newly released version 3 (v3) of Fitwel’s evidence-based standard brings new strategies on how to future-proof buildings for climate adaptation, while more efficiently addressing the health of real estate assets and maximizing their value. The Center for Active Design (CfAD) announced v3 this week. The enhanced version incorporates new public health research, market trends…

  As the demand for outpatient medical services surges, so does the importance of evolving spaces to accommodate the next generation of patients. Driven by an aging population, evolving patient preferences and technological innovation, the rise of medical outpatient buildings marks a significant shift in the future of healthcare delivery. This transformation is creating expansive…

Building envelopes in institutional and commercial facilities are like a suit of armor, protecting the six sides of a building — the ground floor, the four walls and the roof, from outside hazards. Building owners and facility managers must know their envelopes inside and out and make sure they stay in good condition throughout the…

Most large corporations have annual processes to allocate capital and other resources across business units and for strategic initiatives enterprise-wide. The typical practice is to begin with a strategy or “strategic refresh,” develop a long-term (three- to seven-year) financial plan, and lay out a highly detailed budget for the first year of the plan. Unfortunately,…