Magazine

From HVAC to sanitation systems, facility managers need to keep occupants healthy while housed in emergency shelters The United States experienced 28 natural and climate disasters costing at least $1 billion in 2023, surpassing the record of 22 set in 2020, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. These disasters present a significant opportunity…

In 2018 the University of Madison-Wisconsin’s recreation department changed its name from Recreational Sports to Recreation & Wellbeing in a deliberate move to broaden its service offerings. Since then, Recreation & Wellbeing (a.k.a. Rec Well) has opened two new HOK-designed rec centers that showcase the university’s commitment to wellbeing. This is especially true in the…

The newly released 2024 Ontario budget promises an $820 million investment in recreational and health care facilities. That includes $200 million over three years to launch a new application-based fund targeting what’s termed “critical need for infrastructure support in the sport and recreation sectors” and $620 million over 10 years to augment an existing fund…

A newly installed solar photovoltaic array at Commonwealth Recreation Centre in downtown Edmonton is now operating with 1,128 panels that cover an area of 40,760 square feet. The panels are expected to produce 708 MWh of energy in the first year of operation, the equivalent to powering 100 residential homes for one year. The installation…

Surrey City Council has approved the extension of 72 Avenue between 152 Street to Highway 15. With an estimated construction cost of $138M, this project marks the largest transportation investment delivered by the city to date. The 72 Avenue improvements will see the construction of a four-lane road with two travel lanes in each direction,…

A brand-new permanent public washroom and pickleball court has broken ground in Calgary’s East Village. Both are strategically located adjacent to the playground, community garden, and off-leash dog park at Crossroads, near the intersection of 7th Avenue and 6th Street SE. Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) initiated a public washroom design competition in August 2022 to…

The government has updated its guidance calling for second staircases in all new tall residential buildings over 18 metres from 30 September 2026. The change in guidance adds to a package of recent fire safety measures and reforms including the Building Safety Act which ensure the safety of people in both new and existing tall…

A new heat decarbonisation project aims to propel Edinburgh College’s ambition to be at the “cutting edge of environmental sustainability” within the further education sector and to dramatically reduce its carbon emissions by 2030. With over 27,000 students, staff and specialist engineering equipment across the four campuses, the College has similar energy requirements to a…

Artificial intelligence, Internet of Things and other high-tech equipment can help prevent active shooters It seems like every two or three months in the United States, a school shooting or safety incident makes national news as innocent children, teachers and administrators are subjected to violent acts in their school communities. As school shootings reach an…

The approximately 85,000-square-foot facility is expected to be complete in 2025. The combined health system of Froedtert ThedaCare Health, Inc. announced the groundbreaking of a new health campus in Oshkosh. The planned campus aims to expand convenient access to care for those living in Northeast and Central Wisconsin. The Oshkosh campus is designed to be…