Health issues cloud cost-benefit equation of artificial turf

Facility managers must weigh the trade-off between ease and lower cost of turf against the heat, microplastic and PFAS concerns it raises.  

Recycled content roofing facility reopens in Iowa under new ownership

The Everboard product’s original founder is back at the helm as part of a new joint venture, which took over for WM-backed Continuus after the facility closed in November. A new California facility will also open soon.

Relocatable modular buildings are efficient but pose logistics challenges

The units offer a way to add space quickly, but using them comes with a learning curve.

Gunman used ‘frontal assault’ style attack in Minneapolis shooting

The approach is relatively rare at schools, the manager of the K-12 School Shooting Database says.

How facilities managers can lead on sustainability

Most FMs want to make the efficient use of resources part of their operations, but building owners aren’t always aligned with them, surveys show.

With proof-of-insurance tool, Visitt takes step towards fully automated AI

By making it easier for building operators to track the adequacy of vendor insurance, the tool saves time and reduces risk, the company says.

New Virginia Hilton hotel takes mixed-use approach

With street-level retail and 360-degree restaurant river views, The Key marks a new identity for Hilton’s flagship brand, the company says.

Jury is still out on widespread use of UV lights in cutting infections

Although respiratory ailments dropped in a test of ultraviolet lights in long-term care facilities, it’s not clear use of the technology is warranted in many settings, research suggests.

How convenience stores can get the most from surveillance

Fav Trip uses facial recognition to target returning criminals, while Refuel’s AI-powered CCTV platform can automatically flag suspicious activity.

Testing gaps can leave FMs blind to Legionella risk

Delays and other shortcomings of lab culture tests can prolong building users’ exposure to the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease, a testing specialist says.

Trump says furniture tariffs coming in next 50 days

The president said his administration is conducting an investigation into the sector just days after applying steel and aluminum levies on various household appliances.

Saving emissions and lives: The case for electrifying manufacturing equipment

A lapse in federal funding has made it difficult for companies to move away from gas-powered boilers to more energy-efficient heat pumps, according to decarbonization experts speaking during a webinar this week.

Arizona’s system for funding K-12 facilities ruled unconstitutional

Built-in jurisdictional disparities prevent the state from providing a uniform school system that meets minimal standards, a state court says.

EU tariff deal includes lumber, steel and copper

Lumber will be subject to a tariff of 15% or a most favored nation duty rate, whichever is higher, among other provisions in the deal. 

Expanded Section 232 tariffs mean higher appliance costs

Refrigerators, dishwashers, stoves, laundry machines and microwaves are among goods facing higher prices, according to Customs and Border Protection bulletins. 

Florida schools will test armed drones this fall to thwart shooters

Three districts in the state will have the devices available as a first-response option that coordinates with local law enforcement, drone provider Campus Guardian Angel says.

Should schools be the centerpiece of heat resilience action?

As federal support to protect people from extreme heat shrinks, advocates say local governments must set a model for climate-smart leadership with enforceable standards and resources to protect children.

American Lung Association urges school radon testing

HVAC systems must be functioning properly, with clean filters, for the tests to accurately identify levels of the radioactive gas, the organization says.

Meta, Silicon Ranch partner on solar farm for South Carolina data center

Silicon Ranch will invest $100 million to bring the 100-MW facility online by 2027, and Meta will receive all of the renewable energy credits from the deal to help power its first data center in the state.

New York City workplace shooting exposes building security weaknesses

The mass shooting in July underscores how access controls fail, but facility managers can get better security out of the technology, specialists say.

Smaller offices, more cafes: latest in law-firm fit-outs

To keep costs down as building materials get pricier, law firms are downsizing their real estate while making it more upscale, CBRE says.

Data center vacancies plummet amid power supply constraints

Colocation vacancy rates in North America dropped to an historic low during the first half of the year, according to JLL.

US companies collaborate to grow skilled trades workforce

The Business Roundtable sees opportunities to solve the labor gap on a large scale.

JLL unveils AI upgrades to building operations platform

The Prism platform will be able to analyze years' worth of property task and workflow data and respond to conversational questions, the firm says. 

Blast-resistant glass likely limited damage at CDC

Some 150 bullets pierced four buildings when a shooter opened fire Aug. 8 at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. Employees say they want bulletproof glass.