Health & Safety
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Permission granted by Awair
Fitwel integrates IAQ monitor data into healthy building certification
A partnership with Awair is intended to help building owners gain a competitive edge by responding to public demand for IAQ improvement, the certification provider says.
By Joe Burns • Nov. 24, 2025 -
Ryan Murphy / Stringer via Getty Images
‘Treat ICE like a vampire’ — and 5 more tips for dealing with law enforcement at work
Facility managers have a role to play to help their organization prepare for on-site visits by law enforcement.
By Kate Tornone • Nov. 19, 2025 -
Joe Raedle via Getty Images
As storms intensify, smarter preparation is key to keeping insurance costs down, experts say
Nearly half of building operators in hurricane-prone areas spent $7,500 annually per property to prepare, a survey by Site Technologies found.
By Joe Burns • Nov. 18, 2025 -
Alamy
Mayo Clinic taps Siemens, Metalmark to improve hospital IAQ
The organizations will develop biosensors to monitor emergency room air for viruses, bacteria and allergens. Autonomous systems will respond when pathogens are found.
By Joe Burns • Nov. 17, 2025 -
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Disinfectant wipes effective at removing contaminants, research confirms
Wipes work better on hard surfaces like glass than on soft, non-porous surfaces like vinyl, Clemson University researchers find.
By Robert Freedman • Nov. 12, 2025 -
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Social media posts raise false alarms over shoplifting, store violence from food assistance pause
Claims about an uptick in incidents are misleading and not a reason to step up security, retail industry sources say.
By Peyton Bigora • Nov. 12, 2025 -
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California’s K-12 facility funding system unconstitutional, students, parents say in lawsuit
Plaintiffs want the state to stop relying on local bond issues to trigger the release of matching funds to pay for unmet needs, similar to complaints filed in other states.
By Robert Freedman • Oct. 28, 2025 -
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Albireo offers private, secure layer for FMs to protect building systems from cyber threats
The secure platform can protect building systems without the high cost or complexity of on-site servers, the independent building controls and energy services provider says.
By Joe Burns • Oct. 28, 2025 -
Adam Gray/Getty Images via Getty Images
As temperatures rise, math performance drops
The findings are significant because HVAC systems are inadequate in more than 40% of public schools in the United States.
By Naaz Modan • Oct. 23, 2025 -
Sean Gallup via Getty Images
Google’s New York City campus hit with bedbugs
Exterminators brought in a sniffer dog to confirm the outbreak. The company says the infestation was quickly remediated and asked employees to see if they took any bugs home with them.
By Robert Freedman • Oct. 21, 2025 -
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Employees value office time but struggle with noise, air quality: survey
Time in the office provides “social glue” and advancement opportunities, but building operators must use data to inform decision-making, XY Sense says.
By Joe Burns • Oct. 20, 2025 -
Kiran Ridley via Getty Images
Common building equipment used in Louvre heist
Thieves used a truck-mounted furniture elevator and angle grinders to access a second-floor gallery while visitors and museum employees watched them steal some of France’s crown jewels.
By Robert Freedman • Oct. 20, 2025 -
Courtesy of Security 101
Facilities add surveillance trailers to security mix
Low video streaming costs and the embedding of AI into cameras has made what was once limited to construction sites a cost-effective approach elsewhere, an industry executive says.
By Robert Freedman • Oct. 16, 2025 -
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OpinionThe hidden costs of water leaks
Higher insurance premiums and difficulty getting coverage are two costs from water leaks that facilities managers might not be thinking about, but they can impact your organization’s bottom line.
By Nadav Schnall • Oct. 7, 2025 -
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IAQ doesn’t need to increase energy costs: IWBI summit speakers
Technologies can help facility managers improve energy efficiency and indoor air quality at the same time, ASHRAE President Bill McQuade said.
By Joe Burns • Oct. 3, 2025 -
Spencer Platt / Staff via Getty Images
Once unthinkable, extreme security is becoming a best practice
With hundreds of mass shootings a year, gun detectors, second sets of doors and drones are on the shopping list at more properties.
By Robert Freedman • Oct. 3, 2025 -
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Newer multifamily housing shows how fire safe buildings can be: Pew report
Self-closing doors and fire-resistant materials are among the reasons multifamily buildings are safer than other property types, including single-family homes.
By Ryan Kushner • Oct. 2, 2025 -
Permission granted by Joe Burns
Healthy buildings mean strong ROI: IWBI Policy Summit
There’s an urgency to improve indoor environments, said facilities leaders, public health officials and lawmakers at the high-profile event.
By Joe Burns • Oct. 1, 2025 -
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Healthy buildings offer bottom-line benefits to building owners, report finds
Improved ventilation, lighting and thermal comfort can provide more than $50 per square foot in productivity gains and support rent premiums, the International WELL Building Institute says.
By Joe Burns • Sept. 23, 2025 -
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Facility managers on front lines amid rise in building-control cyber threats
Bad actors are targeting weak links, such as third-party vendors, to get into operational systems. Building operators can reduce vulnerability by working in concert with security teams, a tech specialist says.
By Joe Burns • Sept. 19, 2025 -
Spencer Platt / Staff via Getty Images
As workplace incidents rise, so do panic button laws
A security CEO touts the versatility and privacy protections that can be part of an alert system.
By Robert Freedman • Sept. 17, 2025 -
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AI-assisted camera data hovers at the edge of biometric privacy
Capturing security images isn’t the same as capturing people’s biometric data but a risk manager thinks it’s close enough that disclosing what you’re doing is a good idea.
By Robert Freedman • Sept. 15, 2025 -
George Frey via Getty Images
Kirk shooter appeared to fire from roof of university student services building
Outdoor event security and building security are facing scrutiny following the shooting of the conservative political activist speaking at Utah Valley University.
By Robert Freedman • Sept. 11, 2025 -
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Younger generations more likely to consider leaving job over IAQ: Fellowes
All generations say clean indoor air enables their best performance, but fewer than half of employees think their employers are taking the right steps to address air quality.
By Joe Burns • Sept. 9, 2025 -
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School IAQ bill that aims to strengthen EPA oversight reintroduced, with industry support
The Indoor Air Quality and Healthy Schools Act would establish a nationwide assessment of air quality in schools and childcare facilities and bolster the EPA’s Indoor Environments Division.
By Joe Burns • Sept. 4, 2025
