The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) is updating provisions of its Art in Architecture program, which commissions visual art in federal buildings, to expand access to a broader array of artists and better reflect the diversity of America in public art. Seeking to diversify the pool of artists competing for Art in Architecture commissions, GSA issued a new Federal Management Regulation final rule, published on January 31 in the Federal Register. The rule removes restrictions on subject matter, theme, and art styles, restrictions that had excluded many artists from consideration for commissions.
The GSA-commissioned Flamingo (1974) by Alexander Calder is shown above at the Mies van der Rohe-designed Kluczynski Federal Building in Chicago. Photograph by Carol M. Highsmith.
These policy updates align the program’s outreach with the goals of the executive order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government.” GSA’s public art collection is a national treasure, and this rule reflects the government’s important role in ensuring equity and opportunity for artists of all kinds and from all communities,” said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan. “Public art is for the people, and we want to make sure our public spaces reflect the rich diversity and creativity that strengthens and inspires them.”
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Employing a knowledgeable, skilled team of facility professionals is becoming increasingly important as the built environment shifts toward sustainability and energy efficiency. And because a team is only as strong as its weakest member, investing in training for your team is paramount in supporting your organization’s physical health and financial success.
For 40+ years, the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) has supported FMs with unrivaled networking, top-tier training and access to industry trends and data. We have the sustainability training, credentials and resources FMs need to effectively and efficiently manage areas of vital importance to your facility, including emission reduction, energy usage and resource management.
Whether your FM team needs to access best practices, attend webinars, review research, or take a course on FM topics like sustainability or risk management – IFMA has the training, support and community available for every stage of an FM’s career to make sure your staff is ready and able to meet the facilities challenges today and into the future.
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The CC-201T from Goodway® gives you everything you need to clean PTACS, condenser coils, evaporator coils, air handlers, and more. The unit features an onboard tank, so you don’t have to worry about running out of water, and it produces a strong yet safe-on-coils 200 PSI cleaning pressure.
The CC-201T also features the Goodway exclusive CoilShine®-T tablet-based coil cleaner system. Drop in a tablet, switch to the soaping feature, and get a powerful foaming coil cleaner that’s safe on all metals and protects coils from odor and growth. Just flip back to fresh water for a rinse when you are done.
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Would you like to receive more information about CC-201T from Goodway?
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Yes, please send more information on Goodway via email
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Yes, please have a Goodway representative contact me
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by Amr Raafat
Prior to the pandemic, facility management and maintenance departments were exploring ways to use drone technology at their buildings. Inspections of roofs, ceilings and other hard-to-reach areas were all great uses of drones that alleviated the time needed to set up scaffolding and the cost of renting lifts. And of course, drones could do these inspections without the risk of a fall or other operator injury.
During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, many staffs worked either remotely or minimized the number of employees that could be present in order to maintain social distancing. Once again, drones could be utilized to improve productivity.
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"Facilities management isn't about the facility, it's about the people in the facility," says Eileen McMorrow, editor-in-chief, The McMorrow Reports. People, process, place continues, she said during a panel discussion regarding challenges that hybrid work is bringing to FM departments as they search for new talent to hire.
Highlights are captured in this four-minute video with Keith Tate, FM Director for Polk County Board of County Commissioners (Florida), and Ericka Westgard, VP of Operations, SE for C&W Services, who joined McMorrow during NFMT Remix, Orlando, in November. Finding the right people to do the FM and engineering work for Polk County, is the biggest challenge for Tate. "You have to find people that fit. Do they have an innovative mind set?" asks Tate.
"Our business is people and finding them is hard with 10,000 baby boomers retiring a day. In the skilled trades, we have only 2,500 going in a day," says Westgard of the big gap.
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The National Facilities Management & Technology Conference (NFMT) Conference & Expo offers a wealth of facility management education, March 29-31, in Baltimore. Andy Gager, CEO, AMG Consulting, will present Making Outsourcing Work: Strategies and Tactics during NFMT.
by Mackenna Moralez, FacilitiesNet
Outsourcing maintenance services is playing a necessary role in business operations right now as the pandemic continues. However, there are certain factors that facilities managers should take into account before signing on the dotted line. It is essential that managers find the balance between the outsourced services and optimizing operations, and the only way to do this is to have a strategic plan in place.
FacilitiesNet (FN): Why should facilities managers look to outsource some roles? What should they take into consideration?
Gager: Finding skilled and competent personnel has become a challenge. I hear it all around the world — the workforce shortage, the shallow pool of competency managers has to choose from, the aging staff, technicians moving onto other organizations or just outright quitting. These are all real challenges for managers.
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In 2021, IFMA announced the creation of its Research Advisory Committee, an international panel of world-leading, multidisciplinary subject matter experts keen on helping reshape the built environment to improve people’s well-being and buildings’ sustainability. As part of this initiative, IFMA is conducting a series of interviews with the members of the Research Advisory Committee. These interviews will introduce readers to this fantastic and inspiring group of thought leaders, their passions and how they see the facility management industry evolving during this period of tremendous societal transformation.
Pa Sinyan is the managing partner for Gallup Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). He leads Gallup’s teams in the EMEA region as they help organizations enact culture transformation projects and fix broken workplaces. Gallup’s famous State of the Workplace study has analyzed and tracked employee engagement in the workplace for more than 20 years in more than 150 countries. He will speak at IFMA’s World Workplace Europe '22, FM for a Sustainable Future, June 1-2.
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The Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA) has published two new case studies, Educational Campus Facilities and Government Facilities. These reports profile 14 educational campuses and 15 government facilities, all of which are metal buildings.
It’s more important than ever for school districts, colleges and universities, and government agencies to get the high-quality buildings they need without breaking the bank, according to Tony Bouquot, MBMA’s general manager. “As these new case studies show, metal buildings are the common denominator in providing great-looking, energy-efficient and cost-effective buildings for these organizations.”
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