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Five issues are posing the biggest challenges for higher education business offices this year, according to the Higher Education’s Top 5 Business Issues of 2023 report by the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO).
NACUBO identified the top five issues in 2023 as:
- Supporting and Maintaining the Workforce
- Ensuring Successful Student Outcomes
- Securing and Modernizing Technology Systems
- Navigating Affordability and Enrollment Management
- Meeting Physical Infrastructure Needs
The new report, compiled from results of an annual survey as well as feedback from small-group discussions, outlines each of the challenges, with resources to help higher education leaders navigate the issues. NACUBO will create professional development programming over the next year to help business officers successfully tackle these challenges and help their institutions chart a successful course forward.
Read more . . .
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Accumulation of dust, dirt, and other debris in HVAC ducts can cause serious IAQ issues. And, unless your system has perfect filtering and is leak-free, you can be sure this debris accumulates, causing major discomfort and potential health issues for occupants in your buildings.
Luckily Goodway® has your back with its AQ-RV450 duct-cleaning vacuum. This all-in-one duct cleaner features a remote-controlled two-directional rotating brush to remove debris, and a powerful 201 CFM vacuum pulls it back into the unit's disposable vacuum bag.
At the same time, clean 99.97% HEPA-filtered air exits from the bottom. The AQ-RV450 is engineered for effortless portability with the roll-anywhere carrier or detach the lightweight power pack so you can get even closer to the job. Additional options for hose length and brush size let you get what you need.
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U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Administrator Robin Carnahan joined other leaders at the Denver Federal Center to announce an $88 million investment, partially funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, to make 18 federal buildings in the Denver area more sustainable as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. Through an Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC), GSA plans to upgrade building infrastructure and install new technologies that will reduce energy consumption and costs, while also cutting dangerous climate pollution and creating hundreds of local jobs annually.
The project is slated to include the installation of high-efficiency ground source heat pumps, solar panels, and heating and cooling system upgrades, and the buildings will meet the White House’s Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings (PDF).
GSA says the Biden-Harris Administration is leading by example to tackle the climate crisis through President Biden’s Federal Sustainability Plan. These efforts are a part of the Administration’s Climate Smart Buildings Initiative and will help GSA on its ambitious path to achieve net-zero emissions from federal buildings by 2045.
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Create accessible, freestanding spaces within open-plan environments with the WiggleRoom Super Structure. Recently accredited as a Certified Autism Resource, this scalable post-and-beam system allows students to break away from sensory-overloaded situations and find peace and quiet to relax, learn, and connect with others.
Complete with a dimmable user-controlled lighting system and optional additional acoustic absorption, WiggleRoom Super Structure is the perfect solution to address modern students' unique needs.
Discover how you can enhance your learning environment with WiggleRoom Super Structure.
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The NextUp network delivers inclusive programs and experiences that advance women at every stage of their career, accelerate workplace equity and drive business growth. They do this by developing leaders at every level of business, transforming norms by creating workplace equity and leading the DEI&B conversation by supporting women of color and their allies. NextUp envisions a world where women have equal opportunities at work and equal opportunity to build their lives and careers exactly the way they want them.
The 17,000-member-strong association, present in 21 regions across the U.S., provides critical career development for women who come to NextUp as individuals or members of a partner organization. Its leadership believes goals are unique to each person and tailors solutions that cater to its members’ career level.
For facility and design professionals who are ready to see what’s next:
NextUp Membership is open to individuals or members of a partner organization.
Read more . . .
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White Paper submitted by ABM — With over a decade of experience — and nearly 30,000 charging ports installed — ABM is the leading commercial installer of EV chargers in the U.S.
Download our expert EV answers ebook to learn more about our unique approach to creating custom electric vehicle (EV) solutions that improve driver satisfaction and get you closer to your sustainability goals.
Why trust ABM as an authority on EV infrastructure?
Answer: We’ve got more than a decade of experience — and over 28,000 installed EV charging ports to prove it.
During our more than 110 years as a facility services provider and innovator, we’ve helped facilities evolve to meet tech demands — thousands of times. EV is the latest tech to be woven into the fabric of facilities, and our experts can answer any question about it. With our extensive experience in parking management and energy-saving solutions, ABM helps your facility navigate the intersection of evolving technology, power requirements and operations that impact successful EV charging infrastructure. And our proven experience in eMobility means that we know how to expedite the implementation process and help you plan for your facility’s future.
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The National Facilities Management & Technology Remix (NFMT Remix) Conference & Expo runs from October 25 to 26 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. There is a great slate of events for all facilities professionals.
There are three levels of registration: Expo Level (Free), Pro Level ($49) and Elite Level ($249). Expo Level grants access to the Expo Hall, Learning Labs, and the Networking Party. Pro unlocks more perks, such as Educational Sessions & Huddles, CEUs and more. Elite Level enables every perk. To see a full breakdown of the levels, click here.
NFMT Remix offers more than 35 educational sessions divided into 5 tracks:
- Energy Efficiency and Sustainability
- Health, Safety & Wellness
- Standards & Codes
- FM Technologies
- Leadership, Career & Culture
At the heart of NFMT Remix is the free Expo Hall, a point where everyone convenes to view 400 facilities management products and technologies on display. These come from leading manufacturers of HVAC, building automation, software, lighting and more.
Learn more at NFMT Remix.
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The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Efficient and Healthy Schools campaign recently celebrated the achievements of 17 K-12 schools and districts that implemented exemplary projects to improve the energy and environmental performance of their school’s facilities. Schools were honored for upgrading facilities with technologies and practices that create healthy and more sustainable learning environments for students and staff and slash their facilities’ energy needs, carbon emissions, and utility bills.
The Efficient and Healthy Schools Campaign, led by DOE’s Building Technologies Office, is an interagency effort supported by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Education to recognize and provide technical assistance for school districts that seek to implement high-impact indoor air quality (IAQ) and efficiency improvements in their facilities. Yhe campaign began in 2021 when school districts across the country were forced to determine if their facilities’ ventilation systems could allow them to safely reopen their doors for in-person learning while Covid-19 continued to circulate worldwide. DOE and its partners at Berkeley Lab realized this moment was a unique opportunity for schools — a chronically under-resourced segment of commercial buildings — to not only improve the IAQ of their facilities, but to upgrade their energy and environmental performance overall. The campaign offers assistance to schools and connects them with the practical solutions and the means to implement them. 142 school districts in 44 states now receive this specialized assistance through the campaign, representing over 3.8 million students across more than 6,400 individual schools.
Read more. . .
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As a commercial flooring solutions provider of choice for decades, the Patcraft brand is well known to facilities planners, interior designers and design firm principals seeking options for soft and hard commercial surfaces. Patcraft's representatives in the field and its internal designers are accustomed to working with corporate, education and healthcare clients to create unique designs or work through total solutions with tight timeframes. Realizing a market opportunity that also diversifies Patcraft, its team created TransFORM Studio.
Shannon Cochran, Patcraft Vice President of Marketing & Design, and Katie Myers Wender, Patcraft Interior Design Service Specialist, answered Eileen McMorrow’s questions about TransFORM Studio, what it means to facility managers, and why now.
How does TransFORM Studio collaborate with both the end-user and the design firm? What gap is it filling?
Katie Myers Wender: We collaborate with both end-users and design firms differently. Typically, with the end-user, TransFORM Studio helps provide a connection to an interior designer, allowing for different opportunities to explore design. With design firms, we typically function as more of a design aide — a facilitator who helps with projects that are already in progress, for example, helping in scenarios where a project is limited on time.
TransFORM Studio offers such a broad range of services, and there is so much that we can help with — whether it’s curating color palettes to matching existing fixtures or even working on full design concepts. There are various platforms and resources to meet project needs at all stages of design. We listen and learn to provide useful solutions, working together to meet project goals.
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According to the worldwide cleaning industry association ISSA, 22 million school days are lost each year due to the common cold, and up to 38 million school days due to the flu. What’s more, the state of education in the U.S. has a severe chronic absenteeism problem that affects learning in major ways. When you combine unhealthy habits of rising late that continue into high school years, along with the necessary medical appointments, missing school quickly becomes something that just “happens,” points out facilities services provider OpenWorks.
Schools have always been a breeding ground for viruses, bacteria, dirt, dust and infections. Poor hygiene leads to teacher, student and staff absences, costing billions of dollars to compensate. In addition, we know that students and teachers alike require clean, organized, hygienic environments for optimum learning. A lack of hygiene may even lead to teachers, staff and students leaving the school system.
Considering how much money schools lose annually due to a lack of hygiene, hiring a professional cleaning company or cleaning staff can contribute to saving money and enjoying cleaner (and successful) schools. So check out these school cleanliness tips to help keep the entire building safe, clean and conducive to learning.
Read more . . .
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This week's Featured Book from FMLink's Books section is from the Project Management category. This collection of peer-reviewed books has been curated by the editorial team at FMLink to provide facilities, engineering and A&D professionals with access to publications relating to the Project Management topic.
Part 1 focuses on planning and starting your business. This section will help you formulate a business plan, choose a business structure, understand licensing and insurance requirements and gain basic management and marketing skills.
Part 2 covers fundamentals you will need to know in order to operate a successful construction business. This section covers estimating, contract management, scheduling, project management, safety and environmental responsibilities, and building good relationships with employees, subcontractors and customers.
This and other Project Management titles are now available for purchase on FMLink.
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