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Global real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield recently released Reimagining Cities: Disrupting the Urban Doom Loop — an in-depth research report that puts 15 U.S. cities under the microscope to identify the real estate portfolios cities currently have versus what they need, given how much the economy has changed post-pandemic. These key findings emerged:
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Cities, particularly economically important, walkable urban places near the core, violated portfolio theory in real estate markets. This is especially true for downtowns, where 70% of real estate square footage is currently office.
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There is an optimal product mix for real estate markets to move towards. This optimal mix, for most cities, on average, is 42% Work (office, owner-occupied, GSA), 32% Live (for-sale and multifamily rental housing) and 26% Play (retail, hotel and other sports/entertainment).
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Reimagining these walkable urban places will yield dividends for all stakeholders in the city. These small, walkable pockets of cities account for only 3% of the city’s landmass and 25% of the city’s real estate footprint, but 37% of city tax revenues and 57% of city GDP. If these places fail, the entire city suffers.
Developed in partnership with Places Platform, a real estate solutions technology company co-founded by coauthor Christopher B. Leinberger of George Washington University School of Business, Reimagining Cities addresses critical questions about the 15 cities' economic health, how “doom loops” can manifest, and how they can be reversed into “virtuous cycles.”
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PVI is a leading manufacturer of industry-best commercial and industrial water heaters fabricated from durable AquaPLEX duplex stainless steel, making its units naturally immune to corrosion. They require no supplemental tank linings or anode protection systems, giving PVI water heaters superior reliability and longevity.
PVI offers water heaters configurable for any common energy source including natural or LP gas, oil, boiler water, solar, steam, electricity and waste heat. Its models range from instantaneous and on-demand water heating to storage water heaters. PVI also offers “engineered-to-order” products to match a facility manager’s specific requirements. Available through a nationwide network of independent and factory sales representatives, PVI units are proudly backed with the industry’s strongest warranties and service policy packages. PVI offers a durable solution for water-heating projects.
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International recycling and waste container brand Busch Systems, in collaboration with the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), National Wildlife Federation, College & University Recycling Coalition (CURC), Zero Waste Campus Council and Campus Race to Zero Waste, has completed a survey and report of the findings of 170 campus sustainability and facilities managers.
The report, Indoor Waste & Diversion at Colleges and Universities, highlights the growing trend of higher education institutions adopting practices such as uniform waste bin standards and centralized collection arrangements shown to improve recycling and waste diversion. The report includes lessons learned from the schools that have implemented these best practices.
Among the findings, the report found of participating schools:
- 44% have adopted a self-service arrangement that shifts responsibility from custodians to individual staff and faculty for removing personal waste from office workstations.
- Removing waste baskets from classrooms and directing students to use common area bins resulted in increased diversion, lower contamination and reduced labor demand for a majority of schools as well as reduced classroom litter for a third of them.
- 63% make at least some effort to recover food waste from academic and administrative areas of campus.
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Elevate your facility to the next level with Flotex, a flocked floor covering that combines the durability, cleanability, and performance of a resilient floor with the comfort, acoustics, and slip-resistance of carpet. Flotex is 100% waterproof and can withstand extreme wear and high traffic, making it ideal for convention centers, public spaces and education environments.
Flotex floor coverings are manufactured with up to 46,000 upright nylon 6,6 fibers per square inch that resist crushing and matting. The straight nylon fibers capture fine dust and allergens that are easily released when vacuumed. Flotex releases up to 76% of original soil after vacuuming compared to 46% for loop pile carpet.
When spray extraction cleaning is used, Flotex releases up to 97% of the original soil compared to 64% for loop pile carpet. That is why Flotex is the only textile flooring with a British Allergy Foundation approval. Plus, Flotex’s dense, upright nylon fiber completely dries after wet extraction in 4 to 6 hours verses up to 24 hours for traditional carpet. If you are looking for an easy-to-clean, highly effective hygienic floor that is safe, extremely durable and stain resistant, with 40 years of proven history, it is Flotex from Forbo Flooring Systems.
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The U.S. Department of State Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) has just announced that the new U.S. Embassy Windhoek, Namibia, was awarded the Best Project in the Government Building category by Engineering News Record’s (ENR) Global Best Projects competition. This esteemed recognition highlights the exceptional design and construction efforts behind the embassy, which reflect the United States’ commitment to fostering strong diplomatic relationships worldwide through the built environment.
For 2024, the judges examined 120 projects — the most entries ENR has ever received. From this pool, 35 projects located in 19 countries were selected as outstanding, showcasing OBO and its partners’ remarkable achievements in global construction.
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill was the design architect, and B.L. Harbert International constructed the embassy, with PAGE Architects serving as the architect of record. The new embassy exemplifies excellence in architecture, sustainability and innovative construction practices. This recognition signifies the importance of modern embassies in promoting diplomacy and engagement in host countries. The embassy in Windhoek will serve as a vital hub for U.S. diplomatic efforts in Namibia, enhancing collaboration and cooperation.
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KI, a leader in furniture solutions, has expanded its Ruckus Collection with new Ruckus stacking desks. Designed for maximum space efficiency, flexibility and active learning, these desks help educators optimize classroom layouts, foster student engagement, and bring added value to transitional spaces, testing areas, classrooms, libraries and more. Featuring a lightweight design, Ruckus stacking desks can be stacked four high and stored, making them ideal for classrooms or other areas where space and adaptability are crucial.
Kyle Boudreau, senior product marketing manager at KI, stated, "These desks not only provide a compact storage solution, but also allow classrooms to easily transition from group work to individual activities – supporting the flexible, active environments teachers are creating. It’s about making the classroom a more adaptable, inspiring place for both educators and students."
Customize with either rounded or square worksurface corners and a variety of frame colors, laminates and edge finishes. Ruckus stacking desks integrate seamlessly with other Ruckus furniture pieces, providing teachers with cohesive solutions that are both durable and beautiful.
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AHR Expo, the International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition, is an annual trade show that brings together HVACR professionals, manufacturers and industry leaders to showcase the latest trends and advancements in the industry. It will be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, February 10-12, 2025.
At the world’s largest HVACR event, with over 1,600 exhibitors and 50,000 attendees annually, the show offers a variety of events. Education sessions are a key draw for facility and building managers, engineers and architects, and are offered in multiple formats including free industry seminars, New Product Theaters with 146 product presentations, AHR Panel Series, ASHRAE Learning Institute Courses and Podcast Pavilions.
FM attendees will learn how to operate their buildings using automation, new technologies, AI, carbon-reduction measures and standards that improve IAQ and thermal comfort. FMLink and The McMorrow Reports will be attending the show, and are recommending these sessions and more:
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Nexa, the intelligent water management solution for facilities from Watts, uses advanced sensing technology and a robust software platform designed to uncover hidden water system insights and risks, empowering building managers to enhance building performance and occupant experience. Nexa is system agnostic, with many facilities experiencing a 3x return on their initial investment in the first year of usage.
Nexa helps the facilities team uncover hidden leaks, pressure and flow issues, energy waste, and countless other risks lurking in plumbing and hydronic systems. A combination of hardware, software and support empowers FMs to improve the experience of everyone in your building.
Nexa offers real-time monitoring, alerts and insights to prevent costly water-related incidents and reduce water and energy consumption. Its intuitive interface features a system schematic, customizable alerts and detailed analytics, enabling teams to quickly identify and address issues. When used in conjunction with Nexa-compatible equipment, like water heaters, digital mixing valves, or shutoff valves, facility managers can get even more insights into their water system and remotely manage specific equipment operations. Nexa is available in desktop and mobile app format.
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The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced the award of a contract to PCI Support Services, a Tribally owned small business based out of Atmore, AL, using Inflation Reduction Act funds for repairs at the Terry Sanford Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Raleigh, NC, as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. This $11.3 million award highlights GSA’s commitment to collaborating and building more robust outreach to promote opportunities for small and socially economically disadvantaged entities.
The project includes the replacement of the existing windows throughout the building with new energy-efficient windows and doors made with low-embodied-carbon glass. The project will replace all the windows with U.S.-manufactured glass by Guardian Glass. The glass meets GSA’s top performing low-embodied carbon criteria.
The funding for the improvements — made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, the largest climate investment in history — will be used for low-embodied-carbon materials that have fewer greenhouse gas emissions associated with their production. The project is one of more than 150 low-embodied carbon material projects that GSA announced in November 2023, and it expected to be completed by spring 2026.
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Maintenance software provider Limble recently announced that its CMMS (computerized maintenance management system) and Asset Management platform is now available on SAP Store, the online marketplace for SAP and partner offerings. Limble integrates with SAP S/4HANA enterprise resource planning (ERP) software to improve efficiencies across maintenance, procurement and accounting teams with real-time data synchronization and purchase order automations. With a Limble free trial available on the SAP Store, prospective customers can experience the award-winning CMMS platform firsthand.
Integrating Limble with S/4HANA creates a single source of truth for managing purchases, parts inventory and vendors. Features include:
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Instant purchase order generation: Automatically generate new POs in SAP S/4HANA when the maintenance team requires parts or services.
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Real-time inventory updates: Keep spare parts inventory up-to-date in SAP S/4HANA as parts are used in real time through Limble.
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Dynamic vendor management: Maintain consistent vendor information across platforms, reducing the need for manual data entry.
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently celebrated $34 million in Inflation Reduction Act grants awarded to the five organizations across the country that will use these funds to work with school districts to improve indoor air quality (IAQ) in schools. As part of the celebration, EPA and the grantees heard from leaders from the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) on their efforts to date to improve air quality, reduce pollutants, and reduce building costs. District leaders and school staff are already noting better attendance and school performance in buildings that have undergone upgrades.
The five grantees will soon begin their work to monitor and reduce indoor air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions at schools from kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) in low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities.The grants to protect children’s health will help schools develop and implement comprehensive IAQ plans through training, education, capacity building and research and demonstration projects.
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This week's Featured Book from FMLink Books is part of a collection of peer-reviewed books curated by the FMLink editorial team to provide facilities, engineering and A&D professionals with access to publications relating to the Green Building topic.
This GreenSource book offers a complete survey of Civano, the largest high-performance mixed-use community in the United States. Located in Tucson, Arizona, Civano encompasses high standards of resource conservation, sustainability, and solar energy use. Inside the Civano Project features insider information on the planning, funding, building and management of this development, which integrates residential communities with:
- Shopping facilities
- Workplace facilities
- School facilities
- Civic facilities
- Parks and natural open spaces
This and other Green Building titles are available for purchase on FMLink.
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