Healthy Schools Campaign (HSC) and Green Seal recently announced a pilot Healthy Green Schools & Colleges certification standard to support school facilities leaders in identifying and implementing low- or no-cost measures that make a significant difference in facilities indoor air quality.
The pilot standard, said to be the first of its kind, is publicly available for any school district or university to use today to improve air quality in their school facilities. It is designed to be implemented district-wide or university-wide to ensure an organization-level commitment to standard operating procedures, resource distribution, and facility maintenance that supports the health of all students and staff, as well as the environment.
The 9 school districts and 10 colleges and universities that signed on as Early Adopters during the development of the pilot standard will now begin formally implementing it to provide data and advice on thresholds for certification levels. The full Healthy Green Schools & Colleges program, including self-assessment tools, educational resources, a peer network and certification opportunities, will be available this Spring.
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Poll results released in February, 2022, reveal that 74% of people indicate they wash their hands more often now than they did before the pandemic, and 88% say they will continue to wash their hands more often than before the pandemic. Further, 70% said they wash their hands for 20 seconds or less, contrary to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendation of 20 seconds or more. These are among the compelling results of a consumer snap poll of October 2021, conducted by Cascades PRO, a professional hygiene solutions company.
Supporting these findings is the Healthy Handwashing Survey that reveals a handwashing decrease of 25% among adults compared to when Covid-19 arrived. As of January 2022, Americans are washing their hands 7.8 times per day, a drop from the 10.5 times in Spring 2020, says the handwashing survey, conducted by Bradley Corp., a leading manufacturer of commercial handwashing fixtures and washroom accessories.
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Higher-education facilities managers have been working non-stop since the pandemic began, first transitioning their professors and students from on-campus to virtual learning and then keeping the buildings in sound condition while they were unoccupied. Since January, 2021, when campus life returned with limits, education facilities planners, engineers, and administrators have been creating new solutions for educational experiences on campus.
Their colleagues in government facility management are also facing demands with their buildings figuring out how hybrid work applies to their government employees and contractors and how it will impact government real estate holdings. Their unique needs are addressed in a selection of sessions during the National Facilities Management & Technology (NFMT) Conference & Expo, March 29-31 in Baltimore. “Facility managers are ready to return to in-person events,” says Dan Weltin, editor-in-chief, facility market at Trade Press Media Group. “Virtual conferences have been helpful during the pandemic, but they are no substitute for a live trade show. NFMT will be the best opportunity to learn about the latest trends and see new products.”
Use promo code MCMOR2022 to get Pro-Level Registration. For FREE!
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Like many facility managers, Richard Conohan, ProFM, CFM, AssocRICS, FMP, SFP, CRL, didn’t begin his career intending to work in facility management. Instead, he found himself there as many do, by accident. Before beginning his current role as an Alliance Director at CBRE, Richard got his start as a security officer at a major shopping center. From there, he made connections with the maintenance team and began his journey into the FM profession.
“The operations supervisor at the time took a chance on a young me with no maintenance experience,” Conohan said. “And with his support, my first steps towards being in an FM role were taken.”
From there, Richard moved into the semiconductor industry as a building operator, which turned into a role as a Health, Safety and Environment manager before transitioning to CBRE as a senior facility manager, and finally to his current role as an Alliance Director at CBRE in the Energy, Oil & Gas sector.
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The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has increased the number of acceptable types of credentials that federal agencies can permit as official digital identity. This is part of the latest update to Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 201, ensuring that federal employees and contractors have a broader set of modern options for accessing facilities and electronic resources.
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A fresh new aesthetic and solid reputation for durability drive the HON Company’s competitive edge
Diana Mosher, an editor with The McMorrow Reports & FMLink, connected with The HON Company team, Anna Wizner, Leslie Eichelberger, Jeremy Tinkler, and Ben Daufeldt, to discuss marketplace insights.
HON products are made to last. How do you approach durability?
Wizner: Every piece of HON furniture—from initial conceptualization to final design—is created with three benchmarks in mind: thoughtful design, exceptional durability and intuitive solutions. Our products are made to last. HON promotes exhaustive testing to ensure that every product evolves with our industry’s high commercial standards. Developing products that stand the test of time has always been one of our core values. We won’t release a product to market without guaranteeing it lives up to our standards.
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Your FM career is too important to leave to chance. What are you doing to keep up with the growing demands being placed on your shoulders? Thousands of facilities managers (FMs) will be meeting at NFMT Baltimore to discover new best practices, make connections, and elevate their careers.
To kick off the conference, ProFM instructor Alana F. Dunoff will be leading a free (for Pro and Elite Level NFMT registration) two-hour interactive workshop on Monday, March 28, 2:00-4:00 pm, to help you identify and fill your FM knowledge gaps.
Join Dunoff and other facility managers from a variety of industries to learn how you can grow your competitive advantage and reputation with the ProFM credential.
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