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A new study published in the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) demonstrates that viral particles spread to many restroom surfaces during toilet flushing, regardless of whether the toilet lid is up or down. In this analysis, the only meaningful way of reducing viral particles was through disinfection of the toilet, toilet water, and nearby surfaces.
Scientists have long known that the process of toilet flushing can aerosolize pathogens expelled into the toilet bowl by an unhealthy individual. The aerosol plume created from the force of flushing can travel five feet or more, spreading pathogens to floors, walls, sinks, and other nearby surfaces in a bathroom. Prior studies have found that closing the toilet lid can help reduce the spread of bacterial pathogens, but until now, there has not been a report of whether the same is true for viral pathogens, which tend to be much smaller than their bacterial counterparts.
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Marmoleum Solid contributes to the well-being of individuals by bringing nature inside, creating healthy spaces to work, learn, heal and play. The Solid collection is minimalistic, pure and timeless, providing a long-lasting foundation that never goes out of style and mixes well with other interior finishes. Made from natural, renewable and recycled materials, Marmoleum is unique, as carbon dioxide emissions are absorbed by its raw materials. The combined photosynthesis of all plants used in Marmoleum achieves CO2 uptake that is greater than the CO2 emissions resulting from production and transportation.
Marmoleum relieves the environment of carbon dioxide, and it is climate-positive from cradle-to-gate, without offsetting. Marmoleum’s natural ingredients provide it with inherent anti-microbial and anti-static properties that won’t diminish over time, contributing to a healthier indoor environment. Marmoleum Solid’s Topshield Pro finish provides the best in durability, with lasting wear performance and improved stain-resistance, including those from hand disinfectants.
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On April 10, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the first-ever national, legally enforceable drinking water standard to protect communities from exposure to harmful per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as "forever chemicals." Exposure to PFAS has been linked to deadly cancers, impacts to the liver and heart, and immune and developmental damage to infants and children. This final rule represents the most significant step to protect public health under EPA's PFAS Strategic Roadmap. The final rule will reduce PFAS exposure for approximately 100 million people, prevent thousands of deaths, and reduce tens of thousands of serious illnesses. The announcement complements President Biden’s government-wide action plan to combat PFAS pollution.
Through Biden’s Investing in America agenda, EPA is also making unprecedented funding available to help ensure that all people have clean and safe water. In addition to this final rule, EPA announced nearly $1 billion in newly available funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help states and territories implement PFAS testing and treatment at public water systems and to help owners of private wells address contamination.
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People taking care of other people is at the core of healthcare, and real estate provides safe and healthy spaces for providers and systems to keep communities thriving. How and where people get their healthcare now is changing. Driven by technology, reimbursement challenges and consumer preferences, healthcare continues to shift to outpatient sites. Even the terminology used for “medical office” is moving toward the more comprehensive: "medical outpatient building" (MOB). JLL’s new U.S. Medical Outpatient Building Perspective provides a lens into these industry transformations.
The report also discusses factors driving demand for medical office and outpatient properties, real estate fundamentals, how rising construction costs affect the industry, where the growth markets – and opportunities – are and the attractiveness of the sector to investors.
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Each project is unique and has various drivers for carpet selection — beauty, sustainability, or durability. Universal Fibers can meet all these priorities with a portfolio of solutions. When it comes to specifying carpet fiber, nylon 6,6 products continue to outperform the competition in appearance retention and resisting soiling and staining, which can affect the lifespan of a carpet installation — which is why nylon 6,6 remains a superior choice for specifiers seeking to invest in a long-term solution.
This fiber specification regularly contributes to a cleaner indoor environment for facility occupants, as well as a longer lifecycle for the project itself. Universal Fibers supports the market by delivering top-quality, sustainable nylon 6,6 products that last. In today’s world, “lasting performance” can introduce complexities. If nylon 6,6 boasts lasting endurance, what implications does this hold for the environment? How does its unparalleled durability influence design adaptability? Universal Fibers offers sustainable nylon solutions for your next project.
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Kick off your Coverings 2024 experience and A&D Day with breakfast and an invigorating keynote address from 2023 Laureate of The American Prize for Architecture Chad Oppenheim, architect, FAIA, NCARB, LEED AP. Oppenheim will address Building Globally, Designing Locally – How Materiality Empowers Spirit of Place on Monday, April 22, the first day of of Coverings, which runs through April 25 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Coverings offers numerous education sessions of interest to FMs, architects, designers and fabricators, including:
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The most common roofing objective of building owners and facility managers is to extend a roof’s useful life. Or at least it should be. Many roofs are replaced prematurely, wasting valuable budget dollars and causing unnecessary disruption. SR PreVision, powered by Simon Roofing, helps to prevent that from happening by equipping building owners and facility managers with the information necessary to make smart decisions. This multi-step process goes far beyond traditional inspections to provide a comprehensive summary of a roof’s condition, including a reliable prediction of its remaining useful life and viable solutions to extend it.
The first step in the process is an extremely thorough roof evaluation that includes:
- CAD drawings to streamline the process
- Infrared scans to detect wet insulation
- A visual inspection by a specially trained SR PreVision technician. Every technician is equipped with a tablet and an online program to walk through each inspection consistently and correctly. Everything is documented and uploaded through the tablet, including photos, roof type, pitch, composition, and any defects or problem areas.
- A membrane and core sample taken from the roof are sent to the SR PreVision laboratory for testing.
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NeoCon, the premier event for the commercial interiors industry, offers a comprehensive lineup of more than 50 in-person and virtual CEU sessions accessible exclusively to registered NeoCon attendees and featuring expert speakers from leading associations, universities, architecture and design firms, and top media outlets. Themed “Design Takes Shape,” this year’s edition will provide a platform where diverse perspectives converge to foster enrichment and growth across various topics and disciplines of interest to architects, designers and facility managers (FMs). including DEI, Design Skills, Education, Facilities Management, Healthcare, Hospitality, Industry Directions, Lighting, Public Space, Sustainability, Technology, Wellness and Workplace.
The McMorrow Reports + FMLink editors recommend these healthcare-related sessions:
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By Sara Marberry — A few weeks ago, I posted an article by Rachael Ferrell at HKS on my LinkedIn feed about new design trends in behavioral health that talked about sensory rooms. As one of my followers correctly pointed out, sensory rooms themselves aren’t new — Snoezelen multi-sensory rooms were introduced by the Dutch in the mid-1970s as therapy for people with autism and other developmental disabilities, dementia, and brain injuries. They are in institutions all over the world, but are especially popular in Germany, where more than 1,200 exist. But perhaps what is new is the idea of creating a personalized patient experience through custom-curated tactile features, projected imagery, sounds, and smells. For example, HKS sensory therapy prototypes have shown that patients struggling with a balance disorder known as proprioception respond positively to spaces that “support deep pressure activities and resistance exercises with consistent intensity.”
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The in-person healthcare built environment educational and networking summits are coming to a city near you. Facilities and operations executives for hospital systems, architects, construction and design professionals are sharing information about their experiences post-pandemic in hospital, clinic, retail and mobile healthcare services delivery. The challenges of construction costs, the uniting of hospital platforms to offer care in shared markets, and the increase in telehealth access are changing the healthcare landscape and impacting capital investment.
Piloting Healthcare’s Road to Recovery, the hospital, outpatient facilities and medical office buildings summit is on April 25 in New York and May 22 in Dallas.
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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 ADA / Accessibility topic.
Accessibility Pocketbook 2021 provides the vital accessibility information you need in one handy source. This helpful publication contains selected provisions from the 2021 International Building Code (IBC), 2021 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) and the entire text of ICC A117.1-2017: Standard for Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities.
The guide assists in the design, plan review, construction, and inspection of accessible facilities and features by combining the accessibility provisions of the IBC and IEBC with the technical requirements of the A117.1 standard into a single easy-to-reference resource. Accessibility PocketBook is an ideal tool for the job site as well as an easy-to-use desk reference for the office.
This and other ADA / Accessibility titles are available for purchase on FMLink.
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The American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE), a professional membership group of the American Hospital Association (AHA), has opened registration for the inaugural Health Care Facilities Innovation Conference, July 21-24, 2024, at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA.
The Health Care Facilities Innovation Conference is an evolution of the ASHE Annual Conference & Technical Exhibition, which has been a premier conference for professionals in the healthcare facilities field for more than six decades. The conference’s new identity reflects ASHE’s commitment to equipping its members to meet the opportunities and challenges presented by the rapidly changing healthcare field. The conference is geared toward an array of healthcare physical environmental professionals, including healthcare facilities managers (FMs), hospital and system executive leadership, construction managers, infection preventionists, safety professionals and technicians, at all career stages.
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