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Translate Universities are known for “enlightening” students. But to do so, they must literally keep the lights on. All facilities must decide how to best use and purchase electricity, natural gas, and other energy sources for powering their operations. These decisions are particularly complex for educational institutions with high—and varied—demand for lighting, heating, cooling, and technology. […]
Lighting: Indispensable in the Learning Environment
We all know that lighting has an important influence on our moods. A rainy, dreary day can make us sleepy and lethargic, while a beautiful sunny day can make us feel happy and energized. The implications of this relationship become even more important in the context of education. Can lighting in campus buildings have a […]
Micro-Scrubber Technology in Post-COVID-19 Learning Environments
For years, people assumed there was a basic level of cleanliness in public spaces. That’s no longer the case. Trust has been eroded due in large part to the COVID-19 pandemic. Indeed, as Ernst & Young wrote, the age of the “anxious consumer” is upon us. And if consumers are anxious, educators, parents, and students […]
Over-the-Air Power: A Radical Resource for Educational Facility Management
Schools and universities with storied hallways were not built to meet the power demands of today’s tech-dependent world. When it comes to the management of these buildings, many obstacles prevent seamless operations: architectural or design limitations, costly maintenance, and the complex needs of the modern academic landscape. These obstacles cannot simply be resolved by longer-lasting […]
Private Tennessee-Based University Cuts Energy Costs 40% with Chilled Water Plant Optimization
With over 10,000 graduate and undergraduate students and an expanding campus, a private university in Tennessee had a unique opportunity to make a tremendous environmental impact. In 2014, the institution outlined a broad set of behavioral and operational standards across the campus, designed to reduce energy costs and consumption. The policy included many common-sense provisions, […]
Redefining Communications for Today’s Mobile Workforces
Communicating with personnel was already a challenge for companies with workers in the field, widespread workforces in siloed divisions and office locations, and deskless staff who travel. Now that COVID-19 has all but eradicated traditional in-person relationships and many in-office team members are working remotely, keeping everyone synced is an even more daunting task. The […]
Safeguarding Historic Buildings with Advanced Smoke Detection
Colleges and universities are included among some of the world’s historic, cultural, and architectural treasures and are at risk of being damaged or lost to fire. When structures are hundreds of years old and not designed with smoke detection or fire suppression in mind, protection can be challenging. The high ceilings and voluminous spaces in […]
Solar Energy and Smart Building Automation
Adding solar energy to a building’s energy mix is a crucial aspect in making a building more energy independent; however, it is only the first step. As the world is moving towards sustainability and energy independence, so too is building architecture beginning to change to incorporate these values. More frequently we are seeing net-zero buildings […]
The Importance of Staying Online All the Time with the Right UPS System
Choosing the right uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system now is a prudent step, as these systems will only become more important to educational facilities in the future. Preserving and protecting power supplies are two of the most important functions facility managers need to monitor. This is particularly noteworthy as we head into fall and schools […]
Where Water Control Meets Conservation: New Programmed Water Technologies Offer Innovative Solutions to Facility Managers
Facility maintenance requires keeping tabs on a variety of moving parts—managing aging infrastructure, ensuring that every building is following health and safety protocols, and balancing a budget, just to name a few. Managing a commercial building’s water usage is no exception. Without the proper measures in place, a facility’s water usage costs and consumption can […]
Wireless Power and RFID: Leveraging Existing Systems for a Safer Post-COVID-19 Educational Experience
Wireless charging—we’ve all heard of it, and most of us even have it in the palm of our hands every day, embedded in our cellphones. The technology has come a long way in terms of adoption and efficiency over the past several years, but it is far from a new concept. As far back as […]
