By Philip J. Wirdzek and Hannah Debelius
We know we can’t do it alone, whatever “it” may be in our campus sustainability efforts. The facilities department is responsible for building, operating, and maintaining the built environment for educational and research purposes and generally has a large staff with which to do it. But you can be most effective when you are working […]
By Dr. Ayodele Akinola, DBA, MBA, LSSBB, NCBITL, NCTITL
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC) is firmly committed to environmental sustainability. From architecture to infrastructure, we are dedicated to the creation and
By Richard W. Robben, P.E., MBA, CEFP
“The unexamined life is not worth living.” Socrates is noted for this statement that he made as a farewell to his students in 399 BC. He had been found guilty by the Athenian court for his teachings and accused of corrupting his students. He was sentenced to death and committed suicide by drinking hemlock. Socrates […]
By E. Lander Medlin
As Congress and the Biden Administration consider the path forward with the proposed infrastructure bill, it is important to be cognizant of the physical infrastructure needs of our campuses throughout higher education. Higher education institutions in the United States spend about $36.8 billion annually on facilities operations, maintenance, and utilities, and an average of $27.8 […]
By Rosalba Ledezma
My service as the Vice President of State Chapter Affairs on the Southeastern Region (SRAPPA) Board began in October 2019 at the regional conference in Covington, Kentucky. I am appreciative of the trust that the SRAPPA membership has placed in me and the support I receive from my institution (Wake Forest University), my direct supervisor, […]
By Reniera O’Donnell, Ilma Stankeviciute, and Johanna Anderson
The circular economy is a new economic system that delivers better outcomes for people and the environment. Business models, products, and materials are designed to increase use and reuse, replicating the balance of the natural world, where nothing becomes waste and everything has value. A circular economy, increasingly built on renewable energy and materials, is […]
By Ted Weidner
While the COVID-19 pandemic has not been declared over, it may have permanently changed the way we do things as facility officers. Initially, we implemented sanitization procedures that were previously ignored or reduced due to budget cuts. APPA Level 2 cleaning of restrooms got bumped up a little, and in some cases, to Level 1. […]
By Lori Garrett
Consequences and changes resulting from the COVID-19 global pandemic are far-reaching. Colleges, universities, and schools have certainly felt the pandemic’s effects across offices and functions. The manner in which students learn and live on campus was thrown into instantaneous disarray last spring. Since early 2020, campus facilities professionals have undertaken a Herculean task to transform […]
By Norm Russell
An ancient proverb states that it is better to “light one candle than to curse the darkness.” And humanity found a means to conquer the darkness, evolving from a burning stick to a candle, to a gas light, to an electric lightbulb, and finally, electroluminescence: the light-emitting diode (LED). The LED, with its high efficiency, […]
By Angie Hennessy
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 […]
