The First Facility Management Blog

The average American will attend 2.7 office parties during this holiday season and spend two hours and 36 minutes at each. Since so many people will be spending “work-time” this December wearing funny hats, eating Cheez-Wiz and avoiding those darned mistletoed doorposts, how can people make the most of this season’s merrymaking?

The following list of office party “dos and don’ts” come from Andrea Nierenberg, author of Million Dollar Networking: The Sure Fire Way to Find, Grow, and Keep Your Business.

1. Keep the Shirt on Your Back- It’s time to loosen the tie and kick off those heels. However, appropriate dress is essential. Ladies, anything with the word “skin”(e.g. skin tight, skin baring) in it is a bad idea. Guys, keep everything buttoned and zippered and you’ll be ok.

2. Limit Libations- Nothing spells bad year-end review like too much a-l-c-o-h-o-l. Remember, holiday party disasters don’t just last a night, they follow you to the office. If you do have a few, keep it that way.

3. Ho, Ho, Ho, It’s Almost Review Time- Make sure you say hello to your boss, his or her boss (who approves your raise) and other co-workers that you haven’t seen lately because they may have gotten moved to the basement after abusing tip # 2 at the last holiday party.

“Holiday office parties can be great internal networking opportunities,” says Nierenberg, “And while, the worst thing you can do is not show up, you still need to mind your manners. Remember, when the party is over, you’ll see them at work again real soon.”

On that note, FacilityBlog will be winding down for the next two weeks during the holiday season. The editors will post when they can, but the frequency and volume will decrease until everyone gets back into the swing of the new year. Still, there is one last Friday Funny lined up and ready to go for next week, so check back when you can!

A new report from the Harvard medical school disputes the connection between heavy computer usage and the dreaded carpal tunnel syndrome. Other physical factors–some of them genetic–may be the real cause, according to the study.

For TFM’s most recent coverage of this topic, see “Working In Comfort And Style.”

Ed Oswald of BetaNews writes:

Carpal tunnel is caused when nerves in the wrist are pinched, however it’s not caused by frequent use of a keyboard, claims the report. Instead, it is caused by heredity, body weight, fracture, or even pregnancy.

The report is entitled, “Hands: Strategies for Strong, Pain-Free Hands.” To purchase a copy, click here.

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has partnered with Turner Construction to launch its first Web-based training course designed to educate building industry professionals about LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Professional Accreditation requirements. LEED Accreditation enables industry professionals to demonstrate their understanding of integrated design and green building practices and principles, and ensures that they have the knowledge and skills needed to steward a building project from design to LEED certification successfully.

For TFM’s coverage of this topic, see “Green Wants You.”

The three hour Web-based course entitled “Essentials of LEED Professional Accreditation” includes selected case studies, interactive learning exercises, and a practice exam with questions similar to those encountered on the LEED Professional Accreditation exam.

“The on-line LEED training is one of the many innovative programs USGBC is undertaking to broaden its scope,” notes Peter Templeton, vice president of education & research at USGBC. “We are excited about the potential to reach a broader audience and educate as many people we can about the green building process.”

The interactive course follows the Sienna Hills Library Project team as it delves into the LEED credit categories and prerequisite requirements. Divided into seven lessons, the course covers topics including the LEED rating system, coordinating a LEED project during design and construction, managing the LEED certification process, and verifying that a project meets LEED requirements. After completing the course, participants who have had supplemental education or experience to broaden their understanding of the LEED rating system will better understand the requirements for achieving accreditation and also have a better understanding of the certification process. The course is also ideal for professionals who are new to green building, or who just want to learn more about sustainable design and construction and the LEED rating process.

The course is available for purchase through the USGBC Products & Services catalog under “Workshops”. The cost of the course is $150 for USGBC Members and $200 for Non-Members. After purchase, the course is accessible for 60 days. For more information about the Web course, contact USGBC at 202-828-7422.

Yes indeed, with only 10 days before Xmas, it looks like transit workers in the Big Apple are ready to ruin everyone’s holiday spirit by going on strike. And unlike strikes in major European cities (which usually last only one day and are not all inclusive–sort of like “rolling blackouts”), transit strikes in this country go on…and on…and on until they are resolved. So even though the Metropolitan Transit Authority has generously cut fares during holiday weekends this year, it doesn’t really matter; if an agreement isn’t reached by 12:01 tonight, no one will be using the nation’s largest public transportation anytime soon.

Carpooling (four people per car), walking (it never went above freezing yesterday), and cycling (it’s supposed to snow and sleet tonight) are being mentioned by Mayor Bloomberg for his (unrealistic) contingency plan. Business are being asked to anticipate travel delays for employees, and emergency vehicles will have an even more difficult time navigating the city’s choked streets. It should be fun. It’s nice to live and work in the ‘burbs sometimes, isn’t it?

More details can be found here.

If everything goes as scheduled, the House will vote today on a tough new immigration bill. Most significant to business would be the law’s restriction that “would require all employers to participate in a verification system to confirm that a worker or a job applicant has legal status.” This could cause significant bookkeeping hassles for facility managers who rely on illegal immigrants for certain tasks.

Habitat Suites Hotel in Austin, Texas was honored with the 2005 Green Business Leadership Award given by Co-op America’s Business Network at the third annual Green Business Conference last month. The Green Business Leadership Award was created to recognize an extraordinary company or business leader that has led the way in using business to help create a just and sustainable society, and whose efforts are at the forefront of the green business movement.

For TFM’s coverage of another outstanding hospitality facility, see “Ah, Wilderness!” by Heidi Schwartz.

Habitat Suites is one of the 2,500 green businesses nationwide that have been screened to be a part of the Co-op America Business Network and be listed in the National Green Pages®. Habitat Suites was selected for the award, by other green businesses, for its outstanding commitment to socially and environmentally responsible business practices.

“We are pleased to present this award to Habitat Suites for its leadership,” said Denise Hamler, Co-op America’s business programs director. “They have pushed the envelope in the hospitality industry, where greening and maintaining healthy, happy staff are difficult to accomplish.”

Habitat Suites boasts the largest solar array on a hotel in North America, a property free of pesticides, herbicides and toxic cleaners, and remarkable staff retention. They do this through their programs in air quality, land use, energy efficiency, waste reduction and management, recycling, resource conservation, water quality and conservation, human health, and public education. Habitat Suites is also a charter member of the Green Hotels Association.

Natalie Marquis, general manager of Habitat Suites Hotel shares the source of their success, “Ecological consciousness in action is our commitment to creating an environmentally sustainable future for us all. We are proud to be recognized not only for the energy and resource conservation aspects of how we do business but also for how we have sustained and nurtured our key staff to have zero turnover in the past five years. It is a privilege to work with the same team year after year and continue to learn together. What we have demonstrated is that doing the right thing for people and our planet translates into healthy business performance and profits.”

Six businesses were nominated for the Green Business Leadership Award - Habitat Suites; Choice Organic Teas; Cottonfield, LLC; Earth Healers; Frontier Natural Products Co-op; and Zhena’s Gypsy Teas - and all are taking steps to further the green business movement. The winner was chosen by their green business peers, with each business representative attending the Green Business Conference getting one vote. Past Green Business Leadership Award recipients are T.S. Designs and Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps.

Apologies to loyal FacilityBlog followers. Unfortunately, the editorial team was forced to evacuate its offices earlier today because of what smelled like a natural gas leak in and/or around the building. When the police and fire crews came through the office telling everyone to get out and get away from the building, compliance seemed like a good idea.

Has this ever happened in your buildings? How long was it before emergency personnel responded? And how long did it take for the utility company to respond? How did you evacuate personnel safely, and how long was it before everyone was safely allowed back into the building?

On the heels of yesterday’s explosion in the northern portion of the state, New Jersey residents are not over reacting to natural gas leaks these days, despite 20˚ F temperatures. As one co-worker said, “I’d rather be standing in 20˚F than 5,000˚F!”

Fortunately, there were no injuries and everyone has returned to business as normal. Turns out, it wasn’t a gas leak at all, but instead, it was stagnant sprinkler water. Ironic, don’t you think?

Providing workplace safety guidelines to prevent confined space-related fatalities and injuries, the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) has made available the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z117.1-2003 Safety Requirements for Confined Spaces. Exposures to oxygen deficient environments, harmful substances, or explosive atmospheres are just some of the potential hazards facing workers dealing with confined spaces (an enclosed area with limited access which include vessels, silos, tanks or pits). According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2004 there were 114 fatalities from exposure to noxious substances and 63 fatalities from oxygen deficiency.

For TFM’s coverage of this topic, see “A Recipe for Safety” from the archives.

The Z117.1 standard covers confined space requirements in regards to identification and evaluation of a confined space, emergency response and rescue, permit and non-permit requirements, atmospheric testing, isolation and decontamination, lockout/tagout safeguarding procedures, personal protection equipment (PPE), and warning sign requirements.

Approved by ANSI in February 2003, the revised Z117.1-2003 voluntary consensus standard is performance-related, and it is not intended to replace existing standards or procedures. The Z117.1-2003 standard has been referenced by government agencies such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The ANSI Z117 Accredited Standards Committee, which ASSE serves as secretariat of, will meet within the next year to discuss future revisions of the standard. Click here for more information or to order the Z117.1-2003 standard.

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has filed an application with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to become an ANSI-accredited national standards developer for standards related to green-building practices.

For TFM’s most recent coverage of this topic, see “Green Wants You” by Brian Kramer.

“Since its beginnings more than a decade ago, USGBC has used a consensus process to develop the LEED® Green Building Rating System,” comments USGBC President, Chief Executive Officer, and Founding Chairman Rick Fedrizzi. “Becoming ANSI accredited will underscore USGBC’s commitment to its core values, which include openness, inclusiveness and collaboration. It is also part of the continual improvement of USGBC.”

In tandem with its ANSI filing, USGBC also announced an amendment to its bylaws to expand USGBC’s membership to include trade and professional associations. Among its first association members is the Polyisocyanurate Manufacturers Association (PIMA). “While PIMA and its members have frequently worked with the USGBC on issues of parallel interest, we have at times found our efforts and ability to have a greater impact hampered by our non-member status,” says Jared Blum, PIMA’s president. “We are thrilled that we can now align the interests of both organizations, work together to mainstream information about the sustainable building industry and widen public awareness of the benefits of energy-efficient construction.”

Since the first days after Hurricane Katrina came ashore Habitat for Humanity has been collaborating and working alongside a number of local and national organizations and assisting communities in the long-term rebuilding effort on the gulf coast. Below are a number of initiatives currently being worked on; no doubt over the next year the scope of work will increase.

For TFM’s coverage of this issue, see “Worst Case Scenario” by Heidi Schwartz.

Restore the Gulf Coast
Heritage Conservation Network (HCN) is looking for students willing to travel to Mississippi and Louisiana during their school breaks and spend a week or more repairing structures in historic hurricane-affected neighborhoods. Groups and individuals are welcome to join this effort. Beginning January 2, 2006 and continuing weekly through at least March, workshop participants will get involved first hand in preserving and repairing houses in historic districts of Bay St. Louis and New Orleans, working with a technical expert and alongside local residents.

HCN is working in association with the Neighborhood Story Project, the Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans, the Preservation Trades Network and Architecture for Humanity to coordinate this relief effort. They hope to bring in crews of 10-12 volunteers each week to help rebuild people’s homes and businesses and their lives.

No preservation or construction experience is necessary, just a desire to make a difference. Participants must pay their own travel expenses and a minimal fee to cover housing, food, and insurance expenses. There is no cost to local residents attending to learn skills needed in preserving and repairing their own homes.

The first task in Bay St. Louis will be to assist with the salvage of architectural details that can be re-used by local residents in the rebuilding process. Items such as cypress doors and window frames, cypress beams, exterior carved detailing and more survived even when the houses were destroyed. Bulldozers are removing items daily, and local residents have asked for help in retrieving them while it is still possible.

In New Orleans, volunteers will initially assist homeowners with mold abatement, working through the building permit and inspection process, and removing damaged materials in preparation for rebuiding. Plans are underway for the preservation and repair of Willie Mae’s Scotch House, a neighborhood restaurant and residence, which has been “adopted” by the Southern Foodways Alliance. Four three-day weekends will bring 40 volunteers to complete work on this historic double shotgun and bring Willie Mae back to the kitchen.

Biloxi Relief Recovery and Revitalization Center, East Biloxi, Miss.
For nearly three months William F. Stallworth, Biloxi Councilman for Ward 2 in East Biloxi has been keeping hearts and minds together. Just two days after the storm, he created an informal center where the many volunteer groups working in the area gather to collaborate and share resources. The center has been providing residents with information and aid ever since. East Biloxi is an area that did not receive adequate FEMA assistance, mainly because many in the community speak Vietnamese and Spanish and did not know the kind of help that was available to them. Many are still living in structurally unstable, unsafe homes and have not left. For these people, the center has been a critical lifeline.

Right now, the center has just relocated to a temporary new space. Architecture for Humanity has committed some funding for this vital resource. It has also been in conversation with a number of donors and foundations to support the development of the housing coordination center and a pilot reconstruction project. The Center works with the community and coordinates volunteer organizations to meet various needs of the residents including debris removal, mold remediation, counseling, and basic survival. Plans are in the works to make the center into a comprehensive long-term housing resource for residents. A place where they can go to figure out everything from insurance claims, to FEMA grants, to mortgage assistance, to new housing design and construction. The center is currently partially run by residents themselves and would ultimately become a community and economic development engine for the city.

The housing resource center will:
*coordinate volunteer efforts, architectural and planning services, case management, resident services and other expertise.
*provide counseling, mortgage assistance, lending services and legal aid to residents displaced by the disaster
*coordinate with volunteers to repair and partially rehabilitate standing homes for residents who wish to return
*manage the construction of new homes for residents whose homes were destroyed

If you would like more information on how to volunteer at the center please contact Sherry Lea Bloodworth at slb@architectureforhumanity.org.

Pro-bono design help needed for project in Plaquesmines Parish.
Plaquesmines parish housed as many as 27000 residents prior to the storm and has lost more than 80% of it’s buildings and residents. At present there are more than 100 residents living in cars, tents, and even shrimp coolers and boats. Joseph Gately is looking to build a transitional housing facility for a diverse assortment of people ranging from some of the sherriffs deputies, school officials, to the many residents who have refused to leave and have worked miracles in rescuing so many of the victims of Katrina. At present no FEMA trailers are available because they haven’t been able to get all of the necessary utilities running but progress is being made and we hope that prior to completion of the project all utilities will be up and operational.

Joe is looking to build a 2 story 10 unit and is looking for some short term design services to get the project up and running. In the long-term this facility will become a motel. If you are interested in helping please email him at joethelink@yahoo.com.