The First Facility Management Blog

J&J/Invision, a commercial carpet manufacturer based in Dalton, GA, recently received an American flag from a group of United States troops stationed in Kabul, Afghanistan. The flag was received in response to a donation of 50 rugs given by the company to keep the troops warm throughout the winter months.

Don Nase, J&J/Invision business manager, was contacted by National Flooring Systems’ Andy Franks after Franks received word from a family member stationed at the United States National Support Element in Kabul that their living quarters did not have flooring. With cold temperatures hovering, the troops needed something that would help keep the heat inside and give them a warm area to walk. In response to their need, Nase worked with Bob Hubbs, vice president of customer satisfaction at J&J/Invision to coordinate delivery of the rugs to Afghanistan.

“J&J/Invision is proud to assist our troops as they give their time and their lives to defend the country and the community that we live and work in day in and day out,” said Hubbs. “We are happy to be able to do something that makes their time away feel more like home.”

As a token of appreciation the troops mailed J&J/Invision a flag that was flown over the United States National Support Element headquartered in Kabul as a part of Operation Enduring Freedom. Included with the flag was also a certificate and letter from Lieutenant Colonel Douglas F. Stitt.

“I want to take this opportunity to thank you for the kind and considerate donation of carpets that you provided to the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines stationed here in Kabul, Afghanistan. Taking the time to express your gratitude does register with us and we cannot thank you enough,” said Stitt.

The U.S. flag will be displayed at the J&J Campus in the front lobby of the corporate office.

Earlier this summer, a major new attraction was grabbing headlines at Mount Rainier National Park in Ashford, WA. What was it? You guessed it…a toilet.

Whether it was the highly publicized ribbon-cutting ceremony, the price tag ($70,000), or the fact that the toilet was donated by its manufacturer (Toyo Kogyo) and a popular Mount Rainier drink producer (Morinaga Milk Company), the celebrity composting commode has been doo-ing doing its sister toilet in Mount Fuji proud since early June. Representatives from Mount Rainier National Park and the Japanese non-profit organization Groundwork Mishima activated the new “bio toilet” at Cougar Rock Campground on Monday, June 9, 2008.

The high-tech toilet was donated to the park last fall by Groundwork Mishima, which works with citizens, local governments, and businesses to address environmental issues and promote volunteerism in Japan. The group is active at Mount Fuji, which has a “Sister Mountain” relationship with Mount Rainier National Park.

“We are pleased to continue our long standing relationship with the people of Japan,” said Superintendent Dave Uberuaga (pictured above, along with representatives from Groundwork Mishima and the Japan Volunteers-in-Parks Association). “This bio toilet will be a practical contribution toward our goals of environmental stewardship and sustainable design in Mount Rainier National Park.”

The toilet was installed in late August of last year with the help of students from the Japanese Volunteers-in-Parks Association, who have been contributing volunteer services at Mount Rainier since 1993. Due to the lateness of the season, the toilet was not activated last fall. Its unique design uses cedar chips and natural composting techniques to operate efficiently with very little water and with no odor.

Photo courtesy of Mount Rainier Volunteers.

(Apologies for the potty puns in this post. It’s a Friday Funny, after all, isn’t it?)

M.C. Dean, Inc., an electrical construction and engineering firm based in Dulles, VA, has released a white paper, Establishing an Arc Flash Loss Prevention Program, that outlines the six steps businesses should follow to protect their workers and companies from arc flash explosions.

Written specifically for non-technical managers and executives, the white paper discusses arc flashes, arc flash loss, and the importance of having a definitive arc flash loss prevention (AFLP) program in place.

“In the U.S. each day, five to 10 people are severely injured and one to two killed by arc flash electrical explosions,” says Mark Tibbetts, co-author of the white paper and general manager, M.C. Dean, Inc. Atlanta.

“Because of the dangers of these electrical explosions, OSHA now legally requires employers to follow the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) recommended practices to protect workers from arc flash exposure,” he says. “Having a proper program in place to protect workers is beyond being the right thing to do. Now arc flash loss prevention is mandatory.”

“The financial impact of an arc flash accident can be devastating, and because the stakes are so high, risk managers who typically do not have an engineering or technical background need to understand the exposure, the methods needed to prevent these accidents, and the costs associated with initiating an AFLP program,” says co-author Dr. Robert E. Hoyt.

“An AFLP program goes beyond engineering and risk identification offered by many firms today and fills the risk management gap by instilling processes to train, track and update,” adds Dr. Hoyt, Moore Chair of Risk Management and Insurance in the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia.

The white paper explains the impact and causes of arc flashes, includes a glossary of key terms, answers frequently asked questions, and outlines the six core steps for a thorough arc flash prevention (AFLP) program:
* Discovery and Engineering
* Identification and Documentation
* Program Preparation and Administration
* Program Training and Certification
* Field Execution and Document Review and
* Program Review and Update.

Authoring the arc flash white paper with Tibbetts and Dr. Hoyt are John Welch, manager of M.C. Dean, Inc.’s Critical Power Group Atlanta, and Apostolos (Tolis) Vranis, P.E., vice president of electrical engineering for M.C. Dean, Inc.

“Because our clients are asking us what they need to meet OSHA and NFPA regulations, we decided to write a white paper that would give executives and middle management the answers required to manage arc flash loss prevention,” says Welch. 

“Establishing an Arc Flash Loss Prevention Program gives management the ability to put measures in place to hold their technical resources responsible for safety, asset management and document control,” adds Vranis. 

To obtain a copy of Establishing an Arc Flash Loss Prevention Program, interested parties can send an e-mail to john.welch@mcdean.com.

About M.C. Dean, Inc.

Established in 1949, M.C. Dean, Inc. is a provider of full lifecycle solutions for complex power, security, electronics, and telecommunications systems. M.C. Dean, Inc. has almost 3,000 employees based in 22 offices in the Southeast, MidAtlantic, Europe, and the Middle East. Clients include the Department of Defense, the Department of State, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, Georgia Power, and Johns Hopkins University.  

The Provincial Court in Barcelona, Spain last month held in favor of DuPont on all counts in the company’s appeal to protect and enforce its patent covering the use of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC)-23 as a fire extinguishing agent in Spain. HFC-23, sold by DuPont as FE-13™ fire extinguishant, is a clean agent fire extinguishant with zero ozone depletion potential (ODP) that DuPont developed in the early 1990s to replace ozone-depleting halons in fire prevention and extinguishing applications.

As a result of the ruling, users of HFC-23 fire extinguishants in Spain should only buy from DuPont or DuPont authorized companies to avoid the potential of infringing any DuPont patent.  

“Enforcement of DuPont patents provides our customers the assurance of consistent quality products which are safe and effective, it ensures continued access to lawfully sourced clean agent fire extinguishants, and it enables our continued investment in new technologies and products for our customers’ use in the future,” said Greg M. Rubin, global business manager, DuPont Fluorochemicals Specialties. “DuPont is committed to protecting and enforcing intellectual property rights for its products globally, and when we secure evidence of patent infringement, we act to stop it.”

The Barcelona Provincial Court specifically held that “NAF S-23”, marketed by Safety Hi-Tech srl to prevent, control, or extinguish fires, infringes upon the DuPont patent. The amount of monetary damages to DuPont had not yet been determined by the Spanish court, as this was not the object of these proceedings, but DuPont planned to seek damages for the declared infringement. Although Safety Hi-Tech has appealed the decision before the Spanish Supreme Court, under the Provincial Court’s ruling, only DuPont Fire Extinguishants or DuPont authorized companies are legally permitted to sell HFC-23 as a fire extinguishant in Spain.

                

The Security Industry Association (SIA), the largest international trade association representing electronic and physical security product manufacturers, specifiers, and service providers, recently honored Rob Zivney, vice president of marketing, Hirsch Electronics, with the SIA Statesman Award for his work on personal identity verification (PIV) related issues and recent congressional testimony, as well as his leadership role in SIA webinars and the SIA Government Summit.

“Rob has been instrumental in support of SIA’s government relations programs and initiatives,” said Richard Chace, executive director, SIA. “His extraordinary leadership has positioned SIA to address the public policy challenges impacting the electronic physical security industry.”

The SIA Statesman Award was presented during SIA’s 2008 Government Summit in Washington, DC. The award recognizes Mr. Zivney’s continued efforts on behalf of the industry and SIA to educate and establish working relationships with the federal government and industry leaders.

Mr. Zivney has spent more than 30 years in the security and building controls industries with expertise in access control and intelligent building systems. He serves on the SIA Board of Directors, chairs SIA’s PIV Working Group, and represents SIA to the Smart Card Interagency Advisory Board (IAB) Physical Access Committee. Further, he is active in standards activities with SIA, ASHRAE/BACnet, OASIS/oBIX, NMSAC and RTCA. A sought after industry speaker, his opinions and market outlook are often quoted in the industry trade.

The award recognizes and reinforces Hirsch Electronics’ commitment to the industry and consistent contribution of resources for the overall good of the security industry. Hirsch Electronics’ senior management, technologists and other professionals are active in many security related associations and serve in leadership roles on many leading committees and councils.

“We believe that a strong, healthy security industry is critical to homeland security,” said Mr. Zivney. “The involvement of Hirsch’s leadership and expertise contributes to the industry’s strength and ultimately provides our clients with insight into evolving security standards, regulations, development, technologies, and innovative applications.”

In a response to an August 20, 2008 Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report announcing a decline in worker fatalities, U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao issued the following statement:

“In addition to a decline in the overall number of fatalities, the rate for 2007 declined to 3.7 fatalities per 100,000 workers. This is the lowest fatality rate in recorded OSHA history.”

The BLS report showed that the number of worker fatalities declined 6% from 2006. Although final results for 2007 will be released in April 2009, the preliminary figure for 2007 is 5,488 fatal injuries recorded in the United States compared to 5,840 reported for 2006.

When the Dawson County Humane Society in Dawsonville, GA, opened the area’s first animal shelter in April 2008, they ran out of money before air conditioning could be installed in the dog kennels.

“Our budget was limited, and something had to be cut,” said Brenda Lee, a shelter volunteer and member of the humane society’s board of directors. “If we had waited to secure more funds, we would have had to delay opening—and without a shelter in our county, the animals had nowhere to go.”

As summer approached and temperatures started to climb into the 90s, the lack of air conditioning presented a serious problem. “The dogs were miserable. They were just lying there panting,” said Lee. “The staff was having a pretty tough time, too.”

Determined to find a solution, Lee contacted MovinCool, a manufacturer of portable spot air conditioners. The company responded by donating three of its high output units, which are designed for quick installation in emergency situations.

“We are very grateful that MovinCool came to our rescue,” said Lee. “We hooked up two of the air conditioners as soon as we got them. The difference was like night and day. Now the dogs are keeping cool, and so are the humans.”

The shelter is planning to install the third MovinCool unit in its new “puppy pavilion,” a storage shed that volunteers are converting into a quarantine and adoption center for puppies. The project is on hold until the shelter can find a donation source for needed building materials.

MovinCool has previously donated portable spot air conditioners to zoos in Atlanta, Cleveland, Denver, Louisville, and New York. The zoos have used the air conditioners to keep a variety of their inhabitants cool, including polar bears, penguins, panda bears, reptiles, and snow leopards.
MovinCool portable spot air conditioners are employed in a range of commercial and industrial environments, such as data centers, computer and telecommunications equipment rooms, offices, hospitals, schools, manufacturing plants, and outdoor events.

“MovinCool air conditioners are mainly used to cool people and equipment, but there is no reason they can’t cool animals, too,” said John Doran, MovinCool senior manager, heat management and customer service. “We are very glad to contribute to such a worthy cause as this.”

The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) has hired David B. Calabrese to fill a newly created position of vice president, public policy. In that role, he will oversee and provide overall direction for the association’s government relations, regulatory, research, and international affairs activities.

Calabrese comes to AHRI from the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, where he has served as vice president of government relations since 2003. Calabrese also served as director of government relations for the Electronic Industries Alliance from 1990 to 2000 and as an attorney with the Washington, DC law firm of Dewey Ballantine, LLP, where he represented association clients on Capitol Hill and in federal agencies.   

Calabrese, who holds a Masters Degree in International Relations from The George Washington University and a law degree from The George Washington University School of Law, will join AHRI on September 15.

In other AHRI news, on September 8 the association will be moving its headquarters to a new location. The group will remain in Arlington, VA. When the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) and Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association (GAMA) merged on January 1 to become AHRI, the combined staff resulted in the need for a larger office space.

The new address is 2111 Wilson Blvd., Suite 500, Arlington, VA  22201-3001. Staff telephone numbers, email addresses (firstinitiallastname@ahrinet.org) and Web site address (www.ahrinet.org) remain the same.

In October 1995, construction began on The Longaberger Company’s seven-story home office, a replica of the company’s Medium Market Basket and the dream of company founder Dave Longaberger. Construction was completed in December 1997. Founded in 1973, The Longaberger Company makes handcrafted baskets and offers other quality home and lifestyle products, including pottery, wrought iron, and fabric accessories.

Situated on a park-like setting off St. Rt. 16 in Newark, OH (35 miles east of Columbus), the building is visited by thousands each year, including Longaberger home consultants, customers, and many others desiring a closer look at this one-of-a-kind structure.

Since its construction, the Longaberger Home Office has been the subject of numerous print and electronic media stories reaching audiences around the world. Most recently, “Dreaming Big: Building Outside the Box” began airing on The Travel Channel in July 2005; this show (featuring architectural wonders from across the U.S.) includes a segment on the Longaberger Home Office.

Offices are situated around a seven-story, 30,000 sq. ft. atrium filled with natural daylight from the skylight overhead; there are 84 windows on the building’s exterior walls. Two basket handles are attached to the top of the building with copper and wooden rivets replicating those on a Longaberger Basket®; the handles, which weigh about 150 tons, are heated to prevent ice from forming. Longaberger gold-leaf-painted tags (each 25′x7′x3″ and 725 pounds) are attached to both sides of the building.

Longaberger employees designed the exterior and interior of the building, managed the entire project, and constructed more than 50% of the building. NBBJ and Korda Nemeth Engineering administered the design process. Landscape design and installation was coordinated by Bassatt and Associates with an exclusive design that is fully irrigated and includes plant varieties native to Ohio.

Awards
• 1997 Build Ohio Award for new construction, 1998 Build Ohio Award for synthetic plaster system
• National Finalist by American Consulting Engineers Council
• 2002 Grand Award in the industrial or office park category by the Professional Grounds Management Society
• 2002 Grand Award in the commercial project category, Grand Award in the seasonal color category by the Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association.

Building specs:
Property size: 25 acres
Building footage: 180,000 sq. ft.
Building weight: 8,000-9,000 tons
Building capacity: Approx. 500 employees
Cost of project: $30 million
Construction timeline: 2 years, 3 months
Construction type: Steel frame
Exterior finish: Clay stucco
Interior finishes Limestone and marble floors in lobby, cherry woodwork throughout building harvested from Longaberger Golf Club property and milled, sawed, and shaped by Longaberger employees.
Dimensions: 92′ long, 126′ wide at grade, widening to 208′ x 142′ at the roof.

For more on the company and this building, visit this link.

Hundreds of facility professionals from across the globe eager to broaden their skills and work toward professional designations will meet in Dallas for the International Facility Management Association’s 2008 Fall Symposium, Oct. 11-14 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Held on the eve of the World Workplace 2008 Conference & Expo, Fall Symposium is a collection of nine competency courses that will help built environment professionals expand their knowledge in critical areas of facility management.

New to the Fall Symposium lineup this year will be “Making the FM Case for Sustainability” and the “Emergency Preparedness Workshop.” They will join other competency courses fundamental to Certified Facility Manager® (CFM) and Facility Management Professional (FMP) credential candidates, including sessions on real estate; finance; operations and maintenance; planning and project management; and leadership and management.

Fall Symposium will also offer CFM candidates a two day review course, Oct. 13-14, and FMP candidates a four day introduction to the business of facility management—the first course in the FMP curriculum—Oct. 11-14. All courses offer continuing education units to apply toward professional designations beyond those offered by IFMA.

IFMA’s new “Making the FM Case for Sustainability” course is designed to assist facility professionals in the planning and implementation of their sustainability programs. Participants will learn how to develop strategies for leading sustainable change; incorporate sustainability goals into the procurement of FM products and services; and identify appropriate metrics for measuring results. Kit Tuveson, CFM, IFMA Fellow, and president of Tuveson & Associates in California, a facility management consultancy company, will lead the presentation.

“Facility managers who are facing the prospect of establishing a sustainability program are looking to find the tools and exercises needed to create a plan of action to confidently achieve their objectives,” said Tuveson. “This new course is designed to complement the traditional core competencies of the profession and help facility managers understand their leadership role, assess their organization’s level of sustainability readiness, and create a personal action plan for moving forward.”

Fall Symposium’s “Emergency Preparedness Workshop,” which debuted in 2001, is one of the association’s most sought-after courses. Recently updated and expanded, the workshop will assist professionals in assessing their facility’s potential internal and external risk factors and developing a disaster preparedness and recovery plan. Eduardo Valdes, president of World Class Solutions Group, a consulting company specializing in workplace safety, will lead the workshop.