The First Facility Management Blog

Staircases are just staircases, right? Well, not always. Sometimes, a clever designer taps the talents of a diligent engineer, and the results can be pretty impressive. Take a look…

This one would be confusing at first. Start with the wrong foot and you are in trouble.

Here’s a practical idea…the two bottom steps both open up for additional storage.

Unnaturally natural….

Another great use of space (my personal favorite)…
Going up:

And going down:

Better on paper than in practice?

Another example where footing is essential.
Going up (left) and down (right):

Colorful, but nauseating. Does this one come with a sick bag?

Does this pass code?

Or this?

This looks more like a sliding board than a staircase.

Perhaps this is what it looks like inside the condo for the Keebler elves?

Many thanks to Evelyn Schwartz for submitting this post.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has named Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NYSE: KMB) as a 2010 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year. For the second consecutive year, K-C will be recognized for its energy management practices and commitment to sustainable operations, resulting in significant energy and financial savings. K-C will be recognized at the ENERGY STAR awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., on March 18.

Kimberly-Clark is being honored for its continued focus on achieving its energy efficiency targets for its manufacturing processes as well as its energy conservation goals for all of its facilities. As part of its environmental vision 2010 program, K-C estimates that it has improved its worldwide energy efficiency by 4.4% since 2005. The company’s energy efficiency initiative continues to generate ongoing cost savings while further driving K-C’s long-term sustainability strategy.

“Kimberly-Clark is leading the fight against climate change through greater energy efficiency,” said Gina McCarthy, EPA Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation. ”Kimberly-Clark’s robust energy management program is a model for others and affirms that energy efficiency is our most cost-effective climate strategy.”

In choosing Kimberly-Clark as an ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year, EPA specifically recognized the company’s approach to energy management, which is an integral part of K-C’s long-term strategy. In addition to its thorough tracking process of energy usage at its facilities, the company influences its supply chain to address imbedded energy costs in their operations. KC continues to invest in energy improvement projects including combined heat and power systems, landfill gas and biomass to power manufacturing sites and offices. The company also continued to launch energy and other sustainability awareness campaigns to further engage its employees worldwide.

“Earning the EPA ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year for the second consecutive year is a testament to our ongoing commitment to sustainable energy management practices throughout every aspect of our business,” said Suhas Apte, Vice President of Global Sustainability at Kimberly-Clark. “Our partnership with ENERGY STAR allows us to collaborate on important issues and improve our environmental stewardship through energy efficiency, which is a critical component of K-C’s sustainability strategy and long-term growth plans.”

Kimberly-Clark has been a member of the ENERGY STAR program since 2007 and was originally recognized as an ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year in 2009. In addition, K-C is also involved in EPA’s Climate Leaders, Green Power Partnership, Landfill Methane Outreach Program and SmartWay programs.

The ENERGY STAR award follows K-C’s recent number one ranking on EPA’s list of On-site Green Power Users as well as its top 20 ranking on the organization’s National Green Power Purchasers list. In addition, K-C received its third consecutive Environmental Excellence award from EPA’s SmartWay Transportation Partnership for leadership in reducing greenhouse gases and conserving energy.

Minus5, who opened America’s first ice lounge, will be debuting their new concept, The Minus5 Igloo, during the Winter Olympics. The portable ice lounges will be unveiled at Monk McQueen’s Restaurant and Patio in Vancouver, BC and Monk’s Grill at the base of Whistler Mountain beginning this week. The portable structures will be at both locations for the next two months.

Created in New Zealand, Minus5 is an ice lounge where you can touch, feel, and explore handcrafted ice sculptures and ice architecture made from 100% pure ice. Named for its constant frosty temperature of minus five degrees (twenty-seven degrees Fahrenheit), thousands have flocked to experience this unique concept in New Zealand and in its location at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, NV.

Based at Whistler, Craig Ling, founder and Vice President of Business Development of Minus5 International is excited about the opportunity to show off the new portable concept. “This is just the next step in increasing the public’s exposure to our ice lounge concept,” said Ling. “Bringing our igloos to the world at the Winter Olympics felt like a natural and we hope that people can come by to feel and enjoy the immersive experience. We are proud to have Sky Vodka and Siku Glacier Ice Vodka as our partners.”  

“2010 will be an exciting year for the Minus5 brand,” said Ling. “We are opening a second location in Las Vegas as well as new locations in Waikiki next to the new Hard Rock Cafe, Hollywood and a soon to be announced location in New York City.  We are also very excited about presenting a more realistic environment including animated video and lighting in some of our new locations.”

Monk McQueen’s Restaurant and Patio is located at 601 Stamps Landing in Vancouver, BC and Monk’s Grill is located at 4555 Blackcomb Way in Whistler, BC.  More information on the Minus5 Ice Lounge experience can be found at www.minus5experience.com.

Many organizations, including schools, universities, and municipalities, have made a commitment to become carbon neutral or energy efficient. However, many do not have the expertise or resources needed to report current energy use—the cornerstone to a successful energy efficiency project.

Organizations can receive quarterly, year-to-date, and annual reports on energy use with HEAR.

The Honeywell Energy Analysis Report (HEAR) service gives organizations the information to make educated, strategic decisions about reducing their environmental impact and creates an accurate baseline for measuring the success of sustainability programs. HEAR provides detailed tracking, reporting, and analysis of energy consumption. It identifies how, when, and where energy is used through a combination of data analysis and on-site observations that cover all the organization’s buildings and equipment.

Honeywell synthesizes this information in the report, helping reveal trends and anomalies that might otherwise go undetected and drain operating budgets. Specifically, quarterly, year-to-date, and annual reports include:

• Consumption anomalies/demand spikes and offer savings strategies
• Equipment control failures so that corrective action can be taken through spot or contract services
• Utility billing errors that are discovered
• Recommendations regarding retrofits including: high efficiency lighting, energy-efficient motors, variable frequency drives, HVAC systems, automation and control systems and power factor correction

For example, HEAR helped Moriarty-Edgewood, a 4,300 student school district located in New Mexico, uncover “sticky” meters, which were charging the district for unused kilowatt-hours. As a result of the findings, Honeywell helped the district secure $5,700 in rebates from local utilities to make up for the errors.

The report also revealed potential savings in other areas, such as climate control, lighting systems, and building automation. When the report revealed systems operating at full capacity even when buildings were not in use, district personnel took note and maintained better watch over equipment schedules, ensuring they’re set in accordance with school holidays and other special events to minimize unnecessary use. During a one-year trial at the Moriarty-Edgewood district, the HEAR service, combined with related infrastructure upgrades and an energy awareness program, delivered $134,707 in cost avoidance on a $39,350 investment.

Competing for business with customer service is not new to the hospitality industry, but three Holiday Inn locations in the UK announced last week an amenity that may be taking it to another level. Holiday Inn management there is trying out a new way to provide guests a good night’s sleep with the availability of human bed warmers on staff.

The free service consists of a member of the hotel staff, dressed head to foot in a fuzzy pajama-like suit, occupying a guest’s bed for five minutes. The aim is to warm the bed ahead of time, so the guest can slip into a slumber more quickly and comfortably. Provided as a trial service, the hotel will gauge customer response to this offering.

While this idea may seem downright weird to some, sleep expert Dr. Chris Idzikowski, director of the Edinburgh Sleep Centre, said the idea could help people get off to sleep. “There’s plenty of scientific evidence to show that sleep starts at the beginning of the night when body temperature starts to drop,” he said. “A warm bed — approximately 20° to 24°C [68° to 75.2°F] — is a good way to start this process whereas a cold bed would inhibit sleep. Holiday Inn’s new bed warmers service should help people achieve a good night’s sleep especially as it’s taking much longer for them to warm up when they come in from the snow.”

Witt Industries, a manufacturer of a full range of metal waste and recycling receptacles for indoor and outdoor environments, has introduced the Oakley Carousel Can. The cans are designed with ergonomics, functionality, and aesthetics in mind and are suitable for use in both indoor and outdoor environments, including for municipalities, parks, universities, office complexes, and apartment buildings.

The Oakley Carousel Can from Witt Industries

The receptacle features a sliding door for easy servicing, even in tight quarters. Sliding the door into the container safeguards against accidents during servicing, and it protects passersby as well as facilities personnel servicing the receptacles.

Lid options available include a flat top, a dome top, a rain cap, or an ash top, which allow flexibility and protect against the elements. A 36-gallon black plastic liner, a lid attachment kit, and an anchor kit are supplied with each unit to ensure a long service life.  Constructed of durable, heavy gauge steel, these containers are powder coated in black, brown, or green, and include built-in leveling feet. An optional lock, installed on-site, prevents unsolicited openings.

This past December, Armstrong World Industries named the National Security Agency (NSA) in Ft. Meade, MD as its 2009 Ceiling Recycler of the Year. Over the past 14 months, the government agency has recycled more than 400,000 square feet of discarded ceiling tiles. The award was presented to NSA at a ceremony at the National Cryptologic Museum, the NSA’s principal gateway to the public.

Steve Lopez, NSA deputy associate director for installations and logistics (left) accepts the award from Paul Corr, Armstrong regional vice president, commercial ceiling sales-east.

This Armstrong award recognizes companies and organizations that make significant environmental contributions through their recycling initiatives. Other recipients recognized for their recycling achievements have included General Motors, Nike, Pfizer, and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

NSA began recycling its old ceiling tiles in September 2008 as part of the Armstrong Ceiling Recycling Program. The program, established in 1999, is the nation’s first and longest running program of its kind. It enables facility managers to ship ceilings from renovation projects to an Armstrong ceiling plant as an alternative to landfill disposal.

Earlier EPA Recognition

The NSA was also recognized for recycling actions by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in September 2009 wit the annual EPA, Region 3 [mid-Atlantic region), Environmental Achievement Awards program. Through the partnership of the Occupational Health Environmental and Safety Services (OHESS) organization, the Installations and Logistics organization (I&L), and the general workforce, more 11 million pounds (5,815 tons) of materials were diverted from landfills and recycled by the NSA Fort George G. Meade campus during the 2008 calendar year.

There are four broad classes of sources for the recycled material from NSA: Facilities-Related materials, Automated Data Processing Equipment (ADPE), Universal Wastes, and Employee-Derived Materials. The facilities-related recycled materials category contained the largest amount of recyclables at 3,278 tons. Most of these recyclables were derived from rehabilitation and construction projects. In addition to its ceiling tile recycling efforts with Armstrong World Industries, the NSA campus also recycled construction metal, paving millings, raised flooring cardboard, concrete and pavers, and cable reels and pallets.

Cooper Crouse-Hinds, a provider of electrical products designed to enhance safety and productivity in industrial and commercial environments, recently announced SmartGuard clear protection plates. SmartGuard is a high impact, router resistant, PVC patented protection plate designed specifically for the protection of electrical boxes and wiring from damage during rough-in stage of construction.

The SmartGuard plates are available in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Designed to keep electrical and communication boxes clean and free from debris throughout completion of construction projects, SmartGuard seals out sheetrock mud, sanding dust, and paint overspray to provide protection from potential damage on commercial and residential job sites.

The family of products includes covers for four square commercial boxes with single- to five-gang mud rings (no devices installed) and single- to four-gang empty PVC residential boxes. SmartGuard also includes covers for single- and two-gang four inch square steel mud rings with a device installed (switches, receptacles and GFCI’s), as well as commercial or residential lighting “cans,” residential ceiling boxes, panel/breaker boxes and meters.

CONSTRUCT2010, in conjunction with the 54th CSI Annual Convention and co-located with The TFM Show, has announced its Keynote Speaker for the May 11-14, 2010 event at the Pennsylvania Convention Center (PACC), Philadelphia, PA. World renowned, award winning, Danish architect/author Bjarke Ingels will chronicle how his architecture evolves from the collision of political, economical, social as well as unnamed and unforeseen interests.

The presentation, “YES is More”, will highlight the General Session, Wednesday, May 12th at 10:00am in the Grand Ballroom of the PACC.

Ingels started Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) in 2005 after co-founding PLOT Architects in 2001 and working at OMA in Rotterdam. Through a series of award-winning design projects and buildings, he has created an international reputation as a member of a new generation of architects that combine shrewd analysis, playful experimentation, social responsibility, and humor.

Alongside his architectural practice, Ingels has been active as a Visiting Professor at Rice University’s School of Architecture and most recently at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. He currently holds a guest lecturer position at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation.

“Bjarke’s architectural style is awe inspiring and mind stretching,” notes Jayne Dalton, show manager. “His projects are truly amazing feats of imagination and talent.” He spoke at the 2009 TED Conference, appears on YouTube, and his firm’s Web site offers details of his buildings that not only look like nature, they act like nature: blocking the wind, collecting solar energy, and creating stunning views.

Admission to the General Session and Bjarke’s presentation is included with attendee registration which opens online in mid-January. Free Exhibit Hall admission and discounted Education Packages are available through April 8, 2010.

CONSTRUCT2010, co-located with The TFM Show, are both owned and produced by Hanley Wood. From May 11-14, 2010, facility managers, architects, engineers, contractors, specifiers, and other key professionals will be attending for accredited education and to find new products, innovative solutions, and the latest in technology for the institutional, industrial, and commercial building industry.

Andrews International, a provider of security and risk mitigation services, recently introduced an analysis service for enterprise customers that comprehensively evaluates security operations in order to reduce costs and improve efficiency and effectiveness. The new service is based on Andrews’ proprietary Security Effectiveness and Efficiency (SEE) methodology, which includes matching security resources to risk profiles, maximizing the integration of uniformed guards and electronic security assets, and projecting return on investments (ROI) through industry-specific financial models.

The SEE Analysis has been used to evaluate enterprise security programs across several key industries including high-tech and manufacturing. According to a Fortune 500 global manufacturer, the SEE Analysis identified actionable improvements that will enable the organization to reduce uniformed guard costs by 20% across its U.S. headquarters and manufacturing sites, while enhancing the strength of its security operations.

For enterprises under pressure to “protect more for less” in security operations, action often include reducing spending on uniformed protection through staff reductions, lowering pay, and overzealous contract cost cutting with outside vendors, which often results in poor service. Some organizations try to compensate by adopting security technology, but this is often attempted without a complete understanding of how uniformed guards and technology assets can integrate to deliver the greatest value in security.

The SEE Analysis is performed by Andrews International’s C&I Division, a group providing clients with a broad range of information and knowledge to mitigate risk and make effective business decisions. It evaluates the effectiveness and efficiencies of enterprise security operations, focusing on deployment and integration of uniformed guards and electronic technology assets such as closed-circuit television, access control, and command center operations. The company has also partnered with a number of software providers to create a “security tool box” that enables proactive monitoring of all aspects of a security program; from supporting targeted screening, testing and qualifying of personnel to integrating facility management with central command center operations. This includes technology from Quantum Secure, a provider of enterprise software for physical identity and access management. The company’s SAFE suite enables corporate security managers to implement best practices, automate key processes, and simplify control of employees, vendors, and other third-parties.

The SEE Analysis covers an enterprise’s complete security operations on a local, regional and global asset utilization level. Areas assessed include: location/site vulnerability, internal and external threats, existing command center operations, electronic technology, security equipment, architectural elements, and uniformed security force policies, procedures, readiness, training and personnel utilization.