Gauging Building Health

  |  December 1, 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how building owners, managers, and occupants think about buildings and their importance in supporting human health. Properly constructed and operated buildings can support health, well-being, productivity and can even serve as a place of refuge from the increasing occurrence of adverse environmental events such as smoke from wildfires, or exposures...
Read More

Upper-room Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI): What You Need to Know Before Buying

  |  November 22, 2022

Heightened interest in indoor air quality is coming from all corners of public and environmental health, including the CDC and the White House, creating a renewed focus on alternative methods for “air cleaning” or disinfection technologies. Improving indoor air quality is a worthwhile goal, but implementation must be done carefully and without harm. Generally, the...
Read More

Finding Balance: Risk & Goals in Ventilation

  |  July 19, 2022

As COVID-19 precautions fall away, with the suspension of masking and social distancing requirements indoors in most locations, facility managers (FMs) may find that the next stage of the pandemic brings new challenges. While COVID cases have been much lower in recent months than during the height of the pandemic, it’s unlikely that FMs will...
Read More

BERDO 2.0: Compliance FAQ

  |  June 3, 2022

The original BERDO, or Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure Ordinance, was enacted in 2013 and started as a reporting ordinance modeled after New York City’s 2009 Local Law 84. Large buildings in the City of Boston were required to collect and report their energy use to the city. The City of Boston published the information,...
Read More

Evaluating Waterborne Pathogen Risks for a Stronger Water Management Plan

  |  April 21, 2022

Having an effective water management program has proven critical for minimizing patient exposure to a wide range of dangerous waterborne pathogens. In fact, one CDC study found that approximately 21% of HAIs can be transmitted via water. However, many hospitals have struggled with the development and implementation of a comprehensive water management program. Pathogens include...
Read More

A facilities approach to preventing infection

  |  April 1, 2022

Over the past 10 years, the U.S. has made meaningful improvements in preventing health care-associated infections (HAIs), yet infections remain a major cause of death and disability. In addition to being incredibly dangerous to patients, HAIs also are costly because hospitals are generally not reimbursed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for treating...
Read More

6 Steps to Creating a Water Management Program for Your Healthcare Facility

  |  April 27, 2021

The problem of Legionella bacteria growth in complex water systems has been known for decades, but recent changes to regulatory requirements have created a compliance issue for many healthcare facilities. If your hospital doesn’t currently have an effective water management program implemented with effective “control measures”, it’s time to make creating one a priority. The...
Read More

5 Emerging Concerns in Indoor Environmental Quality

  |  November 4, 2019

On average, Americans spend 90 percent of their time indoors — and the quality of their indoor environment can have significant effects on their health and well-being. Since indoor concentrations of some pollutants can be as much as five times higher than outdoor concentrations, indoor environmental quality (IEQ) should be a top concern for everyone....
Read More