FACILITY MANAGEMENT ARTICLES
The Rise of Hardware-Free Cabinetry
Cabinetry design has always balanced form and function, but that balance is leaning decisively toward minimalist solutions. Influenced heavily by European trends, designers in North America are embracing sleek, handle-free drawers and doors that create uninterrupted visual planes in office environments.
Modern Hospital Fire Safety: Risks, Challenges & Solutions
Today’s healthcare facilities are evolving into smarter environments that are deeply attuned to patient experience. As a result, technology is now tightly woven throughout operational workflows. As healthcare facilities continue to advance, these critical spaces need comprehensive fire safety solutions.
Glass Puts the Environment Back Into Learning Environment
Nearly 60 percent of school buildings were constructed before the LEED program debuted, according to NCES. Not only does this portray the aging infrastructure of the nation’s schools, but it also adds context to their inability to meet operational efficiency benchmarks developed by green initiatives like LEED.
CASE STUDIES
A Cooling Tower With a Chronic Condition
At the Corewell Health Service Center, the organization’s mission centers on healing and restoring health. But one critical piece of infrastructure had developed a chronic condition of its own: the cooling tower serving the facility’s air-conditioning system was deteriorating from corrosion and leaks, leading the facility team to rethink the traditional replacement approach.
Hospital Saves Energy With Proactive Maintenance
Northwell Health partnered with APM Steam to improve steam system performance across its facilities and reduce energy waste. By taking a proactive approach to steam trap maintenance, the organization strengthened efficiency, lowered costs and supported its broader sustainability goals without compromising patient care.
A Hospital Vision for Healing Through Design
In January 2025, Altru Health System opened a new state-of-the-art hospital in Grand Forks, ND. The new hospital shapes an environment that is restorative, dignified and welcoming. It does so through precise attention to architectural details; AD Systems’ ExamSlide™ sliding door systems play a key role in this approach.
Stanley Elevator Simplifies Elevator Maintenance
When a real estate developer needed to reassess operations across two campuses, managing more than 50 elevators under five separate service providers had become inefficient and costly. Seeking greater predictability, faster response times, and streamlined communication, the company consolidated its portfolio under one contract with Stanley Elevator.
Ecore Athletic Supports New Student Power Room
When the University of Nebraska – Lincoln’s Campus Recreation team reimagined its fitness space, the goal was to deliver more value to students through expanded access and a design that reflects Cornhusker spirit. To bring that vision to life, the university partnered with Ecore Athletic, a leader in performance flooring engineered for human movement.
Tighter OR Airflow Control Delivers Big Energy Savings
At McLaren Macomb’s Surgery Center in Mount Clemens, MI, fluctuating VAV boxes were driving excessive air changes and making operating room (OR) pressurization difficult to control. Partnering with Phoenix Controls, the hospital upgraded to venturi valves and room-level monitoring to deliver precise, compliant airflow in each operating room.
PRODUCTS IN ACTION
Debunking The Kinetic Water Ram
General Pipe Cleaners’ Kinetic Water Ram® uses a burst of compressed air that drives a shock wave through water to break up the stoppage. The device is designed to deliver effective results without risking damage to the plumbing system.
Hope’s Windows® Highlights Steel Windows & Doors
Hope’s Windows, Inc., highlights its University Series™ Steel Windows & Doors, engineered for projects requiring historic replication of exterior putty-glazed steel windows and doors in both new construction and replacement applications.
Common Drain Cleaning & Inspection Questions, Part Three
In this series, we cover some of the most commonly asked questions about drain cleaning and inspection. For instance: How are plumbing contractors leveraging data and analytics to optimize their drain cleaning and inspection processes?
Q-PAC Multimotor Plenum Fan for 24/7 Hospital Airflow
Q-PAC, a leader in the design and manufacturing of commercial HVAC fan systems, highlights the Q-PAC Multimotor Plenum Fan, engineered to keep air handlers in healthcare facilities running without interruption so critical spaces stay operating.
4 Tips You Need To Know About Drain Cleaning
If you use a drain cleaning tool in the wrong application, it won’t clear the drain properly, and you could damage the machine or injure yourself. Here’s a list of clogged drain problems, and the recommended drain cleaning tools for each.
Hannay Reels 1500 Series Hose Reel With Space-Saving Stacking Kit
The 1500 Series Manual or Power Rewind Reel from Hannay Reels is lightweight and compact, making it ideal for handling long lengths of hose. The reel has various uses, such as lawn care spraying and pressure washing.