Facilities Management articles for the week of 7/6/2025 - 7/12/2025

Making the Case for Ground Source Heat Pumps

s facility executives and managers continue the search for opportunities to curtail energy use in their facilities and lower their greenhouse gas emissions, attention is growing on an emerging technology — ground source heat pumps — that offers a range of potential benefits.

Read This » Planning Ahead: How to Make Equipment Rentals Work in an Emergency

hen emergencies hit, the last thing facilities managers want to do is scramble for critical equipment.

Read This » Women in FM: How Maria Ruiz Got Her Start in Facilities Management

ike many others in the field, Maria Ruiz, facilities and operations manager for UNICEF USA, wasn’t actively seeking out a career in facilities management, it found her.

Read This » Prioritizing Occupant Experience Means Rethinking Office Amenities

Institutional and commercial facilities are in the middle of a workplace evolution, leaving facility executives stuck in the middle to determine how this influences the spaces office employees are using.  As institutions continue to pursue certifications like WELL and LEED in efforts to attract and retain employees, facility executives are tasked with revamping workspaces.

Read This » Schoolyard Renovations Test Facilities Management Resources

he Space to Grow projects bring new challenges for in-house maintenance teams that are responsible for maintaining the new schoolyards.

Read This » Listen to Your ‘Check Building Light’

ountry music legend Willie Nelson’s iconic song “On the Road Again” was part of the soundtrack in my head last month while traveling to the desert for two industry events.  Last month I attended the Honeywell Users Group 2025 event in Phoenix and the National Fire Protection Association’s annual conference in Las Vegas.

Read This » Baltimore Schools Embrace Geothermal Technology

Geothermal technology — which taps into the heat trapped in the earth to provide year-round, efficient and sustainable heating and cooling — is gaining traction in a growing number of institutional and commercial facilities as building owners and facility managers look for more cost-effective and efficient technologies to help their facilities and HVAC systems achieve their goals, including net zero emissions buildings.  Baltimore City Public Schools implemented geothermal technology featuring heat pumps in two of its facilities, which opened in 2020, and the systems have delivered.

Read This » What Amenities Employees Are Looking For as They Return to the Office

hen undergoing a restroom renovation, every little thing is considered.

Read This » When a Job Becomes a Profession

he answer to the above question is tricky for maintenance and engineering managers in institutional and commercial facilities.  Why? Managers who oversee facility maintenance, engineering and operations, especially those who came up through the trades, have traditionally thought of what they do as a job — a series of tasks for pay.  In a sense, it is a job.

Read This » Emphasizing Grounds Maintenance Worker Safety 

rounds maintenance is highly variable, dangerous and seasonal work, and keeping grounds crew members safe when on the job is an often-overlooked area for grounds managers.

Read This » Effective Work Plans Deliver Benefits for Facilities, Organizations

he best laid plans often turn out to be recipes for disaster.

Read This » Why Do Facilities Teams Turn to Equipment Rentals?

hen HVAC systems fail or high-reach maintenance is required, facilities maintenance teams often rely on rented equipment to bridge the gap.

Read This » Universities Embracing Sustainable, Wellness Initiatives

one are the days of students flowing in and out of unions and gathering halls without a second thought.

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