ey Takeaways: Waunakee Community School District demonstrates that geothermal systems can deliver long-term savings, reliable performance and improved occupant comfort when decisions are based on lifecycle costs rather than upfront expenses. Federal incentives and emerging technologies, such as Dynamic Closed Loop geothermal, are making geothermal heating and cooling a more practical option for schools and other facilities with varying site constraints. Successful geothermal projects begin with comprehensive feasibility studies and early collaboration among owners, engineers and geothermal experts to ensure the system aligns with building needs and long-term goals. When facility managers consider geothermal heating and cooling, two questions usually come to mind: Does it really work? And is it practical for my campus? Two Midwest school districts have helped answer these questions. In Wisconsin, Waunakee Community School District has spent a decade proving that conventional geothermal systems can deliver lower operating costs, reliable performance and comfortable learning environments.
Read This » Neuroinclusive Office Design Supports Employee Productivity and Retentioney Takeaways: Creating neuroinclusive workplaces starts with giving employees greater control over their environment through features like adjustable lighting, flexible workspaces and other sensory accommodations that improve comfort and productivity. Designing for neurodiversity benefits a wide range of employees, and involving occupants in the design process helps organizations create workplaces that better support different sensory needs. Even modest, cost-effective design changes can demonstrate an organization's commitment to inclusion, encouraging employees to communicate their needs and improving engagement, retention and return-to-office success. Over the last several years, many companies have made the push for workers to return to the office.
Read This » AI, Predictive Maintenance and the Path to SuccessKey Takeaways: AI is opening the door to PdM in facilities for managers, staffs and organizations willing to embrace the changes needed to make it happen. A successful AI-PdM process also requires that managers create a robust path for data to make its way through the various platforms that departments and technicians rely on when planning and prioritizing maintenance activities. While managers might still hesitate to commit time and energy to tapping into AI to support PdM, there is little doubt that applications of AI in facilities will continue to expand. For many engineering and maintenance managers, tangible applications and benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) have been rare.
Read This » Keep the Human Touch in Your AI Plant’s rare these days for a discussion of facility management to take place without at least one mention of artificial intelligence (AI) and how it’s impacting the industry. Newsflash: AI isn’t going anywhere.
Read This » Smart Visitor Management is Reshaping the Modern Buildingey Takeaways: Modern visitor management has evolved into an integrated, software-driven platform that enhances security, streamlines visitor experiences and connects with access control, building systems and cybersecurity tools. Mobile credentials, AI and system interoperability are enabling seamless, personalized visitor workflows while improving operational efficiency, accessibility and real-time security management. By integrating visitor data with elevators, building management systems and occupancy analytics, facility managers can make more informed decisions about staffing, energy use, emergency response and long-term space planning. Visitor management used to be simple: a clipboard, a pen and a temporary badge. Today, it’s a dynamic, data-driven ecosystem that touches access control, cybersecurity, mobile credentials, artificial intelligence (AI), elevators, HVAC systems and tenant retention strategies. That shift presents opportunities and complexities for facility managers. “When I started in the industry, it was all pen, paper and visitor logbooks,” says Andrew Campagnola, chair of the Security Industry Association’s (SIA) Built Environment Advisory Board and director of product management at Kastle.
Read This » How Brookhaven Built a Sustainable City Hall Designed for the Futureey Takeaways: Brookhaven City Centre demonstrates how a newly incorporated city can create a civic landmark that serves as both a government headquarters and a vibrant community gathering place. Designed to achieve LEED Gold and WELL Gold certifications, the facility combines mass timber construction, water conservation, energy efficiency and occupant wellness to set a new benchmark for sustainable municipal buildings. Early involvement from the city's facilities team helped ensure the building was designed for long-term operations, maintainability and future growth, from EV infrastructure to accessible public spaces. Most American cities inherit their civic identity.
Read This » Protecting Drinking Water Inside the Buildingey Takeaways: Water quality doesn't stop at the municipal supply—building owners and facility teams play a critical role in maintaining safe drinking water through proactive monitoring, maintenance and water management practices. Building plumbing systems can introduce contaminants or create conditions that degrade water quality, making routine assessment and proper system design essential for protecting occupant health. Frameworks like the WELL Building Standard encourage facilities to go beyond regulatory compliance by implementing ongoing water quality monitoring, stewardship and performance verification to build long-term confidence in drinking water. Municipal water utilities work hard to deliver safe drinking water, but that's only part of the journey.
Read This » Inside TeraWulf’s Fast-Track Data Center Expansioney Takeaways: TeraWulf is accelerating data center development by standardizing designs and streamlining construction, enabling the company to deliver large AI-ready facilities on aggressive timelines. Proactive, AI-enabled condition-based maintenance and mission critical training are central to the company's strategy for ensuring long-term reliability and uptime. Site selection prioritizes abundant low-carbon power, brownfield redevelopment and strong utility infrastructure while emphasizing community engagement and sustainable operations. The race to build data centers is alive and well, and TeraWulf’s Sean Farrell is square in the middle of it. TeraWulf develops and operates large-scale digital infrastructure designed for artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing workloads.
Read This » How Portland Public Schools Optimized Campus Securityey Takeaways: Portland Public Schools used computational modeling alongside security expertise to optimize camera placement, significantly improving campus coverage while staying well under budget. The district's systemwide approach combined camera upgrades with infrastructure assessments, ensuring long-term performance through improved storage, networking and security technology. Approximately $7 million in project savings were reinvested into additional safety measures, including perimeter fencing, access control and door hardware improvements, creating a more comprehensive campus security program. In the last decade, safety has become one of the most pressing facility challenges for school districts across the country.
Read This » How Construction Experience Shaped Jesse Zimmerman as a Facilities Leaderstrong facilities leader understands not only how buildings operate, but also how they were built.
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