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Current Conversations on MyFacilitiesNet:Activate the Outdoors with Greenspace Amenities Creating greater access to outdoor spaces is an increasingly important strategy for commercial facilities. People want gathering spaces outdoors that will support them while they socialize, eat lunch, or work. It's often the third space — somewhere to work that's not your desk, and not another formal workspace within the office. Manufacturers are responding to the demand, providing items like bollards that also contain USB sharing points, or solar power charging stations that double as sunshades/touchdown spots. Rebranded commercial facilities are installing items like firepits and plazas. Click through to learn more. What have been some of your successful strategies for connecting occupants with the outdoors they so crave?
Planning Emergency Communication Systems Emergency communication/mass notification systems have become common in facilities. But a range of challenges — from failing to zero in on what the FM wants the system to do, to problems with design and construction — can lead to issues that ultimately undermine the effectiveness or raise the cost of the system. Click through to discover four steps every facility manager should follow when planning emergency communication/mass notification systems.
Maintenance Matters: How to Make the Case to Building Owners Just like people get annual physicals to monitor their health or take their vehicles in for oil changes, a facility's HVAC equipment needs to be assessed regularly. Even simple cleaning can drastically reduce major issues. Maintenance and engineering managers are responsible for making sure equipment is running properly and at maximum efficiency. But how can managers make the case to building owners that maintenance is worth the investment? Click through for some insight, and share your strategies in a comment.
Can Dead Malls Be Reborn as Farms? Can a dead mall be repurposed into a community farm? I was watching a TED Talk on old malls and was struck by the giant atriums in most malls and how maybe it would make a great space to grow plants year-round in climates such as Chicago. I've seen rooftop farms taking off. Of course, this requires a roof that can bear the load. But I've also started to see indoor aquaponic vertical farms taking off, growing things like lettuce and tomatoes with LED systems tuned for super growing. These have been mostly in old warehouse spaces, I suppose for the blank square footage potential. But what about your friendly local underutilized mall? How could it work? What do you think?
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