German Bank Finances $241M in North American Office Sales
01/10/2008
Going against the tide of the currently stalled credit markets, German-based DekaBank has provided financing totaling $241.5 million for the acquisition of office properties in Los Angeles and Montreal over the last few weeks.
FM Link
Smithsonian's Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) approach helps prioritize maintenance in times of budget reductions
01/08/2009
A majority of SI equipment assets are operating past or fast approaching the end of their life cycle, with an average age of 30 years. We have a depleted work force and have not received maintenance budget increases large enough to meet our maintenance needs. To head off the catastrophic consequences of multiple equipment failures, we defined a 4 point maintenance program that first and foremost is reliability centered maintenance (RCM) based, includes preventive maintenance, periodic testing and inspection (PT&I), and programmed maintenance. RCM focuses on identifying and establishing the operational, maintenance, and capital improvement policies that will manage the risks of equipment failure most effectively.
IndustrialInfo.com
Chemical Industry focuses on Maintenance spending in 2008
01/09/2008
As many plant owners in the Chemical Processing Industry (CPI) fear the long-term effects of a troubled economy, the focus of plant management has increasingly turned to maintenance and maintaining the value of existing assets. Industrial Info identified and tracked a total of 299 chemical plant maintenance turnarounds with a total investment value of $775 million that took place during the first nine months of the year. This is an increase in project activity of 23% and an increase of 30% in total spending compared with the first nine months of 2007.
FM Link
Top real estate and development trends offered by Giffels-Webster Engineers
01/02/2009
Giffels-Webster Engineers, a civil engineering firm with a 50-year industry reputation for its vision for today's market and beyond, has unveiled its annual list of the top five trends in real estate and development.According to GWE, they are infrastructure rehabilitation , urban redevelopment, energy generation, life sciences, and health expansion and renovation.
CPN Online
Troubling Times Ahead for Property Markets
01/10/2008
September usually sets the pace of the investment market through the end of the year, and if this September is any indication, the property markets are in for some troubling times, according to Real Capital Analytics’ Global Capital Trends September/October 2008 report. “The credit crunch that has been impeding deal flow in the U.S. and Europe is now spreading throughout Asia and erupting into a full-blown financial crisis in the West,” the report indicated. “In the course of the month, some of the largest lenders to the commercial real estate industry have fallen: Lehman, Hypo, Wachovia, Fortis, AIG, HBOS, Merrill Lynch. Their downfall not only leaves a void for those seeking to finance a property, but represents tens of billions of dollars in property and mortgages that must be liquidated. Those assets will join tens of billions of other properties currently for sale by owners that are under increasing financial pressure.”
Tradeline
How Lean Management Principles Can Impact Effectiveness, Productivity, and CostsStaff Takes Responsibility for Long-Term Operations
01/08/2008
There is always room for improvement. That is the philosophy behind EMCOR's nine-month effort to overhaul the operations of a long-standing client, a Northern California supplier of wafer fabrication equipment for the semiconductor industry. At the beginning of the process, the client company was nearing 30 years old and owned 600,000 sf in 10 buildings, including office, manufacturing, R&D, and 60,000 sf of cleanrooms. HVAC maintenance, cabling, and copy paper distribution, among other services, were outsourced to third-party operators
GreenerBuildings.com
Cost-Savvy Execs Expect Greener Buildings Without Big Price Tags: Survey
01/11/2008
Commercial real estate executives are increasingly seeking greener office space -- and are less inclined to pay premiums for it, according to a recent survey by CoreNet Global and Jones Lang LaSalle.
BOMA
Facility Managers are Taking an Aggressive Operational Approach to Energy Savings, Survey Finds
01/11/2008
According to a new survey published by FMLink, the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and the Association for Facility Engineers (AFE), more and more facility managers are implementing re-commissioning and energy audits to measure and improve their building’s energy performance. The survey, which was sent to more than 30,000 individuals, also found that most energy savings successes were the result of aggressive low-cost operational strategies rather major capital projects. However, such capital projects are one of the big items scheduled for action in the coming year.
PitchEngine.com
Connecticut-based facility services company, O,R&L receives 2009 top-office building award
01/08/2009
Branford-based facility services company O,R&L. The company recently won the 2009 Office Building of the Year Award for the NY Capital Region (TOBY) and Mid Atlantic Region (TOBY MAC) by the Building Owners & Managers Association (BOMA). O,R&L Facility Services provides comprehensive management, maintenance and custodial services for the State of New York located at 625 Broadway in Albany, NY.“Receiving the Office Building of the Year Award is a tremendous honor for O,R&L and our over 600 proud employees nationwide” says O,R&L Facility Services President and CEO Robert D. Owens. “To be able to say that one of your properties meets the top standards in the industry, is quite the feather in the cap to our commitment to quality and dedication of our employees- something that O,R&L has become known for” Owens adds.
Inhabitat.com
HEARST TOWER WINS INTERNATIONAL HIGHRISE AWARD 2008
01/11/2008
Together with its sustainable structure (the Hearst Tower is the first highrise in New York City to be certified as meeting the LEED Gold standard) it is setting "a new standard for office buildings in the metropolis of skyscrapers."
Yahoo Finance
MetLife's Newest Manhattan Office Achieves Silver LEED CI Certification
01/10/2009
MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET - News) announced today that its Manhattan office located at 1095 Avenue of the Americas has been awarded the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design for Commercial Interiors (LEED CI) Silver certification from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).The site’s water efficiency, energy performance and indoor air quality are a few of the key components that were taken into consideration when seeking LEED CI certification. 1095 Avenue of the Americas is outfitted with many green performance elements, including energy efficient lighting and water fixtures, Energy Star-rated equipment and appliances as well as eco-friendly furniture and carpet. Roughly 32 percent of materials contained in the MetLife build-out have been manufactured from recycled materials.JLL served as project manager.
GreenerBuildings.com
More Facility Professionals Taking Strategic Approach to Green Practices: Survey
01/11/2008
Facility managers are increasingly following a master plan when implementing sustainable practices and are tying their efforts to measurable goals and business strategy, according to the results of a new International Facility Management Association (IFMA) survey. The study, "Green Practices 2008," shows that while recycling and energy conservation initiatives are being practiced by the vast majority of facility practitioners, financial challenges still present the biggest impediment to going green.
IndustrialInfo.com
Capital and Maintenance spending planned in the Great Lakes Region totals $55 billion for 2009.
01/11/2008
A look at capital and maintenance project activity planned for the region in 2009 shows $55 billion in total spending in the form of 752 projects being developed for the next 12 months.
REjournals.com
Repositioning real estate for economic recovery
01/07/2009
Real estate opportunities will be centered on economic recovery and on improved utilization. Corporations are looking for ways to do it "better, faster, and cheaper". There is a real urgency for fundamental property assessments and strategic property reposition planning. Property assessments, facility as-built documentation, and facility inventories will be required to better understand corporate lease holdings. Emerging technologies utilizing high definition laser scanning will be helpful in documenting large property portfolios where proper records do not exist, or have not been kept current. Converting that existing facility data into BIM (Building Information Model) files will provide a means to inventory spaces, catalogue equipment, and enhance facility management by serving the building's extended lifecycle needs. Data reflecting maintenance schedules, replacement schedules can be embedded into the BIM facility document.
Free Press Release Center
EmploymentCrossing Launches a Unique Job Site for Facility Professionals
01/11/2008
To aid the employment of facility professionals across all states in US, EmploymentCrossing recently launched FacilitiesCrossing, a niche job board that brings together every facility job opening from all across the nation
CPN Online
Chicago's Loyola Green Building Proves Successful
01/10/2008
The Richard J. Klarchek Information Commons, a green building at Loyola University in Chicago, was planned with hopes of cutting energy usage by as much 50 percent. Since the prominent building opened in January of 2008, the building has surpassed expectations, using new innovative methods for heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning.
Houston Commercial Real Estate
Tenant Representation to get bigger now
01/08/2008
Commercial real estate firms that represent tenants solely are planning to add brokers and take other steps to capitalize on the acquisition of The Staubach Co. by Jones Lang LaSalle.The Staubach Co., based in Addison, was founded on the premise that the company would represent only users of office, retail and industrial space, thereby avoiding potential conflicts of interest with landlords. But Chicago-based Jones Lang LaSalle, which bought Staubach in early July, offers the gamut of real estate services, including landlord representation.That creates opportunities for firms that continue to represent only tenants’ interests, said Jim Lob, senior vice president of commercial real estate firm UGL Equis’ office in Dallas. The firm plans to add at least five tenant-rep brokers to its 10-broker team in Dallas, and 50 throughout the United States, Lob said.“The Staubach-Jones Lang LaSalle merger is the trigger” for the additional brokers, Lob said.UGL Equis, like others that represent only tenants, also will more aggressively target companies that chose to be represented by Staubach because of that company’s focus on tenant rep, Lob said.
Institute for Corporate Productivity
Corporate Focus on Employee Productivity Growing Rapidly
01/07/2008
SEATTLE, WA (July 2, 2008) – Organizations are hopping on the productivity bandwagon at an increasing rate, according to a recent study by the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp). Fifty-nine percent of organizations taking part in the survey say their emphasis on improving employee productivity and efficiency has increased over the last year, and 49% say they focus on increasing productivity to a high or very high degree.To measure productivity, 58% of reporting companies favor tracking output per work group (teams, departments, etc.) to a moderate or very high extent. Output per person was measured to a moderate or high extent by 57% of reporting companies, and revenue per employee was measured by 56% of companies to a moderate or very high extent. The least-measured area reported was ROI on intellectual capital, with 67% reporting it is considered either to a small degree or not at all.
FM Link
ASHRAE publishes new guidance on commissioning process
01/08/2008
Specific tasks to successfully implement the commissioning process for HVAC&R systems and assemblies are featured in a new guideline from ASHRAE. ASHRAE Guideline 1.1, HVAC&R Technical Requirements for the Commissioning Process, describes the technical requirements for the application of the commissioning process described in ASHRAE Guideline 0-2005 that will verify that the HVAC&R systems achieve the owner's project requirements, says ASHRAE.The cost of ASHRAE Guideline 1.1, HVAC&R Technical Requirements for the Commissioning Process, is $69 ($55, ASHRAE members).
FM Link
DOE launches Zero-Net Energy Commercial Building Initiative
01/08/2008
DOE launched the Zero-Net Energy Commercial Building Initiative (CBI) recently, with the goals of developing new commercial buildings that produce as much energy as they use and making these buildings marketable by 2025.
IndustrialInfo.com
North American Petroleum Refining Industry Plans $104 Billion in Capital and Maintenance Projects
01/08/2008
In North America, 834 Petroleum Refining projects totaling more than $104 billion are scheduled to start construction in the future. The Southwest region, which includes the Gulf Coast states of Texas and Louisiana, as well as Arkansas and Oklahoma, has the most planned projects of any North American market region with 279 planned projects. The highest total investment value (TIV), however, exists in refining projects in Western Canada. The largest project in the region is Total S.A.'s (NYSE:TOT) (Paris) planned 200,000-barrel-per-day (BBL/d) bitumen processing plant in Alberta. Canada's largest planned Petroleum Refining project is actually slated for the island of Newfoundland. The Newfoundland and Labrador Refining Corporation (St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador) is seeking financing for the $6.5 billion Placentia grassroot refinery. SNC-Lavalin (TSX:SNC) (Montreal, Quebec), which is providing engineering services for the project, filed a bankruptcy application against Newfoundland and Labrador Refining in June because it was owed about $20 million. A court ruling stayed the proceeding, which will hopefully give the company enough time to secure financing. Construction of the 300,000-BBL/d crude oil refinery is scheduled to be complete in 2013.
Media Newswire
UI makes Buildings magazine's 'Who's Who 2009' list
01/10/2009
University of Iowa Facilities Management is one of 12 organizations, and the only one at a university, named to Buildings magazine's "Who's Who 2009: Leaders in Energy Management and Sustainability" list in the September 2009 issue. The organizations were chosen for their best practices in energy management and sustainability resulting in significant reductions in energy usage and operating costs.
New York Post
MEDIA BIG WILL STAY AT 1515 BROADWAY
01/11/2008
The extension - one of the largest leases ever signed in Midtown - will keep Viacom at 1515 Broadway through at least mid-2015.
BOMA
Building a Zero-Energy Commercial Office
01/07/2008
When Integrated Design Associates (IDeAs) Inc., a consultancy that provides electrical engineering and lighting design services out of offices in Colorado and California, bought a former bank building for its new San Jose, CA, operations, it saw immense potential. The opportunity was ripe to bring a concept that so many had talked about and so few had attempted - a zero-energy building - to life. "We felt we should walk the walk, not just talk the talk," says David Kaneda, principal, IDeAs, San Jose, CA. The goal was a building with net zero energy and zero carbon emissions (or a Z2 building).
FM Link
Integration of facility condition assessments, master plans, and capital improvements programming
01/08/2008
The U.S. Capitol Complex has been evolving for over two hundred years, beginning with the completion of the Capitol building in 1800. Since then, numerous facilities have been added under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Architect of the Capitol (AOC). The AOC is now responsible for maintaining the nearly fifteen million square feet of space on close to four hundred acres of land. The Capitol Complex has been in continuous operation since its construction and poses many unique challenges for its efficient operation, management and preservation. The AOC must succeed in this mission to assure transparent and continuous Congressional and Supreme Court operations.Transforming the basic information resources available to the management and staff of the AOC is met as these tools and methodology are infused in the facilities management culture at the AOC. Training and deliberate change management techniques are aiding to adopt the new methods (NRC, 2004).
Tradeline
Downward Trend in Funding: Time to Re-think Research Models and Facility Planning
01/01/2009
Significant increases in National Institutes of Health (NIH) appropriations over the past decade led to a period of bullish growth at research institutions across the country. Now, a recent downward trend in NIH funding is forcing institutions to re-examine how they think about their facilities, research processes, and funding strategies.
Environmental Leader
Software Helps Green Builders Track LEED Projects
01/07/2009
Construction management software providers are now offering several types of web-based software packages that will help green building designers and contractors track their projects under the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification program more easily and help them navigate through the LEED process to achieve certification.
Business Wire
IT Energy Use Still High Despite Pressure to Cut Costs
01/07/2009
While there have been improvements in cost management, ironically more than half of the respondents said that their IT departments are under pressure from their companies to reduce energy usage as a way to control operational expenditures (OpEx). The research revealed that a lack of coordination between IT departments and facilities management at these companies may make cutting energy costs difficult. Notably, almost 50 percent of the respondents reported not monitoring IT's energy usage at all because utility bills fell under the purview of facilities management. Within this group, 60 percent stated that their companies lacked the processes in place to measure IT power usage. “Technology vendors, such as Brocade, are in a position to not only help these businesses understand the disconnect between their goals and their processes, but to actually do something to lower the costs,” commented Ulrich Plechschmidt, VP EMEA at Brocade. “Our research shows that facilities management owns the power budget in most cases, but that the IT department isn’t evaluating its power draw and effect on the organisation’s bottom line. But in these difficult economic times, with every line item being placed under scrutiny, the IT function must play its part and collaborate with facilities management to address rising utility bills.”
Tradeline
Flexibility Drives Planning for Research Facility Construction and Renovation.
01/10/2008
Flexibility is the critical cornerstone to ensure that research facilities will be able to accommodate future changes involving staffing, equipment, and space. Incorporating flexibility into the design of construction projects makes it easier to adapt to changes that may not occur for many years. Flexibility is the critical cornerstone to ensure that research facilities will be able to accommodate future changes involving staffing, equipment, and space. Incorporating flexibility into the design of construction projects makes it easier to adapt to changes that may not occur for many years.
Contract Magazine
International Trends in Design and Energy
01/05/2008
The day after Earth Day, I sat in San Francisco City Hall with 350 leading environmental advocates celebrating the city's environmental accomplishments. Mayor Gavin Newsome spoke about how and why he wants San Francisco to become the pace car of environmental leadership for cities around the world. His vision is compelling, and, wonderfully, his competition is getting tougher to beat.
ARC Advisory Group
Acquisition Results in Rockwell Automation’s Introduction of FactoryTalk VantagePoint
01/12/2009
A facilities management success story involved optimizing energy con-sumption and environmental systems for 50 major buildings on a 285-acre campus, and shape-shifting power consumption to reduce peak grid demand. The customer used FactoryTalk VantagePoint to integrate islands of information from water treatment, HVAC, cogeneration, and weather reports, as well as develop a weather-normalized building model with near real-time data to respond quickly to energy issues. The results included saving $1 million per year in energy costs, and helping to optimize campus facilities.
EPROP.Co.Za
Corporations embrace alterative work spaces
01/01/2009
As technological advances unchain workers from the confines of a desk and office, the type and configuration of space that companies demand from real estate providers is changing.That is according to more than 300 employers surveyed by Microsoft Corp. and CoreNet Global, an Atlanta-based corporate real estate association. The survey queried participants at CoreNet’s summit in Orlando last fall, and found that 77% of respondents expect alternative workplace programs to increase within three years.
Market Wire
Big Four Accounting Firm Implements EMS Workplace Facility Scheduling and Office Hoteling Software
01/01/2009
Dean Evans & Associates, Inc. has announced the successful implementation of their EMS Workplace™ facility scheduling and resource management software by one of the "Big Four" accounting firms. The system is now being used to manage the meetings, events and shared workspaces in more than 26,000 rooms in 105 buildings.
EE Herald
Joint solutions to control and monitor energy equipment in buildings
01/01/2009
Echelon Corporation and Wonderware, a business unit of Invensys are partnering to bring energy and facility management solutions to market. As part of this partnership, Echelon joins the Wonderware Endorsed Hardware Program – one of only a few companies endorsed for this program – and the Echelon i.LON SmartServer will be integrated with Wonderware software solutions. Wonderware and Echelon's combined software and hardware solutions will bring facilities more choices in how to connect, manage and control their equipment for operation cost savings and energy conservation. The announcement was made today at the 2009 AHR Expo in Chicago, the world's largest HVAC&R exposition.
FM Link
Zpryme research predicts green building markets will grow 146 percent
01/01/2010
The combined commercial and residential green building markets should grow nearly 146 percent from 2009 to 2013, according to research from Zpryme. In 2009, the combined markets represented $52.3 billion, but by 2013 the total should be $128.6 billion, says the research and consulting firm. The commercial/institutional market for green building should grow 137 percent from 2009 to 2013, from $26.5 billion to $63 billion. By sector, public facilities and education are leading 2009 green building activity at 30 percent and 24 percent, respectively. Commercial green building accounts for about 20 percent of the 2009 activity, followed by health care (11 percent) and industrial and R&D (both 5 percent).
CIO.com
CIO's role in delivering green buildings
01/12/2009
There has been a step change in the past few years where building management systems have moved beyond managing peripherals to elements central to the building such as heating and lighting. There are now a number of very good reasons why CIOs should be looking towards converging the IT infrastructure with a building management system (BMS), particularly when using IP networks which allow a BMS to hang off the network. There are huge operating efficiencies, the building works more efficiently and people can gain better control of their environment.
PitchEngine.com
IN DIFFICULT TIMES, FIRM INNOVATES TO STIMULATE GROWTH, ENHANCE CUSTOMER SERVICE
01/04/2009
Most people probably have experienced The Linc Group’s work without even noticing it. They are the company that keeps things running smoothly at airports, hospitals, military bases, malls, office buildings, ballparks, and houses across the globe. As a leading provider of technical facility management and energy efficient building services, The Linc Group ensures buildings are maintained properly, lighting and electrical systems provide optimal safety and security, heating and cooling systems operate efficiently, and homes and schools are comfortable, energy efficient and healthy.
BOMA
The Six Principles of Painless Preventive Maintenance
01/08/2008
Going green has become an important criterion for buildings and facilities. Commercial property owners and managers are responding by joining the green movement and seeking LEED certification for their properties. One critical step of this process is putting an effective preventive maintenance (PM) program in place. As an added benefit, an effective PM program is critical to preserving and enhancing the value and cash flow of properties. The actual performance of maintenance activities and the accurate tracking of asset history, however, often remain mysterious and inaccessible as competing priorities take precedence
IndustrialInfo.com
Contract awared for $50 m regional distribution center in Missouri.
01/09/2008
Arco Design/Build (Atlanta, Georgia) has been selected to provide engineering and construction services for a grassroot $50 million regional distribution...
Fort Worth Business News
Medical construction slows
01/11/2009
Like the auto industry, the financial sector and even other areas of commercial real estate, construction of hospital and medical offices, whether new building projects, expansions or renovations, has taken a hit during the recession.But, hospital and medical office building construction is continuing. It’s just gone from an accelerating 90 miles an hour, to a steady 30 miles an hour with every expectation of gaining speed again after investors’ fears subside. In fact, recent analytics provided by RSMeans and reported in trade journal Health Facilities Management found investment in new hospital and clinic construction was $58.9 billion and $25 billion for major renovation work earlier this year; based on square footage, Texas led the nation in new hospital and clinic construction under way.
IndustrialInfo.com
Gulf Coast Industrial Locator Map - 2010 Edition
01/11/2009
The Gulf Coast Industrial Locator Map illustrates one of the most concentrated industrial regions in the U.S. More than 600 active projects at more than 400 industrial plants are scheduled to start construction in 2010. This potential spending reflects $30+ billion worth of investments.
IndustrialInfo.com
Improving Plant Safety, Reliability and Efficiency, by Curtiss-Wright Flow Control Corporation, a Feature of "Industry Today" on Industrialinfo.com
01/09/2008
Curtiss-Wright Flow Control provides an outstanding portfolio of technology and systems designed to improve the cycle time and safety for any application. CWFC services valves in their own shops around the globe, ensuring prompt turnarounds and careful attention to detail. CWFC provides custom and pre-engineered solutions for automating almost everything from coke drum de-heading to tank-farm automation with systems that have been proven to be both effective and safe. The team of industry experts and engineers employed by Curtiss-Wright aims to provide each end user with the right equipment for each application, whether a simple industrial plant or a very complex refinery or nuclear power plant.
Building Design and Construction
Health and Human Services building receives LEED Gold
01/05/2009
Western Michigan University's College of Health and Human Services is the first building in Southwest Michigan and one of only three in the state to meet national energy and environmental standards for an existing building.The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings, or LEED-EB, rating system puts it among one of the highest performing buildings in Michigan. The WMU building achieved gold-level certification from the U.S. Green Building Council making it the first LEED-EB Version 2.0 certified higher education building in the country to achieve a rating higher than silver. It is also the highest certified level for any LEED-certified building in Kalamazoo.
GreenerBuildings.com
Green building Impact Report
01/04/2009
LEED was created to reduce the environmental impacts of the built environment, but so far no comprehensive evaluation of the overall impact of LEED has been conducted. Until now.
FM Link - The Leader
The Evolving State of Portfolio Planning: A Critical Discipline for Uncertain Times
01/04/2009
How can a large corporation best manage its real estate portfolio in the face of today's uHow can a large corporation best manage its real estate portfolio in the face of today's uncertain markets, economic volatility, and rapidly changing competitive landscape? We believe the answer is "not well," unless it has invested in fundamental portfolio planning tools, qualified staff, and processes.
BOMA
Axis Portal Case Study
01/08/2008
As the portfolio within CBRE Investors was ever increasing, so were its needs to remotely manage its myriad documents and property information online. Documents needed to be stored in a standardized fashion, and its directors needed quick access to documents to keep pace with the level of acquisitions and dispositions CBREI was managing. Axis was able to develop a client based Control Panel to allow directors access to each high rise office property owned by CBREI. Through this secure portal site, CBREI associates can access leases, service contracts, management agreements, and other due diligence documents, all of which are stored within a proprietary file folder organizational structure.
i-FM net
Rethinking Smart Buildings
01/03/2009
For owners of existing building who may not be ready or able to run the full gamut of integration, a smart area to invest in could be energy efficiency retrofits, especially since new deliveries in energy performance contracting (EPC) are breaking down the complexities inherent in traditional EPC models. In January BOMA International and the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) released the BOMA Energy Retrofit Program (BEPC), which removes many of the traditional barriers to investment in energy efficiency and allows owners to make more sophisticated operational improvements.
IndustrialInfo.com
The 2010 Global Industrial Outlook
01/01/2010
The Global Industrial Outlook provides an in-depth analysis for twelve industrial market segments that includes major project spending statistics by industry, market region and budget type (capital and maintenance activity). Spending statistics are derived from actual projects reported by IIR. Quarterly updates throughout the year keeps you informed with forecast versus actual performances. You will find detailed trend analysis and spending statistics
Buildings.com
Who’s Who in the Buildings Market 2008
01/09/2008
The editors of Buildings have handpicked 44 organizations and departments that are getting things done—slashing energy costs, improving customer service, building with the end-user in mind, investing heavily in employee training and development, etc.—in truly remarkable ways.
Aramark
i-FM net
IFMA and Aramark team up on sustainability guide
01/01/2010
The FM group research and education venture has joined with the contract caterer to produce guidance on introducing sustainable practices in a food service environment.
Bank of America
Fulcrum Magazine
The crystalline Bank of America Tower at One Bryant Park in Midtown Manhattan represents a new paradigm in sustainability.
01/06/2008
Through One Bryant Park’s use of these novel technologies, in addition to more common strategies—high-performance glass curtain wall, LED lighting, green roofs, and recycled and locally sourced materials—the Durst Organization, the Bank of America, and Cook + Fox will likely achieve their mission of building the first commercial high rise in the country to receive the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification. But the ambition of this group goes beyond the tower being a role model for sustainability. They believe they’re creating a new business model for commercial construction.
BOMA
BOMA
Despite Economy, Study Reveals Greening of Building Portfolios Remains a Priority For Commercial Real Estate Industry
01/11/2008
Despite Economy, Study Reveals Greening of Building Portfolios Remains a Priority For Commercial Real Estate Industry
BOMA
BOMA
BOMA, CCI Deliver Pioneering Energy Efficient Retrofit Solutions to Commercial Real Estate
01/01/2009
The BOMA Energy Performance Contracting (BEPC) model is a pioneering model contract and supporting documents that allow building owners and operators to execute sophisticated energy efficiency retrofits to existing buildings. BOMA and CCI, in collaboration with major real estate companies and energy service companies (ESCOs), identified the historical barriers to energy efficiency investment in the commercial real estate sector and developed a standardized, user-friendly contracting model that allows building owners and operators to successfully execute larger, more sophisticated retrofits and bring greater operational improvements in investment real estate.
BOMA
BOMA
A powerful, new Web-based edition of the Experience Exchange Report, the industry's best benchmarking tool, is shedding new light on income and operating expenses for the commercial real estate market.
01/01/2009
Starting in 2009, the EER is completely online?you simply access, download and use the data in infinite ways...to build budgets, evaluate operating performance, identify areas for savings, communicate performance metrics to owners and investors, tenants and prospective tenants, and much more. The book and CD versions will no longer be available.
BOMA
BOMA
2008 Experience Exchange Report (EER) CD-Rom
01/10/2008
Obtaining detailed benchmarking information for reports and presentations has never been easier thanks to the 2008 BOMA Experience Exchange Report (EER) CD-ROM. Loaded with 8 income and 12 expense line item categories and 65 detailed subcategories for US and Canadian cities, you can run queries based on ranges that you select. Breakdowns for private and government, downtown and suburban, and building size can be sorted by zip code to generate up to four different report types.
CBRE
CPN Online
Wind-Powered CBRE D.C. Office Earns LEED Gold
01/10/2008
CB Richard Ellis Inc. has received a LEED Gold certification for Commercial Interiors for its recently completed offices in the Victor Building in Washington, D.C. The Victor Building is at 750 9th St., N.W., and is the first CBRE office in the country to win such an ranking.The office space is supplied now with 100 percent wind power provided by EnerNOC/Native Energy. Because CBRE’s Washington, D.C., office purchased wind power for its operation, it now has an operational carbon footprint of zero.
CyberShift
SOA World Magazine
Working in Concert, CyberShift and SDI Deliver Workforce Management Solutions to Capital Asset Intensive Organizations With Complex Requirements to Ensure Efficient Operations
01/01/2009
Building on its foothold as a systems integrator that fuses information technology, security, operations, and facility management to support mission-critical systems and data in highly distributed asset-intensive environments, SDI will leverage CyberShift's award-winning Workforce Management 3G(TM) into its portfolio of solutions. The strategic partnership will enable organizations to gain a complete facility management solution that is comprised of all of the critical aspects involved in managing a workforce such as time-and-attendance, employee scheduling, expense management, safety, security, surveillance and access control.
GSA
Contract Magazine
GSA Celebrates Dedication of New FBI Northern Virginia Building
01/11/2008
The building has no front or back. It is designed so that it appears to be exactly the same when viewed from either side, while it conforms to the latest design criteria for progressive collapse and blast protection. Security setbacks exceed 100 ft., with barriers consisting of berms, large boulders, and security fencing. Its 276-car garage is separate from the building, built into the slope of the site so that it is not visible. Items contributing to the LEED Gold rating include recycling construction waste; use of low emitting adhesives and sealants; minimizing energy consumption; use of certified wood and regional materials; a 40 percent reduction in projected water use; sophisticated storm water design; onsite vehicle refueling station. GSA furnished the facility with a savings of $3.8 million below list price.
GSA
BOMA
FBI Chicago Building Earns First LEED EBOM Platinum Rating
01/01/2009
The Federal Bureau of Investigation Regional Facility located in Chicago has earned a Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design for Existing Buildings for Operations & Maintenance (LEED EBOM) from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) at its highest, Platinum level. The facility, owned and managed by USAA Real Estate Company, is the first Platinum recipient in the world under the USGBC´s LEED EBOM. Not only is this the first USGBC EBOM Platinum rated facility, it is also the first LEED EB Platinum rated building in Chicago and one of only 16 LEED EB Platinum projects in the world.
JCI
PR Newswire
Johnson Controls Announces Web-based Greenhouse Gas Reporting System
01/07/2009
Delivered by Johnson Controls Global WorkPlace Solutions, the Energy and Emissions Management System is Web-based and incorporates one of the most advanced management software programs available to meet greenhouse gas emission reporting standards, according to Groom Energy Solutions, a renewable and energy efficiency service provider.The system currently manages $1 billion of annual energy spend and annually monitors 63 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions for 5,000 buildings located in 88 countries. Over the last eight years, the system has captured more than 8,000 energy and cost savings initiatives - nearly half of which were achieved for global companies including Pfizer, Wyeth, Dell and Xerox - resulting in savings of $1 billion and 6.2 million metric tons of CO(2) or the equivalent.
JCI
Precision Alert
Johnson Controls Acquires Software Company Gridlogix
01/10/2008
Acquisition allows deeper integration of IT into building management - Johnson Controls is in a better position to help customers minimize the effects of rising energy prices while addressing their goals to make their facilities more sustainable. Customers are seeking, and Johnson Controls is committed to providing, integration of a myriad of operating systems throughout the enterprise into a single information source. This acquisition allows the convergence of IT and building management systems, providing greater information on the impact these systems have on facilities.
JCI
ComputerWorld
Johnson Controls uses metrics to transform its business
01/06/2009
The Global Workplace Solutions (GWS) division of Johnson Controls manages more than 1.4 billion square feet of corporate real estate for 300 customers in more than 500 locations worldwide. But it did so with few standards, little ability to benchmark or identify best practices, and no way to help customers define metrics. Thus, the business was little more than a collection of disconnected local teams. David Mercier, GWS's director of continuous improvement, was charged with making the division metrics-driven, both to satisfy customer demands and to help GWS benefit from best practices across all its operations.Mercier first focused on establishing metrics that mattered both to GWS and its customers, creating a consistent set from which the contracted metrics could be derived, while providing for the first time the pan-GWS metrics needed to compare regions and encourage the adoption of best practices. He then made the data centrally available via an Actuate Performancesoft Views analytics tool -- a major step up from the combination of Excel workbooks and PowerPoint presentations that had comprised the analytics "system."Although the deployment saved GWS $500,000 (a small sum given the company's $3.8 billion budget), the real benefit was discovering the business rules previously hidden across GWS's operations and applying consistent metrics companywide, which Mercier believes will deepen customer relationships and strengthen GWS for the longer term.
Jones Lang Lasalle Inc.
COMPANY WEBSITE
74% of Companies Will Invest in Energy and Sustainability in Owned Buildings; 37% Will Pay Extra in Leasing, Survey Finds
01/11/2009
Corporate real estate (CRE) executives, whose companies drive demand for office space, are increasingly willing to invest in refurbishing their owned assets to meet sustainability goals, according to the results of the 2009 CoreNet Global and Jones Lang LaSalle sustainability survey.In a survey of CRE executives responsible for real estate portfolios totaling billions of square feet across the globe, 70 percent said that sustainability is a critical business issue for CRE today.
Jones Lang Lasalle Inc.
GreenerBuildings.com
JLL Enrolls Entire U.S. Property Management Portfolio in Energy Star Program
01/10/2009
The 330 office buildings in Jones Lang LaSalle's U.S. property management portfolio are now enrolled in the Energy Star program to benchmark and manage energy efficiency, the commercial real estate services firm said.
Jones Lang Lasalle Inc.
Co Star Group
As Economy Slides, Corporations Turn to Green Real Estate
01/11/2008
Corent/JLL survey reveals that as businesses tighten their belts, the survey indicated that corporate interest in green real estate was increasing as more firms target energy efficiency gains and sustainable "workplace strategies" that can cut employee and occupancy costs.
ManageEngine
Market Watch
ManageEngine's FacilitiesDesk Software Increases Visibility and Control of Asset and Maintenance Management. Unique Features Designed to Support Inventory Management and Meter Based Preventive Maintenance in Large Enterprises
01/11/2008
ManageEngine, makers of a globally renowned suite of cost effective facility, network, systems and security management software solutions, today announced an upgraded version of its integrated FacilitiesDesk software, a highly-comprehensive facility and maintenance management application.
Planon Software
Market Watch
Planon Helps Organizations Reduce Costs and Improve Environmental Sustainability with Green Workplace Economics
01/01/2009
Planon, a global provider of enterprise real estate and facilities software, has announced Green Workplace Economics(TM) to meet the demand in the marketplace for ways to drive profit and improve environmental sustainability by smarter utilization of facilities and real estate assets.
Planon Software
Business Wire
Planon Software Showed Positive Growth in 2008
01/03/2009
“Planon sales and operating results surpassed prior-year levels despite the global economic downturn,” said Pierre Guelen, Founder and CEO, Planon Group. “The Planon series of facility and real estate management software solutions delivers substantial cost savings and a clear, measurable return on investment. Organizations today are prioritizing both green and cost-reduction projects which put Planon on center stage.” The continued success over the last few years led to the Company’s emergence as a global leader in the Integrated Workplace Management Solutions (IWMS) marketplace with this year’s results firmly establishing this position. Earlier this year, Planon introduced Green Workplace Economics to build upon its mission to help companies reduce costs and improve environmental sustainability. Companies are finding that by implementing Green Workplace Economics they can meet the demand in the marketplace for ways to drive profit and improve environmental sustainability by smarter utilization of facilities and real estate assets.
Sodexo
Reuters
Sodexo facilities management experts helped propel Colorado College to a leadership position in sustainable cleaning practices by being named one of only two colleges honored by American School & University magazine, the Green Cleaning Network, and the He
01/11/2008
Sodexo, a leading food and facilities management service provider, reduced the number of cleaning products by half at Colorado College. By switching to microfiber cloths and mops, Sodexo reduced custodial-cleaning water use by about 247,000 gallons per year in residential and academic areas. The Green Cleaning Award also recognized Sodexo's effort in piloting environmentally preferable chemicals and installing chemical-dispensing systems that reduce waste and prevent the "more is better" pitfall. Sodexo technicians retired harsh floor-stripping chemicals by introducing new technology that uses water instead, which improves student and employee health by reducing toxic chemical use. Indoor air quality also got a boost by switching to dual filtration units instead of using vacuums. Tent cards in all dorm rooms let students know their rooms are cleaned using environmentaly friendly products that are Green Seal(TM) certified, a third-party endorsement of environmental responsibility.
Trane
Market Watch
Trane to Highlight Energy Conservation and Effective Building Maintenance at Advanced Facilities Management and Engineering Conference
01/11/2008
Jim Shilling, manager of Trane’s Facilities Management Services, and Charles W. Bennett Jr., sales manager for Trane, will present “Preventive Maintenance: Optimizing Your Maintenance Program".
Transfield
Sydney Morning Herald
New chief for Transfield's American arm
01/12/2009
Transfield Services Ltd has appointed Larry Ames as chief executive for its North America division, effective from January 4, 2010.Transfield said Mr Ames had more than 20 years of global experience in senior roles in various industries spanning a wide range of services, including engineering and construction, facilities management, security and logistics.
United Group Limited
Earth Times
UGL Unicco Launches Energy Services
01/11/2009
UGL Unicco, a subsidiary of UGL Limited, today announced a new Energy Services practice that consolidates and enhances its previous portfolio of energy management offerings. Headed by newly appointed Vice President, Energy Services Tony Shaker, UGL Unicco Energy Services helps customers manage energy supply and usage, as well as develop and implement long-term strategies to reduce consumption and costs while improving sustainability.
