Building Systems
Beating the heat in commercial buildings
With summer just around the corner, here are some tips for facilities managers to consider when preparing their commercial buildings to beat the heat.
Lab facility demos energy-saving ‘earth tubes’
Energy-saving 'earth tubes' were among the features expected to help earn UTSC's new Environmental Sciences and Chemistry building LEED Gold status.
A window into better building envelopes
The building envelope can truly make or break energy-efficiency efforts. Major systems improvements may help, but those savings could fly out the window.
Real estate reaps smart technology paybacks
Real estate owners/managers point to the efficiencies and savings that can come with real-time monitoring and operational responses, which also support asset value and competitiveness in the marketplace.
International Year of Light radiates potential
UNESCO has proclaimed 2015 the International Year of Light to shine a beacon on scientific achievements, reflect on possibilities and promote a spectrum of related economic and sustainable development objectives
How to start a preventive maintenance program
The question of how to start a preventive maintenance program is extremely common, and for good reason. With budgets tight and workers stretched thin, preventive
Maintaining the ROM’s dinosaurs and mummies
Maintaining a building like the Royal Ontario Museum is not easy. Facility managers must balance visitor needs with exhibition requirements.
Ensuring indoor air quality in existing buildings
Property managers must balance tenant satisfaction, building operations and sustainability trends when monitoring indoor air quality.
Preparing for hotel renovations
Hotel renovations are essential for staying competitive. But management must balance guest facing upgrades with non-guest facing improvements.
Investing in smart buildings for long-term gains
Combining smart building and smart occupancy to promote productivity and sustainability.
Optimizing HVAC controls
Optimized HVAC control strategies can help save energy and can identify problem areas within a building.
Five ways to reduce HVAC system costs
Through a combination of smart purchasing, maintenance programs and strategic planning, building managers ...
Ventilation for acceptable air quality
The most recent edition of ASHRAE standard 62.1 specifies 17 cubic feet per minute of fresh air per occupant as the minimum acceptable ventilation level ...
Reducing the risk of Legionella
Any water source in a building that can be aerosolized may be a Legionella risk, particularly where the water is dirty, remains still or is not exposed to a ...
Underfloor air distribution
Textile ducts are now being introduced inside underfloor air distribution systems to transfer and distribute the supply air to exact zones of the system.
Raise the roof
A roof that lasts longer is usually more sustainable since less waste is generated through the removal of an additional roof.
Recommissioning finds qualitative quick fixes
Recommissioning focuses on right-sizing a building’s mechanical and electrical systems and their operation for today’s conditions.
