Sustainability
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Building performance standards set to proliferate, evolve in 2025
State and local governments continue to develop building standards that draw on existing frameworks and implement new metrics for measuring performance.
By Joe Burns • March 25, 2025 -
UAlbany decarbonization project to cut fossil fuel consumption 16%
With geothermal wells, heat recovery and chiller replacements, the university will be able to shut off its gas-fired boilers during the summer, it says.
By Joe Burns • March 24, 2025 -
Explore the Trendline➔
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TrendlineLeveraging energy efficiency to create asset value
By optimizing building and systems efficiency, facilities managers can move beyond saving money to become value creators.
By Facilities Dive staff -
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Routine HVAC cleaning can lower energy use and help meet ventilation standards, study says
Cleaning can be a cost-effective tool for increasing occupant comfort and health and building energy efficiency, researchers from two universities found.
By Joe Burns • March 20, 2025 -
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New York state offers $5M for existing building energy innovations
Providers that have already received federal, state, local or other incentive funds can receive up to $1 million to accelerate development of their energy efficiency solutions, the state energy research authority says.
By Joe Burns • March 17, 2025 -
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Madison, Wis., benchmarking program to phase in smaller buildings
Continuous benchmarking and system tune-ups can help owners and operators reduce annual energy use and provide cities with necessary information for setting performance targets, experts say.
By Joe Burns • March 14, 2025 -
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Occupancy-based controls found to cut energy use 22%
Implementing ceiling- and wall-mounted sensors connected to a building management system could pay for themselves in two years, a Schneider Electric paper says.
By Joe Burns • March 12, 2025 -
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Amazon to expand its use of in-house AI tools to conserve water, reduce energy use
The tools have helped identify underground water leaks, faulty energy meters and malfunctioning refrigeration equipment at its facilities, the company says.
By Brian Martucci • March 11, 2025 -
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May 4 is St. Louis’ first building performance compliance deadline
The city’s BEPS requires the top 65% of energy users for each building type to reduce energy use by the deadline. The standards get stricter over time.
By Joe Burns • March 11, 2025 -
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Gas appliances suffer setback in Washington state
A federal court ruling in Seattle will make it more expensive for builders who prefer to install or support natural gas appliances, critics say.
By David Weisenfeld • March 5, 2025 -
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Researchers take a new look at passive ways to cool buildings
A new type of liner can cool a room by more than 8 degrees, one study shows. Another shows that the old ways of creating cross ventilation still make sense today.
By Robert Freedman • March 3, 2025 -
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Sponsored by Mantis InnovationOptimizing facility energy solutions: HVAC and exhaust
Optimize HVAC and exhaust systems to cut energy costs, boost efficiency and enhance sustainability.
March 3, 2025 -
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ASHRAE offers chapters funding for energy efficiency, technical services
Building operators are encouraged to reach out to engineering firms and local chapters, which may be able to provide pro bono work in the community.
By Joe Burns • Feb. 28, 2025 -
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3 priorities for creating zero-carbon buildings: Energy Transitions Commission
Electrification, advanced HVAC systems and smart technologies hold the potential to drive reductions in commercial building energy use, the group says.
By Joe Burns • Feb. 25, 2025 -
Courtesy of LEED
Expect to take 10 months to get green certified under LEED v5
Facilities managers will need to be involved in certification planning because the focus will be on continuous monitoring, UL green building specialists say.
By Robert Freedman • Feb. 24, 2025 -
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Washington state grants $14.3M for public building retrofits
Twenty-six recipients will use the funds for energy-efficient improvements to schools, hospitals and other public buildings, the Washington State Department of Commerce says.
By Brian Martucci • Feb. 21, 2025 -
Retrieved from EVPassport on February 18, 2025
CBRE selects EVPassport to roll out 3,600 EV chargers
The agreement comes as the real estate firm seeks to meet demand for EV charging infrastructure.
By Joe Burns • Feb. 18, 2025 -
Courtesy of Schneider Electric
Schneider Electric unveils all-in-one HVAC room controller
The new device boasts AI-driven HVAC optimization capabilities that can help drive energy and emissions reductions and is compatible with most systems, the company says.
By Joe Burns • Feb. 11, 2025 -
Ameresco secures $140M energy savings project at the Denver Federal Center
The project is funded via the Inflation Reduction Act, however, which the Trump administration is working to rescind.
By Benton Graham • Feb. 11, 2025 -
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New York reintroduces bills seeking climate risk, emissions disclosures
Senate Bills 3456 and 3697, if approved, would mandate climate-related disclosures from large companies operating in the Empire State as early as 2027.
By Zoya Mirza • Feb. 6, 2025 -
Courtesy of Perch Energy
Community solar agreement aims to cut electricity costs, emissions across 31 Illinois fast food outlets
The Perch Energy subscriptions will give All Star Management’s Wendy’s and McDonald’s franchise locations a 10% discount on their electricity bills, the companies said.
By Brian Martucci • Feb. 4, 2025 -
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Senate confirms Liberty Energy CEO Chris Wright as DOE secretary
Immediate priorities include expanding energy production, including renewable energy, and cutting energy costs, Wright said during his Senate confirmation hearing.
By Ethan Howland • Feb. 4, 2025 -
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Boston expands net-zero emissions requirements to new buildings, large additions
The zoning change requires most new buildings to be net zero when they open. The city previously set similar performance standards for existing buildings.
By Joe Burns • Feb. 3, 2025 -
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2025 facilities management outlook
From AI and automation to data center cooling and more, advances in technology are key to the progression of building operations and management, facility managers say.
By Joe Burns • Jan. 31, 2025 -
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Deep DiveFM Technology Outlook: Will AI lead to efficiency gains in 2025?
Experts see promise in generative AI’s ability to guide facilities managers and other building operators as well as enable new use cases for existing technologies.
By Joe Burns • Updated Jan. 31, 2025 -
Retrieved from University of Central Florida on January 28, 2025
Degree Analytics to expand its higher ed facilities optimization platform
The company raised $5 million for development and adoption of its facilities optimization platform, which it says helps institutions harness real-time data insights.
By Joe Burns • Jan. 28, 2025
