my published article on sustainability
@gohm-F3UUpP
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Oct 17, 2024
Oct 17, 2024
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I wrote it for a newsletter for IFMA organization by their request addressing sustainability as it would relate to FMs/PEs in the future.
The Future of Sustainability: Linking Facilities and Technology
By John Netzel, CFM, PCRM
What will be key for the growth of the future of sustainability as relates to a facility? Most facility managers know what sustainability is and what can be done to create a sustainable facility, but what methods will be required in the future to keep a facility operating sustainably? Where is the field currently trending? The key for the future lies in the interconnection between technology linkages to the facility.
Sustainability can be summarized as, “Practices that would ensure the continued viability of a product or practice well into the future.” The most commonly used definition comes from the 1983 United Nations Brundtland Commission defining sustainability as, “That which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” As outlined by FMpedia, an online contributor-based facility management glossary sponsored by the IFMA Foundation. Facility managers are aware of best practices that can be implemented in an effort to further sustainability, such as using compact florescent bulbs or low Gallons Per Flush (GPF) toilet diaphragms.
Technological advances in products creates efficient, sustainably items. These improvements lend themselves to enable energy efficiency, adaptability to meet changing user needs, designs of a smaller, lighter and stronger nature and a virtual interface reducing consumable consumption like paper and ink. As individual components these products serve the needs of the client while increasing the sustainable impact of the facility. Waterless urinals, green roofs, solar and wind energy generation, recycling material, composting, sensor driven equipment and energy management systems all are examples of technology products being used in facilities today. Current developments are leading to machine room free elevator systems with regeneration, step to active escalators and ionized water cleaning.
The key for creating future growth in sustainability will be the linking of these technology products into an integrated web allowing for optimal efficiency within a facility. Having building systems tied in together will create a facility that is less dependant on outside resources. With a more complete cycle loop, systems will not require the levels of outside input for production, which will minimize the carbon footprint of the system and the facility as a whole. Linking green technology with localized renewable energy generation neutralizes the gaps in product/energy cycle loops that currently create carbon footprints detrimental to sustainability. Sustainability is increased and refined with each new link in the green web is created within the facility.
To illustrate, we can examine a building water system which typically is comprised of three main types: potable, waste and runoff. Incoming potable water is used for all forms of supply and all waste is removed, resulting in a large break in the sustainability web and a heavy usage of resources. Today’s technology used to capture runoff, combined with onsite treatment of grey water from low flow sinks, allows the water to be recycled providing water for low flow toilets, landscaping, boilers, chillers, laundry equipment and ionized water cleaning equipment. The linkages create a whole more sustainable driven then the parts. Another example would be incorporating a green or reflective roof with energy efficient building material and heat regulating media like new window products. These building systems increase the energy efficiency of a facility when tied with efficient HVAC systems- incorporating EMS, thermo-acoustic cooling and off-peak ice harvesting using grey water and renewable energy generation via solar panels or wind generators creating a web on links. Additionally, each facility can be linked to another by creating a sustainable web incorporating a larger area to increase effect. To illustrate; Building A has a grey water recovery and processing system and green roof composed of edible greens. This facility sells harvest of the green roof to Building B, which then markets the harvest to consumers and sells electricity from a solar generation roof back to Building A.
In the future, linking technology of product advancement within a building system will create an efficient, low carbon footprint system. As a linked web of individual systems, the facility exponentially increases the sustainability much greater than the individual components working alone. This will be necessary for advancement and growth of sustainability as it pertains to facility management.
The Future of Sustainability: Linking Facilities and Technology
By John Netzel, CFM, PCRM
What will be key for the growth of the future of sustainability as relates to a facility? Most facility managers know what sustainability is and what can be done to create a sustainable facility, but what methods will be required in the future to keep a facility operating sustainably? Where is the field currently trending? The key for the future lies in the interconnection between technology linkages to the facility.
Sustainability can be summarized as, “Practices that would ensure the continued viability of a product or practice well into the future.” The most commonly used definition comes from the 1983 United Nations Brundtland Commission defining sustainability as, “That which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” As outlined by FMpedia, an online contributor-based facility management glossary sponsored by the IFMA Foundation. Facility managers are aware of best practices that can be implemented in an effort to further sustainability, such as using compact florescent bulbs or low Gallons Per Flush (GPF) toilet diaphragms.
Technological advances in products creates efficient, sustainably items. These improvements lend themselves to enable energy efficiency, adaptability to meet changing user needs, designs of a smaller, lighter and stronger nature and a virtual interface reducing consumable consumption like paper and ink. As individual components these products serve the needs of the client while increasing the sustainable impact of the facility. Waterless urinals, green roofs, solar and wind energy generation, recycling material, composting, sensor driven equipment and energy management systems all are examples of technology products being used in facilities today. Current developments are leading to machine room free elevator systems with regeneration, step to active escalators and ionized water cleaning.
The key for creating future growth in sustainability will be the linking of these technology products into an integrated web allowing for optimal efficiency within a facility. Having building systems tied in together will create a facility that is less dependant on outside resources. With a more complete cycle loop, systems will not require the levels of outside input for production, which will minimize the carbon footprint of the system and the facility as a whole. Linking green technology with localized renewable energy generation neutralizes the gaps in product/energy cycle loops that currently create carbon footprints detrimental to sustainability. Sustainability is increased and refined with each new link in the green web is created within the facility.
To illustrate, we can examine a building water system which typically is comprised of three main types: potable, waste and runoff. Incoming potable water is used for all forms of supply and all waste is removed, resulting in a large break in the sustainability web and a heavy usage of resources. Today’s technology used to capture runoff, combined with onsite treatment of grey water from low flow sinks, allows the water to be recycled providing water for low flow toilets, landscaping, boilers, chillers, laundry equipment and ionized water cleaning equipment. The linkages create a whole more sustainable driven then the parts. Another example would be incorporating a green or reflective roof with energy efficient building material and heat regulating media like new window products. These building systems increase the energy efficiency of a facility when tied with efficient HVAC systems- incorporating EMS, thermo-acoustic cooling and off-peak ice harvesting using grey water and renewable energy generation via solar panels or wind generators creating a web on links. Additionally, each facility can be linked to another by creating a sustainable web incorporating a larger area to increase effect. To illustrate; Building A has a grey water recovery and processing system and green roof composed of edible greens. This facility sells harvest of the green roof to Building B, which then markets the harvest to consumers and sells electricity from a solar generation roof back to Building A.
In the future, linking technology of product advancement within a building system will create an efficient, low carbon footprint system. As a linked web of individual systems, the facility exponentially increases the sustainability much greater than the individual components working alone. This will be necessary for advancement and growth of sustainability as it pertains to facility management.
