Category Archives:News
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Pumps: The heart of a boiler system
BOMI International via FMLink – Pumps are designed to accomplish two tasks: overcome friction and move fluids by changing the pressure of a fluid or gas. Friction losses are head losses in the piping system. The magnitude of these losses is determined by the liquid being pumped, pipe size, type of pipe, flow rate, and [...]
The role of situational awareness in FM
IFMA’s FMJ magazine – The evolving security threats of the 21st century have presented new and urgent challenges in the field of FM. These new realities are what confront FMs working in every facility imaginable. Fortunately, situational awareness software solutions are empowering those in the field to address both routine issues and these new security [...]
Why updated bathrooms are important in the hotel business
eHotelier – One of the key factors that can greatly influence the customer experience and satisfaction in a hotel is how well-designed and functional the bathroom is. Bathrooms often come as a hindsight, but travelers expect this amenity to provide comfort and a better experience compared to what they have in their own homes. READ MORE
Hotels offer better, faster Wi-Fi
USA Today – Hotel guests have repeatedly complained about the state of Wi-Fi while traveling, and hotels are finally heeding the call for improvements. In addition to increasingly offering free Wi-Fi, especially to loyalty club members, hotel companies are requiring that their properties improve the quality of the signal they offer. The efforts are in [...]
Judge suspends rule expanding overtime for millions of workers
The New York Times – [...]
60 Minutes Features Expose on “Drive-By Lawsuits” and ADA Required Pool Lifts
60 Minutes via CBS News Thousands of lawsuits have been filed in the U.S. for violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, but many business owners say they’re nothing more than a shakedown. Script from “Drive-by Lawsuits,” which aired on Dec. 4, 2016. Anderson Cooper is the correspondent. Katherine Davis and Sam Hornblower, producers. READ MORE
NYC hotels to require bed bug inspections every 6 months under new City Council bill
New York Daily News Bed bugs would have a harder time feasting on guests at city hotels under a new bill set to be introduced in the City Council. The legislation, which will be introduced Nov. 29, would require hotels to have exterminators inspect all their rooms for the blood sucking creatures every six months. [...]
How a Trump presidency impacts labor relations in the hotel industry
Hotel Business Review via JD Supra Business Advisor President-elect Trump is unlikely to support continued federal labor and employment agency activism in wage and hour and other employment-related matters. What does this mean in the context of the hotel industry? Can hotel owners and franchisors expect immediate relief? In the wake of the 2016 presidential [...]
Microturbines becoming more common solution for power, heat, cooling generation
Green Lodging News – An airplane turbine in your hotel? Not quite but the microturbines now being installed in hotels around the globe are smaller versions of an airplane turbine. Microturbines are reliable cores of combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) systems, generate one-tenth the emissions of an internal combustion engine and are helping hotels [...]
Legally Speaking: Hotels Hold No Liability for Unforeseeable Injury
In a recent lawsuit, a meeting room at the Commerce Plaza Hotel in California was rented by several men as a “polling place for a presidential election.” The hotel did not inquire and so did not know anything more about the event. At the request of the renters, the hotel contracted with the security company [...]
9 Ways to Avoid Legionella
Implement a water management plan without ballooning your budget: Are you taking Legionnaires’ disease seriously enough? The summer 2015 outbreak in New York City that killed 12 people and sickened over 100 more underscores the danger to your building occupants (and your reputation) if Legionella risk isn’t managed carefully. Because Legionella is a building water [...]
Best Practices in HVAC System Maintenance to Optimize Efficiency
There have been tremendous advancements in the facilities management environment over the last several years. A fast growing phenomenon that is positively impacting facility managers (FMs) to better handle the systems is integration and interoperatibility. Thanks to growing IT convergence and rapid data transmission, it is now feasible to link a variety of processes and [...]
The Top 5 Markets for Hotel Development Right Now
Hotel development is expected to reach historic peaks over the next several years, but which are the markets most worthy of developer attention? HOTEL MANAGEMENT spoke with Patrick “J.P.” Ford, SVP and director of business development at Lodging Econometrics, to determine the top five markets where hotels should be looking to grow and why. 5. [...]
Doors and Door Hardware Can Be the Difference Between Life and Death in an Emergency
Facility managers may not spend a lot of time thinking about the topic, but properly installed and maintained doors and hardware could mean the difference between life and death in an emergency. When it comes to safety, regular maintenance is a non-negotiable. Moreover, when it comes to longevity, the old adage holds true that the [...]
Keys to Recruiting the Next Generation
By Kate Donnelly: The facilities management industry is approaching the edge of an imposing cliff. As its workforce ages and nears retirement, facilities management professionals are looking down a steep drop-off in fresh talent. JLL reported that facilities management professionals are on average older than the general working population, averaging 49 years compared to 43 years [...]
Are Your Hotel Amenities Attracting Uninvited Guests?
Lodging Engineer – In a world where social media and instantaneous online customer reviews, it only takes one pest sighting to negatively impact your hotel’s reputation. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs coupled with stringent sanitation and facility maintenance help prevent pest problems before they occur. READ MORE
Will hotel room keys and desk check-in soon be obsolete?
CIO - Starwood Hotels, a hotel chain with over 1,200 properties worldwide, is eliminating pain points for guests by offering digital room keys, mobile check-in and functionality through an Apple Watch app. It’s also allowing hotel managers to make pricing decisions based on a new analytics system. Read More
How the hotel industry benefits from energy storage
Hotels typically spend 30% to 50% of their utility bill on ‘Demand Charges.’ As battery storage technology improves and new players such as Telsa enter into the storage market, an increasing number of hotels are looking to reduce their peak demand charges by combining analytical software with today’s safe and more reliable batteries. GreenBiz via Green [...]
10 ways to prevent building-associated Legionnaires’ Disease
Facilities Engineering Journal - Managing risks to the safety and health of your guests is one of the most important aspects of your job as a hotel engineer or maintenance professional. Taking a preventive approach is key to minimizing the risk of infection from Legionnaire’s Disease. 10 proactive ways that can help you minimize the risk of [...]
Caring for Concrete – Tips for extending the life of your floor
Cleaning & Maintenance Management – A recent continuing education article by McGraw-Hill (2015) “Entrance Mats Keep It Clean,” found that studies indicate “as much as 80 percent of all the soil, dust, contaminants, and moisture entering a facility are tracked in on the shoes of building staff and guests. Sustained tracking of dry soils into the [...]