Guide serves as gold standard for pandemic preparedness

TORONTO — After fears of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) caused hysteria in her facility, Cheryl Gray, vice president of Bentall Capital, decided to create a manual to ensure preparedness if another pandemic ever surfaced, according to the Toronto Star.

After the SARS outbreak, Gray got in touch with members of the Building Owners and Managers Association of Canada (BOMA) and formed a group that met monthly for 18 months to prepare the 95-page document now used by building managers worldwide, the story stated.

The guide, which some describe as the gold standard of pandemic planning for commercial buildings in North America, looks at basic issues such as how to maintain contact with tenants and employees, preparing for the possibility of closure, travel policies, education and even rent defaults by tenants in the wake of a pandemic, the story noted.

According to the story, the guide argues that employers have a duty to form a pandemic preparedness plan because legislation requires them to maintain a safe and healthy workplace.

Gray said: "We tried to look at everything that could happen. If the cleaning company has a 40 percent absenteeism rate, how are you going to cope with cleaning the premises effectively? Another example might be that some people may not want to take public transit during an outbreak, so they drive in. How do you respond to the need for extra parking spaces? When I finished working on the first manual, I was hoping it would have some value one day. I just didn't think it would be this soon. People thought, well, that's interesting, but I guess it didn't have the kind of relevance and immediacy it has now."

Over the past year, the guide has been fine-tuned with more input from stakeholders including real estate experts, lawyers, insurance and medical experts and scientists, the story added.

To read the complete guide, click here.

The Radisson Los Angeles Airport Hotel receives GS-33 certification

LOS ANGELES — The Radisson Los Angeles Airport Hotel recently achieved Silver-level certification from Green Seal Inc. under the Environmental Standard for Lodging Properties (GS-33), according to a press release.

Green steps that the Radisson Los Angeles Airport Hotel has taken include: Minimizing waste and increasing recycling efforts; improving energy efficiency through lighting and equipment upgrades; conserving water with low-flow plumbing fixtures; and using environmentally friendly cleaning and laundry products, the release stated.

Cindy Boulton, general manager of the Radisson Los Angeles Airport Hotel, said: "It is an honor to be among the leaders in Los Angeles' hospitality industry making strides in environmental stewardship. We are thrilled to be associated with Green Seal and are very proud to have achieved the Silver certification. Our team understands the duty we have to protect and maintain the beautiful natural resources we've been blessed with, and we take our responsibility very seriously."

The Radisson Los Angeles Airport Hotel's green team oversees compliance with green initiatives by regularly inspecting each department and monitoring daily business operations, the release noted.

According to the release, an environmental purchasing policy ensures that environmental and life-cycle impacts are considered in making purchasing decisions for the hotel.

While management and staff are proud of their accomplishment, they say this is not the end and they will continue to strive to be more sustainable, the release added.

Click here to read the complete release.

Fullmer Construction now has the world's largest LEED-certified distribution facility

VICTORVILLE, CA — The 1,000,000-square-foot Fullmer Construction speculative industrial distribution facility recently received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification at the Gold level, according to a press release.

The certification makes the facility the world's largest LEED-certified industrial facility and the first LEED-certified project of any kind in Southern California's High Desert region, the release stated.

Jim Fullmer, chief financial officer (CFO) for Fullmer Construction, said: "We are very proud of the LEED Gold-certification for Global Access Lot 1. It's a significant accomplishment and validates all the hard work everyone put into the project. We couldn't be more pleased about the project, the reduced emissions and bottom line savings for our clients and their clients."

The new facility will consume roughly 49 percent less energy than a comparable non-LEED facility, netting about $250,000 a year in energy cost savings, the release noted.

Some of the building's sustainable features include: Reduced-flow, electronic valve restroom fixtures; drought-tolerant landscaping to help the facility curb indoor water waste by about 40 percent and outdoor water waste by over 70 percent; maximization of natural daylight; and energy-efficient lighting, the release added.

Click here to read the complete release.

Custodian fired for making comments on Facebook

PEMBERTON, NJ — A Howard L. Emmons Elementary School custodian was fired for making comments on the social networking website Facebook, according to the Burlington County Times.

Roy Torrez, Jr. was let go after a unanimous vote from the Pemberton Township Schools Board of Education following comments on his personal Facebook page criticizing Pemberton Township's handling of apparent cases of the H1N1 influenza A (swine flu) virus among school faculty members, the story stated.

On October 26, one of his posts read: "Two confirmed cases of faculty members in the school having H1N1 and coming to work anyway? Real (expletive) smart, people. And the administration isn't gonna tell parents about it! Real educated (expletive) here. Already shaping up to be a good week."

An October 28 post read: "Let's hold a huge event here at the school and possibly spread more infection instead of doing the smart thing and canceling it for the greater good and health of the community. Then again, that would just make too much sense."

Torrez said his custodial keys and his identification were confiscated on November 10 and that he was told to stay home pending the school board's hearing, the story noted.

Torrez said: "I didn't feel like I did anything wrong. I feel like it's a lack of due process. I don't know why the school was looking at my Facebook page anyway. I never received a warning."

Torrez told recently that the reason he was fired is because he was posting comments during work hours by using his cellular telephone, the story added.

Click here to read the complete article.

Window washer survives eight-story fall

SEATTLE — A window washer with Morris Hansen Enterprises Inc. survived an eight-story fall from the Broadacres Building with only minor injuries, according to the Seattle Times.

Eduardo L. Castillo, whose most severe injury was a broken finger, fell from the eighth story and was slowed down by his rope when he reached the second-floor level, the story stated.

According to the story, Castillo's rope "softened" the impact of his fall into an alleyway between First and Second avenues.

Castillo attended one of Morris Hansen Enterprises' bi-weekly safety-training meetings the morning of his fall as they are required by government safety inspectors, the story noted.

The reason for Castillo's fall is being investigated, and though it was windy on the morning of the incident, it does not appear that weather was a factor in the fall, the story added.

According to the article, Morris Hansen Enterprises has been cited twice this year for safety violations related to fall prevention and penalties totaling $700 were assessed.

Click here to read the complete article.

FEA and the IFMA Foundation release second in Sustainability 'How-To Guide' Series

FAIRFAX, VA — Facility Engineering Associates (FEA), in partnership with the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) Foundation, recently announced the release of the second guide in the Sustainability "How-to Guide" Series: The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Energy Star Portfolio Manager, according to a press release.

Written by Maureen Roskoski, Laurie Gilmer, and Greg Hughel, all from FEA, the EPA's Energy Star Portfolio Manager was created to help facility professionals better understand how to maintain a successful energy management program, the release stated.

The guide highlights essential terms and explains monthly and annual energy consumption within buildings and how this consumption can change over time, the release noted.

Eric Teicholz, executive editor of the Sustainability "How-to Guide" Series, said: "We are very happy with the response received to the first Getting Started guide and look forward to an even greater response to this guide because of the traction received as a result of the initial guide."

To obtain your own copy of the EPA's Energy Star Portfolio Manager guide, visit FEA's website at www.feapc.com, the release added.

Rubbermaid receives the 2009 ISSA Best in Customer Service Award

WINCHESTER, VA — Rubbermaid Commercial Products LLC recently announced their being awarded the 2009 ISSA Best in Customer Service Award, which was presented at the 2009 ISSA/INTERCLEAN^® North America Trade Show in Chicago October 6-9, according to a press release.

The ISSA Best in Customer Service Award is presented annually to the exhibitor that exceeds expectations by providing the best one-on-one interaction, innovative product demonstrations and overall customer service experience during the show, the release stated.

Distributors, building service contractors and in-house service providers attending this year's trade show cast their ballots in favor of Rubbermaid Commercial Products in the supplies category of booths 400 square feet or larger, the release noted.

Larry McIsaac, global president of Rubbermaid Commercial Products, said: "This customer service award is a tremendous accomplishment given the quality of competition and individuals participating in the selection process. The award demonstrates the involvement and attention to detail Rubbermaid strives for with its customers in all aspects of our business."

Attendees at the 2009 ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America Trade Show saw the unveiling of a number of products from Rubbermaid Commercial Products and Technical Concepts, the release added.