HVAC/R

— By Jason Menser —   Knowing the right people in 24-hour facilities management helps improve the overall flow of business and maintenance concerns.     Building maintenance is a part of sound building management. It raises the property’s total value, boosts user experience and removes potential safety hazards. Routine and planned maintenance is beneficial and preferable, but not all maintenance problems happen at an ideal time. Therefore, a dedicated resource is vital to keep things running smoothly and mitigating risk. Around-the-clock maintenance facilities management improves the lifespan of the …

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— By Randolph Bush —   Thanks to commercial-grade air purifiers, smoke-free air entices customers to linger longer and order more from the menu.     For restaurants, too much accumulated indoor tobacco and food prep smoke and odor can become a serious problem that drives away customers and creates an unhealthy environment for employees. Even when smoking is designated to certain sections of a restaurant, the smoke can drift to common areas — creating an uncomfortable environment for all. Patrons who are sensitive to smoke or concerned about their …

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— By Jay Fiske — Optimizing facilities in the “new normal.”   Facilities managers responsible for dozens of restaurant or retail sites have always needed “multiple pairs of eyes” to ensure every location is operating optimally. Now, the need is more acute with staff shortages. When wait staff or store managers are working double duty to please every customer, it’s easy for them to forget about other tasks — from turning down the air conditioning to switching off the lights or sanitizing every surface. Those small details, over time, can …

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— By Ramez Naguib, P.E. — Mitigating COVID-19 spread in restaurants using CFD analysis.   The world is having an unprecedented time due to the pandemic. Currently, more than 93 million people have been infected, and over 2 million people have passed away since 2020. SARS-CoV-2 has forced people to change their lifestyles and patterns. Under the pandemic, buildings are no longer safe shelters. The infected transmit infectious viruses to other occupants by direct contact or indirect contact (i.e., indoor airflow).i COVID-19 outbreaks were associated with droplet transmission that was …

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New York City — On the heels of launching its first-ever Environmental, Social, Governance report, “Our Journey to Revolutionize Impact,” the Neiman Marcus Group is advancing its sustainability journey even further: installing two 500-ton water-cooled Trane® chillers at its iconic Bergdorf Goodman’s Women’s Store, located in the heart of New York City’s famed retail district. Implemented in partnership with Trane® by Trane Technologies, a global climate innovator, this environmentally-friendly makeover of the historic, 94-year-old building utilizes innovative, energy-efficient, decarbonizing technology — enabling the retailer’s elimination of natural gas use and electrification, transition to …

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— By Del Williams —   UVC light inactivates viruses and other airborne pathogens, improving indoor safety in commercial spaces.     With commercial facilities taking precautions against viruses as never before, an effective new tool in their arsenal is a new type of “germicidal” LED fixture. This specialized, enclosed LED fixture draws in air and irradiates it with ultraviolet light (UV), significantly improving indoor safety by providing continuous disinfection of airborne viruses as well as bacteria and germs. While traditional UV fixtures have been used for many years to …

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— By David Sansenbach — Protecting power quality is key to restaurant and retail revenue.   One of the most critical elements of running a successful restaurant or retail location is being fully operational whenever you are open to diners or shoppers. In order to do that, electrical equipment like a POS system, a WiFi modem, kitchen printers, security cameras, computing platforms and automation tools need to reliably operate exactly as expected. Given that this equipment is likely quite expensive to purchase (and to fix) and its timely and accurate …

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— By Linda Bommarito —   How to make UVC light work for you in retail or restaurant settings.     UVC light can be an excellent addition to your sanitizing protocols — it is quick, effective and chemical-free. UVC light has been studied and used successfully for sanitization for many decades, from water to air to surfaces. The science is sound, and the technology is widely accepted. UVC destroys or mutates the DNA/RNA of viruses, pathogens, bacteria and molds. As the COVID-19 pandemic has shown all of us, we …

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— By Bryan Campbell —   When developing on potentially contaminated property, you can protect your new building from VOCs with a vapor barrier.     Historically, the term “vapor intrusion” was discussed only in association with the most heavily contaminated properties. Now, with the emergence of new stricter guidelines, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and many state regulatory agencies identify vapor intrusion as a major driver on many sites, including those with little to no soil or groundwater contamination. In some cases, potential vapor intrusion is not …

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— By Chris Marasco — Improving IAQ to better protect your customers.   The COVID-19 pandemic has been a catalyst of disruption for more than a year. In 2020, the virus quickly shut down many restaurant locations while forcing retail businesses to enforce strict guidelines that instructed customers to wear masks and stand 6 feet apart. In many situations, consumers shifted toward online stores to make their purchases as opposed to gathering in person at a brick-and-mortar location. While the pandemic turned many lives upside down, one positive outcome was …

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