The Internet of Things has revolutionized the way that we think of connectivity. In the past, the internet was a way for people to communicate -- now, virtually anything can, with minimal human interaction. Internet connectivity has allowed facility managers to automate more tasks than they would have thought possible just a decade ago, but at what cost? Today's hacker is savvy and knows how to find tiny vulnerabilities to exploit. All around the world, major utilities, businesses, and government entities alike have been experiencing cyberattacks. How can facility managers keep their businesses from being the next on the list?

The Colonial Pipeline Hack

On May 7th, 2021, an oil pipeline system suffered from a ransomware attack. This is a specific type of cyberattack that holds a company's data hostage until a ransom is paid. In Colonial's case, their billing system was compromised and the entire operation had to shut down until the problem could be dealt with. Later that month, on May 14th, the Health Service Executive of Ireland suffered an attack. All of its systems needed to be shut down, impacting hospitals, clinics, and patients nationwide.

Experts identified evidence of a well-known penetration testing tool in the HSE's systems, which had been used to secretly install and run the software responsible for the attack. In early 2020, Michigan schools fell prey to a ransomware attack that gained access through the HVAC system. This led to the closure of three schools as the district scrambled to rectify the situation. If a system is vulnerable, hackers will find a way into it.

Recognizing Vulnerable Systems

It can be hard to picture which systems in a facility might be potential openings for a hacker, but it's really fairly simple: If it can connect to the internet, it's vulnerable. If it connects to something that can connect to the internet, it's vulnerable. If it's operated by someone with access to the company's data, it's vulnerable. In the HSE's case, the attack was performed using a cybersecurity tool: A penetration test. This is a kind of purposeful hacking that's designed to test a system's vulnerability, identify weaknesses, and collect data for a risk assessment. This testing technology fell into the wrong hands, allowing it to be used by hackers to exploit vulnerabilities in the HSE's systems.

For facility managers, building management systems can be a major weakness. Vendors and offsite staff often have to use these for various purposes, so it's important for managers to have strict security protocols in place. Some facilities even have physical network access in several areas, which any stranger can walk up and take advantage of. Employees can be a vulnerability, themselves. Most hackers don't even have to bother with sophisticated software -- all they have to do is contact a random, unsuspecting employee, then ask the right questions to trick them into giving up account numbers, passwords, and more.

How to Protect Your Facility

If this sounds daunting, don't worry. While the convenience of connectivity has saved a lot of money, time, and labor, the tradeoff is the need for strong cybersecurity. There are several steps that facility owners and managers can take to protect their data and keep hackers at bay:

Thoroughly school employees.

Make sure workers know not to give their usernames, passwords, or other account information out for any purpose. Perform regular tests by staging phishing emails or phone calls, and make sure that any employee that falls for them gets a refresher course on cybersecurity.

Find physical access points, and remove them.

A facility can have physical access points in areas accessible to guests, and the owner or manager might not even know they exist. Perform a thorough physical inspection of the building (or buildings) to spot DSL or ethernet hookups, and have them removed or secured promptly.

Protect networks.

It probably sounds like common sense to password protect and encrypt facility networks, but protecting them goes a bit deeper. Are there any filters in place to keep employees from accessing dodgy websites? If not, they may inadvertently download malware, rendering all of those other protective measures moot.

Run penetration tests.

The tools used to hack the HSE are usually used for good. Facility managers can take advantage of them to get risk assessment data that will help them harden their systems against hacking. IT experts can assess vulnerabilities in new systems before purchase, so managers can make educated decisions on which option best fits into the facility's security ecosystem.

Know how to get everything secured quickly.

It's important to understand that no system is immune to hacking. If it connects to the internet or anything internet-enabled, it's vulnerable. While preventing a breach is always best, facility managers should work with building controls companies that can lock everything down shortly after an attack in order to minimize the damage. Good cybersecurity isn't a one-and-done, it's an evolving strategy to deal with an evolving threat. With these steps, facility managers can help keep their data safe.

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Recently, a condominium in Florida collapsed. This tragedy was as shocking as it was preventable -- there were plenty of signs that all wasn't right with the building and surrounding property. A 2020 study found that the land beneath the condo was sinking, contributing to its instability. Engineers examining the rubble found that the building contained less steel reinforcement than its design plans indicated. Florida's building inspectors were only required to conduct a visual inspection. On its own, this may not have indicated that the foundation and walls were structurally compromised. Without thorough assessments of a facility's condition and remediation of any structural problems, damage can pile up until it leads to a totally preventable disaster. Here's what facility managers need to know about Facility Condition Assessments:

What is a Facility Condition Assessment (FCA)?

An FCA is a professional inspection and assessment of the condition of a facility. It's a tool that managers have to stay on top of a building's condition, to help them maintain their assets and prioritize the allocation of resources. This helps them plan out how to invest time, money, and manpower in their facilities. During an FCA, specialists will conduct a property inspection. They'll look for routine maintenance, systemic problems, the condition of major building systems, replacement needs, and overall compliance with the building's original engineering intent. They may use x-rays, sonar, or other technology to get information about a structure. This tells owners and managers how much useful life is left in various building systems, points out any compliance or building code issues, and indicates what needs to be prioritized to keep everything in working order. This helps them make informed decisions about how to take care of their assets.

How often should they be done?

According to a panel of facility managers and consultants, the majority felt that an FCA should be conducted every five years, with every three years as a close second. Information from a thorough FCA can last for a long time. There are computer modeling and simulation techniques available that can use this information to determine when certain assets will need maintenance, repairs, or replacements. It's then possible to have various assets physically inspected on an annual basis when they reach the end of their useful life. It's not necessary for a facility manager to wait five years for an FCA. If a building shows signs of damage, it's important to get on top of it as soon as possible, not wait. Some serious signs include:

• Cracks or bulging areas appearing in walls, masonry, or foundations.
• Patches of rust-colored dust, a sign of dry rot fungus.
• Areas of flooring that are suddenly uneven.
• Soil pulling away from walls or foundations.
• Sagging roofs.

These all indicate structural damage. It's important to have an inspection and develop a repair or rebuilding timeline as soon as possible, before a collapse.

Who is qualified to assess a facility?

An assessment should be performed by a team of qualified consultants. This should, at minimum, consist of a structural engineer, electrical engineer, mechanical engineer, cost estimator, and one or more architects. In certain circumstances, it may also be necessary to include an environmental expert, security consultant, civil engineer, or another specialist

How can you prepare for one?

The most important part of an FCA is making sure that the consulting team is made up of knowledgeable and experienced experts. This isn't the place to try to cut corners -- minor deficiencies that get missed can turn into enormous problems further down the line. Be prepared to pay between $0.10-$1.00 per square foot of the facility. While the consulting team will conduct the actual inspection and assessment, it's up to facility managers to make sure that they are able to access all of the areas that they need to inspect. Bear in mind that, in addition to high-tech imaging and testing tools, the team may need to perform what's considered "destructive testing." This entails opening up areas to inspect their component materials, like roofs and siding.

What should you do afterward?

After the inspection, it's time to look at the report. This is essentially a guideline for maintaining the facility over time, scheduling necessary maintenance tasks, and deciding where to allocate resources. It's up to the facility's owners and managers to act on the items indicated in the report. It may be tempting to put off expensive remediation or asset replacement and wait for the next FCA, but this is a mistake. Time and weather won't wait, and buildings will continue to degrade unless the necessary repairs are made. Facility Condition Assessments are there to help owners and managers. Expert consulting teams can go in and pick up on major and minor building defects, develop a timeline for maintenance and replacement, and help a facility's decision-makers make the best choices available to them. With a good consulting team and the desire to act on their advice, facility managers can keep their assets in shape.

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Humidity can be a blessing and a curse. There are very fine lines between "skin-witheringly dry," "comfortable and hygienic," and "swampy mold haven." Summer weather can make maintaining proper humidity levels even more challenging -- air conditioning tends to remove humidity, while summer storms return it in spades. If you're dealing with humidity challenges right now, here are five tips for keeping things in a safe, comfortable, and healthy range:

1. Avoid dipping below the right temperature threshold.

This happens when temperatures get a little cooler than intended. Also called "sub-cooling," it can happen because there isn't enough airflow to circulate warm and cool air, insufficient heating, or a simple miscalculation in how quickly a building regains heat. When temperatures dip too low, it creates serious moisture problems. Picture an empty glass on a hot summer's day. The temperature is the same inside and outside of the glass. Now fill that glass with ice water. The temperature inside is much lower than outside, and condensation begins forming on the outside of the glass. In a building, condensation can saturate building materials, fabric, and wallpaper, creating an ideal environment for mold to grow.

2. Modulate air conditioning as needed.

Here's where things can get a little tricky. Inside of a building, humidity problems are very likely when air conditioning isn't running at max capacity. The reason for this is simpler than it seems: When the air conditioner isn't running, the compressors aren't working. When the compressors aren't working, the unit isn't removing humidity from the air. This is a challenge because buildings are generally outfitted with HVAC units of an appropriate size -- meaning that their air conditioners are designed to handle peak cooling needs. That's great when the temperature soars, but not as good when full-blast cooling isn't needed.

When the air conditioner doesn't need to run constantly, it automatically cycles the compressors in a way that prevents excessive wear and tear. Unfortunately, this doesn't do much to decrease humidity. One solution for this is a digital scroll compressor. This can help save energy and allows for incremental modulating of the air conditioner's load. Even if the unit is only experiencing 10% of its peak demand, a digital scroll compressor can keep things running smoothly.

3. Remove humidity at the source.

There is more than one potential source of humidity. Modulating air conditioning capacity can certainly help handle environmental humidity, but there are other sources that need different solutions. Activities that require large volumes of water, like washing, cooking, or certain industrial processes, will add moisture to the air. Slow leaks from pipes and standing water in clogged drains will, too. If high humidity is a consistent problem, it's worth looking at building activities that might be contributing factors. When this is the case, it's best to remove humidity where it originates.

Strong ventilation fans can help shunt it outside, decreasing moisture levels indoors. Tracking down and repairing pipe leaks is a big help, too. Unclogging clogged drains won't just reduce moisture levels in the air, it will also remove a potential breeding ground for mosquitoes, fungus gnats, and springtails.

4. Seal up the building envelope.

A building envelope is its walls, windows, doors, foundation, and roof -- all of the things that serve as barriers between the interior and the outside world. Ensuring that windows and doorways are properly sealed can keep rainwater from infiltrating. Adding high-quality insulation will reduce heat transfer, limiting moisture buildup. In buildings with suspended timber floors, it's not uncommon for damp ground to increase indoor humidity levels. This can be prevented with adequate ventilation and a good vapor barrier.

5. Improve airflow within buildings.

If you've ever walked into a dank, closed-off basement, you know how still air and humidity can lead to mildew. This is a particularly problematic situation right now, with so many facilities coming back online after shuttering due to COVID-19. Areas that were sealed off are seeing use again, and humidity problems that went unnoticed are becoming apparent. The easiest way to keep areas from becoming damp and mildewed is to ensure that they have adequate airflow. Ventilating air to the outdoors can help, but it's also important to make sure that there's sufficient ventilation between rooms. This is particularly important for rooms that don't have windows or other access to the outdoors.

Ensure that these rooms have ventilation fans connected to air ducts, or, if that isn't possible, install in-door air registers. Humidity can come from many sources, including building activities, the weather, and even the ground. The first step to correct any moisture problem is to identify its origin. At that point, you can work to correct it. By adjusting your air conditioning, removing moisture at its source, protecting the interior from external humidity, and improving ventilation from room to room, you can ensure that your facility doesn't experience humidity issues.

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Summers are getting longer and warmer, and that means that summer storms are increasing in severity. More and more areas are in danger of experiencing these storms, especially now. June marks the start of hurricane season, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predict that this will be an above-average hurricane year. That means that it's high time for facility managers to make sure that their buildings, tenants, and employees are protected. Unfortunately, the past few years have hit everyone very hard.

With business closures, supply chain disruptions, and the rapid re-configuring of facilities to handle the impact of COVID-19, most managers simply haven't had the time or resources to prepare for other emergencies. Unless they get started, this could put them dangerously behind when hurricanes strike.

Most people know that, when a hurricane's about to hit, it's important to protect windows and prepare for disruptions in electrical and sanitation service. There are a number of other challenges that often get overlooked:

1. Prepare for pest control.

Summer is already miserable when it comes to mosquitoes. In the aftermath of a hurricane, when there's lots of humidity and standing water around, biting insects can breed like there's no tomorrow. Facility managers should have mosquito repellent and prevention measures available. EPA-approved products containing Bacillus thuringiensis spores and toxins are a very useful way to help keep insect populations down. These products are specific to mosquitoes, fungus gnats, and blackflies, so they're safe for pollinators and vertebrate animals. They're also easy to use. Best of all, they control mosquitoes during their larval stage, before they can begin biting. Facility managers should also have the proper protective equipment for storm cleanup. Employees who are out removing downed tree limbs, unclogging gutters, and handling other post-hurricane tasks are at risk of insect bites. Provide suitable repellents and protective gear. Don't forget to promptly drain areas of standing water to cut down on mosquito breeding spots.

2. Get ready for mold remediation.

Standing water and humidity are an ideal environment for mold growth. Mold remediation is complex and expensive, so prevention is a facility manager's best bet. The key to controlling mold is to deprive it of moisture, so make sure that any flooded areas are drained and dried as quickly as possible. If any materials (like paper, fabric, ceiling tiles, or cardboard) get and stay wet for more than a day or two, they should be disposed of. Facility managers should have respirators, gloves (latex, nitrile, neoprene, PVC, or polyurethane), and goggles available to supply to employees engaging in mold cleanup. If there's reason to suspect that the HVAC system may be contaminated with mold, keep it turned off. Have water pumps, wet vacs, and ventilation fans available to help dry out flooded areas.

3. Stock up on extra inventory (including PPE and disinfectants).

Just because COVID-19 is on the decline doesn't mean the threat is completely gone. Hurricanes can also disrupt supply lines, so it's wise to plan for shortages. Since so many businesses have been closed or running at a reduced capacity, chances are they aren't set up to weather a hurricane. It's time to review inventory, make sure there are enough extra supplies to handle a few delayed shipments and be sure to include protective gear, masks, and disinfectant. Check with the Centers for Disease Control and Federal Emergency Management Agency for additional advice.

4. Catch up on deferred maintenance.

With the looming specter of COVID, chances are that a lot of facilities have had to defer important maintenance tasks. If this is the case, now's the time to play catch-up. Hurricanes put a lot of extra strain on already-taxed employees, so try to get on top of the things that have gone by the wayside. Take a look at deferred maintenance checklists, and try to take care of as much as possible.

5. Plan for debris.

Hurricanes mean powerful winds and torrential rain, which creates a mess. In addition to the pest control measures outlined above, be ready to handle debris. If possible, trim trees and prune landscaping to reduce the possibility of downed limbs. If there are any structures on the property slated for a tear-down, now is the time to dismantle and dispose of them. All of these things contribute to storm debris, but they're also potential projectiles during a hurricane.

6. Double-check chemical storage.

Hurricanes often mean flooding, and flooding means leaching. Anything that flood water comes in contact with can end up contaminating groundwater. If a facility stores chemicals, hazardous waste, or even compost, these are all potential avenues of contamination. Make sure that storage areas for chemicals or hazardous material meet regulatory requirements. Hurricane season is already a stressful and difficult time. With the added complication of the pandemic, it's doubly so. By planning ahead for mosquitoes, mold, debris, supply shortages, neglected maintenance tasks, and potential chemical leaks, facility managers can help keep their properties and occupants safe and healthy.

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The pandemic has permanently changed the ways many of us live our lives. Even with the vaccines against SARS-CoV-2, it's become second nature to adopt behaviors that help reduce the spread of respiratory illness. These changes are reflected in the way we do business -- the novel coronavirus pandemic has made office spaces look and operate in a dramatically different fashion from the way they did just a few years ago.

Questioning the purpose of the modern office.

One of the biggest questions driving the trend in changing office spaces is deceptively simple: What is an office for? For the past thirty years, offices have been undergoing a quiet design revolution. People lost walls and doors to open floorplans, which were ostensibly intended to foster cooperation and creativity.

When the pandemic hit, we realized that the open floorplan was a little too good at facilitating something else: the transmission of a respiratory virus. People began to work from home as much as possible, and the lion's share of employers actually saw productivity increase. As it turns out, workers are able to get more done outside of the office than in it. This fact alone is the driving force behind many of the changes seen in today's office environments.

Changing the way we breathe.

One of the biggest changes the pandemic has brought is a re-imagining of what a healthy building looks, feels, and acts like. For years, the drive toward sustainability has pushed architects and building owners alike to seal doors and windows up as much as possible, maximizing energy efficiency. Now, we've come to realize that there has to be a very careful balance between energy efficiency and fresh air -- while it might not be very efficient to have to bring in, heat, and cool a lot of outdoor air, it's also vitally important for diluting airborne pathogens.

The same office plans that maximized HVAC efficiency ended up being an almost ideal environment for people to pick up viruses. This realization has changed the way people think of ventilation, and the way office buildings are being designed and renovated. More of them are including outdoor spaces whenever feasible, like indoor-outdoor mixed-use rooms, outdoor dining spaces, and even outdoor conference rooms.

Using touchless, durable materials.

Frequent sanitization wreaked havoc on a lot of conventional building materials. Surfaces that stood up to frequent touching didn't fare nearly as well when they had to be constantly scrubbed down with disinfectants, and the wear and tear shows. Newer designs are incorporating more durable materials into their construction, with an eye to easy deep-cleaning. Office buildings are also going touchless everywhere they can, from automatic door sensors to motion-sensing sinks, to voice-activated elevators.

Expanding the use of dining areas.

When employers realized that their employees were getting more work done from home, they realized something else, too -- telework can actually be cheaper and more sustainable. After the initial financing for new technology and teleworking software, businesses have found themselves spending less to heat, cool, and power offices that people aren't occupying. Many have chosen to continue to telework indefinitely, adopting a hybrid approach that allows employees to work from home, and hold meetings and presentations at the office.

With this in mind, some companies are downsizing their office space and reimagining their cafeterias. Dining areas are becoming a place where employees can work together, bond, get a change of scenery, and work in a way that suits their collaboration style. Most cafeterias have tables and chairs that are easily rearranged, and some have even been expanded to indoor/outdoor areas that let employees work in sunny, landscaped areas.

Making the office desirable.

There's one last big consideration that business owners have to deal with in a post-pandemic world. If their employees are getting more work done at home, and telework is going to continue -- what's going to attract them back to the office? Employees have new expectations about their work environment. That means that employers have to do more to meet these expectations.

Some are re-designing workspaces to more closely resemble coffee shops or libraries -- quiet, comfortable places where people can have some privacy, but still work collaboratively. Some have reimagined office furniture to include plush couches and chairs, mimicking the comforts people have been enjoying at home. Others are incorporating more biophilic elements into their buildings, increasing their attractiveness with plants and natural materials. The goal here is a space that's comfortable, fosters productivity, and suits employees with a range of working and collaborating styles.

The pandemic has taught us a lot about how our modern office spaces do and don't meet our needs. New offices will have to entice employees with the comforts of home, balance sustainability with good ventilation and flexible indoor/outdoor spaces, and understand where incorporate easy-to-sanitize materials and touchless fixtures. With these things in mind, employers can turn their vacant offices into thriving centers of innovation and collaboration.

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The construction industry has had a tough line to walk over the past year. Not only did building trends shift their focus to improving and protecting occupant health, but they also continued to make progress toward greater sustainability, even when those goals were at odds with each other. Now, as more people get used to living in a post-COVID world and the imminent danger of the pandemic subsides, architecture is turning more of its attention back to green building. This has resulted in several emerging trends for 2021, including:

1. The rise of green materials.

Green materials have existed for some time. Some of them, like wood, are traditional. Others, like volatile organic compound(VOC)-free paint, have been available for years as a specialty product. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification promotes the idea of using fewer resources. One of the ways that the construction industry can do so is by using LEED-certified construction equipment and materials. Some new VOC-free paints actually include compounds that can remove additional VOCs from the environment, improving building health. So far, 2021 is seeing an uptick in the use of these sustainable building materials.

2. An upcycling revival.

Back when shabby chic was an interior design trend, "upcycling" became chic. This is the idea of taking an old object and giving it a new purpose -- garden gates became wall decor, and rain boots became planters. Now, the damage done to supply chains by the pandemic is sparking a new interest in DIY. While largely confined to home remodeling, DIY trends and aesthetics are likely to spill over into the construction industry, including the use of repurposed building materials.

3. New ideas in stormwater management.

Building trends have been pushing for water efficiency for a while now. Interior plumbing fixtures come in high-efficiency and low-flow varieties, and some toilet models even re-use hand washing water to fill their tanks. However, one area of water management has consistently been overlooked: stormwater. Stormwater is, as its name implies, water from precipitation. Some projects are expanding the use of rainwater-catching basins for landscape irrigation. Others are incorporating porous pavement and other materials that reduce flooding. One interesting landscaping trend involves rain gardens -- a method of using layers of plants, sand, gravel, and other natural filter media to treat stormwater without chemicals. This helps remove some of the paint, pesticide, moldicides, bird feces, soot, and other pollutants that rainwater can pick up as it runs off of roofs, pavement, and automobiles before the stormwater returns to the environment.

4. A shift toward greener construction equipment.

It's easy to focus entirely on the buildings themselves when it comes to creating more sustainable construction, but the building process is also a source of pollution, noise, and dirt. Large construction equipment needs a lot of power, and that power traditionally comes from diesel-fueled generators. Unfortunately, this machinery dumps nitrogen oxides and particulates into the air, drastically lowering air quality in nearby areas. Now, however, there's an alternative: lithium-ion batteries. Powering construction equipment with electricity instead of diesel has the potential to drop machinery-related carbon emissions by as much as 80% -- from 140 tons per year to just 25.

5. "Living" building materials.

Fungi have gotten a lot of attention lately. Not quite plants and definitely not animals, they've been a source of food and medicine for ages. Now, experts think they may also form the basis for the next generation of building materials. While most of us think of mushrooms when we picture fungi, the mushroom is just a very small, specialized reproductive organ. The bulk of a fungus is its mycelium, a cottony, weblike substance that grows through the fungus' substrate. Mycelium is lightweight and completely biodegradable, but remarkably durable, mold, water, and fire-resistant. One experimental project from 2014 combined crop waste with a mycelium binder to form bricks. The project team used these bricks to construct a 13-meter tower. While this project wasn't intended to build a functioning building, the idea of using fungi as a building material continues to receive more attention.

6. Green energy generation.

Rather than rely on the traditional power grid, more building projects are incorporating renewable energy from the get-go. Architects are looking for ways to either use or create solar, wind, or hydropower, as well as tightening up building energy efficiency overall. Part of the problem with some renewables is their inability to meet the total energy needs of a building, forcing that building to tap into the grid to make up the difference. With energy-efficient construction, coupled with the means for a building to generate its own electricity, the need for extra power from the grid decreases. Some buildings can even pipe their extra electricity back into the power grid, earning income for their owners. Occupant health and sustainability can go hand-in-hand. Many new, green building materials and construction trends reduce environmental pollution both indoors and out, creating sustainable buildings with healthier occupants. With green materials, LEED certification, green energy, battery-powered construction equipment, and better stormwater management, 2021 is shaping up to be a big year for sustainability in architecture.

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In-person events might be a no-go for many people, but that doesn't mean that you need to miss out on 2021's best facility management conferences. From socially distant expos to virtual conferences, here are the events that you won't want to miss:

1. International Facility Management Association's Facility Fusion

April 21-22, 2021 | Online
This year's IFMA's Facility Fusion event is completely online. Attendees can take advantage of the education sessions and technology and product expo from anywhere in the world, and access on-demand content all the way to May 21. It also offers the opportunity for live networking with other facility managers from around the world, all in a safe, convenient, socially distant online platform.

2. International Facility Management Association World Workplace

Dates to be announced | Online
The IFMA World Workplace, held in a different city each year, is one of the world's biggest and most anticipated conferences. In addition to keynote speakers, roundtable discussions, and an expo, attendees can receive continuing education units and recertification activity credits. This year's expo covers everything from acoustics to security, to health and safety, to furniture. Even though the pandemic has pushed a lot of conferences to change dates, limit attendees, or cancel entirely, it hasn't stopped the IFMA. In 2020, the IFMA World Workplace went entirely virtual, so it should progress as planned in 2021. Dates are yet to be confirmed.

3. National Facilities Management and Technologies Conference and Expo

March 23-25, 2021 (Cancelled) | Baltimore, MD
One of the most-anticipated facilities management events in the northeastern US, the NFMT Conference and Expo, boasts education sessions and a sizeable expo hall packed with the latest technologies and products. Last year, it was sadly rescheduled and eventually canceled. It came back this year, tentatively scheduled for March 23-25. Unfortunately, as the pandemic continues to pose challenges for large-scale in-person events, the Conference and Expo have been pushed back to March 28, 2022.

4. Northeast Buildings and Facility Management Trade Show and Conference

June 22-23, 2021 |Worcester, MA
The 15th annual NEBFM Trade Show and Conference is on, featuring 200 exhibitors, loads of products and services, and a series of one-hour education sessions. Attendees can attend the show, scope out the latest new technologies, then visit the concurrent educational conference. The conference has a full 24 hours of one-hour talks covering topics from LEED certification and sustainability, to facility maintenance, to construction and renovation planning. It's free to attend for all qualified professionals, and continuing education units are available for all of the event's conference talks.

5. Mid-Atlantic Buildings and Facilities Management Trade Show and Conference

August 11, 2021 | Edison, NJ
Unable to attend the NEBFM Trade Show and Conference? No worries -- the MABFM Trade Show and Conference has you covered. Located in Edison, NJ, it's still very reachable for facility managers in the northeast, and it still has all of the advantages of the NEBFM show -- including lots of one-hour talks covering the same topics as the NEBFM conference, and continuing education units. See the latest products and technology on the market, make lasting connections with other industry professionals, and learn from the top minds in the field. Visit the website for more details and to register to attend.

6. CONNEX2021

July 6-8, 2021 | National Harbor, MD
This year's CONNEX conference offers multiple education tracks at three different levels -- Fundamentals, Beyond Basics, and Executive Edge. Attendees can customize their conference experience by choosing their specialization and level to get the most out of the 30 different education sessions presented. The conference also boasts a large expo floor with lots of exhibitors. CONNEX is committed to monitoring the evolving COVID-19 situation, so the conference details are subject to change. Visit their website to keep up to date on any alterations to dates, location, exhibitors, or other details.

7. ProcureCon

February 23-25, 2021 | Online ProcureCon is a peer-led procurement conference, designed to arm facility managers with the skills to reduce costs and save money. It offers 20 hours of roundtable groups, discussions, and both structured and unstructured networking activities each day, and the opportunity to see what game-changing new technologies and products are out there. The 2020 pandemic demonstrated just how crucial it is to have a robust and flexible supply chain, and ProcureCon is tailor-made for anyone involved in purchasing, sourcing, or supply chain. This year's ProcureCon events will be entirely online. Visit their website for their event schedule, sponsors, and other details. Conferences and expos give facility managers the ability to scope out new technology, network, learn what is and isn't working for other facility professionals, and get continuing education units. You don't have to miss out on these opportunities because of the pandemic -- there are still plenty of events out there to help keep you at your best.

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It's now common knowledge that avoiding poorly-ventilated, enclosed spaces is vital for preventing the transmission of COVID. Unfortunately, that isn't possible for everyone. People who live or work in high rise buildings and wheelchair users need to use elevators, which puts them at risk. Facility managers can help cut this risk with proper cleaning and disinfection procedures. Here's how:

1. Understand the difference between cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing.

These terms are often used interchangeably, but they don't really mean the same thing. Cleaning removes stains and surface debris. Some cleaning agents can help remove viruses and bacteria from surfaces, but they don't actively kill them. Disinfecting may not remove dirt and stains, but uses chemicals to kill or inactivate pathogens. Sanitizing involves lowering the number of pathogens to acceptable levels, and may or may not use chemicals to do so. Regular soap and water can clean, disinfectant products like quaternary ammonium disinfect, and steam cleaners, UV-C lighting, and sanitizing compounds sanitize. They are all complimentary, but one can't take the place of another.

2. Get into the small spaces.

Elevators might look like a simple metal box, but they have a lot of nooks and crannies where debris and pathogens can collect. When cleaning, make sure to hit the tracks between entryways, door treads, between the door split, and the light fixtures. Use a disinfectant on elevator buttons, but be careful not to spray them directly -- this can make liquid seep in, damaging the electronics underneath. It's important to clean surfaces before disinfecting them. Removing surface debris will help remove some bacteria and viruses, and make thorough disinfection easier. Avoid using sponges to clean, since they provide a lot of interior surface area for bacteria to grow. It's also important to avoid using strong-smelling cleaners on the elevator's interior since it will take a long time for the scent to dissipate and can cause headaches and nausea until it does. While bleach is a good disinfectant, it has strong fumes and can damage some plastic-based fixtures.

3. Find the right disinfection schedule.

"Often enough" is pretty variable. If a building has a lot of traffic and multiple elevators, the elevators may need to be disinfected once a day. For a smaller building with one elevator, every three days to a week may be fine. This, of course, depends on the type of facility -- an office building that screens people before entering will not need to be disinfected as often as, say, a hospital or apartment that may house sick people.

4. Use the right cleaning and disinfection products.

By now, most facilities probably have effective disinfection products in their cleaning rotation. If not, it's vital to consult the EPA's list of products effective against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. When it comes to elevators, not just any disinfectants will do. Many of these products use harsh chemicals, which may damage elevator interiors. This is more than just a cosmetic consideration. If polycarbonate-based fixtures are scratched or otherwise damaged this can create tiny crevices that can harbor viruses and bacteria. To maintain the integrity of metal and plastic surfaces, always use non-abrasive cleaners and disinfectants designed to work on those materials.

5. Embrace new sanitizing technology.

Disinfecting almost always involves using chemicals, but sanitizing is a bit more expansive. While it might not kill all viruses and bacteria, it can reduce them to the point where infection is very unlikely. UV-C fixtures use special wavelengths of ultraviolet light to inactivate airborne pathogens, while fans help keep air circulating. Innovative air purifiers, like the CASPR 200c, use photocatalysts and UV lighting to convert natural humidity in the air to create oxidizing compounds. These are harmless to humans but can cover the interior of the elevator shaft to reduce pathogens.

6. Enforce social distancing.

It might not technically be cleaning, disinfecting, or sanitizing, but the importance of maintaining distance can't be overstated. The virus hangs in the air, and airborne transmission appears to be a much bigger vector than surface transmission. Unfortunately, elevators generally don't allow for 6-plus feet of distancing, so facilities may need to figure out ways around this. Reducing elevator occupancy, offering freight elevators for general use, and offering added incentives for taking the stairs can help. It's also important to make sure elevators are properly maintained to avoid any extra downtime. Elevators are small, usually crowded, and not exposed to fresh outdoor air -- all things the CDC and WHO have warned against when it comes to avoiding COVID. While using elevators may be non-negotiable for many people, there are ways to help make them as safe as possible. By thoroughly cleaning before disinfecting, using the proper products, disinfecting often enough, using new sanitizing technology, and reducing elevator occupancy, facility managers can keep their elevators clean and visitors healthy.

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Keeping abreast of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations is just one of the many responsibilities of a facility manager, but it's an important one. This is especially true post-COVID — the agency has updated its inspection policy, issued guidance relating to inspections, and adjusted its civil penalties for infractions. 2021 has just begun, so there's no time like the present to catch up with all of the new information. These changes include:

1. OSHA's annual adjustment to civil penalties.

OSHA periodically changes their penalties to account for cost-of-living increases. This helps with compliance since it ensures that penalties continue to act as a deterrent as the economic landscape changes. The maximum penalty for serious or other-than-serious violations will be $13,653, up from $13,494. The maximum penalty for repeated or willful violations will be $136,532, up from $134,937. These will apply to any infractions discovered after January 15th, 2021. For more information on the increases, please visit OSHA's page on Penalty Payment.

2. New guidance on COVID-19 inspections.

COVID-related inspections have their own particular emphasis, and it's not uncommon for employers to receive citations for infractions they may not have even noticed before. To help employers avoid penalties and keep employees safe, OSHA has issued special guidance (and a one-page overview) outlining the most common COVID-related citations. Some of the regulations employers fail at most frequently include:

• Performing appropriate fit tests for employees using respirators.
• Providing medical evaluations before fit tests or respirator use.
• Establishing, implementing, and updating a written respiratory protection policy, including protective measures specific to each worksite.
• Properly storing personal protective equipment.
• Properly maintaining records of injuries, illnesses, and fatalities, including reporting fatalities that happen within 30 days of a work-related incident.

3. Updated site-specific targeting policy.

OSHA recently developed a new category for employers with consistent increases in their rates of injury and illness, as assessed over a three-year period. The agency also created special inspection procedures to help avoid employers who erroneously end up included in the category due to incorrect data. Under this new policy, OSHA will create lists of workplaces with high rates of Days Away, Restricted, or Transferred (DART), and sites whose numbers have steadily increased over 2017-2019. After being placed on a list, businesses will be sorted into one of four sub-categories. These include:

• Workplaces with injury and illness numbers higher than their industry's average.
• Workplaces with above-average numbers in 2017, which have continued to trend upward.
• Workplaces with below-average numbers in 2019, to assess the efficacy of OSHA's reporting mechanism.
• Workplaces that failed to report data.

If a compliance safety and health officer determines that a workplace was included in error, they may conduct a records-only inspection. During this inspection, the officer must conduct a walkthrough of a relevant worksite, and interview employees to assess the workplace's actual history of illness and injury. For more information, please read OSHA's overview of recording work-related injuries and illnesses.

4. Potential changes coming with the new Presidential administration.

After his inauguration, President-elect Biden may choose to create a new emergency standard for COVID-19 using OSHA. While OSHA currently has the Bloodborne Pathogen Standard, which addresses Hepatitis B vaccines, it doesn't yet have one in place for COVID vaccines. If this new standard addresses COVID, employers may be required to provide vaccines to their employees. The hepatitis B standard largely protects healthcare workers. The novel coronavirus is much more easily transmissible, and any public-facing position or work in close quarters puts employees at risk of contracting the disease. If OSHA chooses to create a COVID standard based on the Bloodborne Pathogen standard, it may mean that employers must:

• Offer COVID vaccines to at-risk workers, at no cost, shortly after training.
• Train employees on the vaccine's efficacy, safety, and benefits.
• Obtain a written recommendation from a healthcare provider on whether or not an employee is fit to receive the vaccine.
• Require employees who decline the vaccine to sign a form acknowledging their decision.

It should be emphasized that this vaccine policy is still speculation based on the Bloodborne Pathogen Standard, and has not yet been codified or put into action. Even so, employers should anticipate some form of COVID standard shortly after President-elect Biden's inauguration. It may be wise to look to the existing hepatitis B vaccine policy to inform their decisions and prepare for any upcoming changes. The novel coronavirus has altered many of the ways that employers treat workplace safety, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is working to follow suit. While keeping up with policy changes may be confusing, OSHA has provided several resources to outline and explain these changes on the agency's website.

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2020 caused a lot of problems for the facility management industry, many of which managers had never had to confront before. The pandemic has shaped everything from cleaning procedures to emerging tech, to interior decorating trends, and brought a heightened awareness to the role that buildings play in public health. As we get ready to head into 2021, here are some of the new -- and continuing -- trends and challenges facility managers are going to see:

1. Remote monitoring.

Millions of people were pushed to work from home if they weren't furloughed or laid off entirely. This resulted in three things: a scramble to create more robust systems to handle so many people working remotely, a push for heightened cybersecurity, and the realization that remote technology can have beneficial impacts on sustainability and costs, as well as health. Even as people begin to return to work next year, the ability to keep an eye on things from a distance has hundreds of applications in facility management. Sensors help with inventory, security, equipment monitoring, as well as functions as simple as lighting and ventilation. It's likely that remote monitoring and Internet of Things tech is going to continue to occupy a significant niche in facility management.

2. Artificial intelligence-led maintenance.

Preventative maintenance can save facility managers major headaches and expenses down the line, but it's easy to see why it so often gets pushed to the side. Proper preventative maintenance pulls employees off of other tasks, takes time and labor, and means throwing parts away before they've completely worn out, all of which can seem really wasteful for something that isn't an emergency. AI-based predictive maintenance helps cut down on this waste by collecting data from sensors and accurately determining when parts really need to be replaced. Some algorithms can even analyze behavior over an asset's working life, and send alerts when it needs to be maintained or repaired.

3. Sustainable (yet breathable) buildings.

This is both a trend and a challenge in one. For years, new builds emphasized their energy efficiency -- which generally meant being heavily insulated and sealed up tight to avoid wasting heating and cooling power. Now that there's a push for better ventilation, there has to be a compromise between bringing outdoor air in and keeping it from sending the electric bill through the roof. While builders will be responsible for facing this challenge in new construction, facility managers will have to bear the brunt of it in older buildings. This is another area where remote monitoring technology can help, by using sensors to optimally balance temperature, humidity, and fresh air, as well as guiding maintenance for ventilation systems.

4. Shifting from software to platform.

Facility management software helps managers keep tabs on virtually every aspect of their operations, from work orders to inventory, to to-do lists, and more. As the IoT, AI, and remote sensors gain a larger presence, facility management software is shifting from a tool to a comprehensive, user-friendly platform. Soon, managers may be able to handle everything from within a single seamless digital interface. This is especially true as the older generations of facility managers near retirement. Younger generations are more accustomed to technology and have high standards for the software they use. Expect to see facility management platforms adapt to provide more intuitive, attractive user interfaces that are able to operate across devices -- from computers to tablets and cell phones.

5. Security, security, security.

COVID-19 created some unique security challenges. Now, not only did facility managers have to worry about unauthorized people getting access to buildings or other assets, they had to worry about keeping people out if they failed a health screening. With more employees working and monitoring things remotely, there were more opportunities for cyberattacks. As technology becomes more advanced, interconnected, and ubiquitous, the need for strong cybersecurity just becomes greater. Attackers are getting more sophisticated, and facilities need to keep pace to keep buildings, people, data, and other assets safe.

6. Cost.

As was hinted above, some of these trends are going to come with added costs. Remote monitoring and IoT devices cost money to buy, implement, and learn. Greener, healthier buildings mean initial costs for upgraded HVAC systems and insulation and ongoing costs for electricity. AI-led preventative maintenance is still going to cost money to implement, even if it saves in the long run. Facility managers have always had to balance expenses with efficiency, operations, and comfort, and that isn't going away any time soon. If anything, the new emphasis on ventilation and healthier buildings will only add to the challenge. 2020's pandemic had a big impact on facility management, but it isn't the only factor guiding things going forward. A continued push for sustainability, advancing tech, sophisticated cybersecurity threats, a generation nearing retirement, and the desire for greener buildings are all guiding trends and challenges for the industry. As the IoT and AI become more abundant and integrated, facility managers are likely to see more and more of the center of their job on software. Fortunately, builders and software developers alike are forging ahead to help managers handle these shifts smoothly.

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