News and Insights Blog

Better traction needed

Resiliency means better traction for the rough roads ahead

Earth’s atmosphere is warming faster than ever before. The atmospheric co2 concentration today exceeds 370 ppm; 28% higher than a half century ago.[1] As a heavier greenhouse gas blanket traps heat, the storms, fires, floods, extreme temperatures that once were 100-year events have become today’s news. Hazards that are more frequent and more severe bring […]

ecoPreserve volunteers plant, paint, and play at the Primrose Center

Volunteers from the ecoPreserve team have joined in community service activities, working with Hands On Orlando. A recent event brought ecoPreserve team members Nate Boyd, Camille Mekwinski, Ashley Schnetzer, and Oscar Vargas to the Primrose Center along with Nicole Maharaj of Hands On Orlando. The cornhole game pictured above was set up for enjoyment by several […]

Introducing the SME Climate Hub: resources for climate action

The SME Climate Hub is a global initiative that empowers small to medium-sized companies to take climate action and build resilient businesses for the future. The Hub is an initiative of the We Mean Business Coalition, the Exponential Roadmap Initiative, and the United Nations Race to Zero campaign in collaboration with Normative and the Net […]
Modular buildings

Getting ‘round to circularity
in Construction and Demolition (C&D)

The built environment uses roughly half of all materials mined or otherwise taken from the crust of this planet. Each year, construction (including highway construction) extracts tonnage that is equivalent to two-thirds of Mount Everest. Construction creates an estimated third of the world’s overall waste, causing no less than 40% of carbon dioxide emissions.[1] A […]
Orlando, Florida

How Orlando brings greater green to developers and the community

The City of Orlando has targeted a 20% reduction in total electricity consumption. The baseline year for that goal was 2010 when per capita consumption was 12,003 KwH. A related 2040 goal aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 90% below 2007 levels.[1] Towards those achievements, the city has initiated a Green Building Incentive Program (GBIP). […]

Sustainable investments favored as economies evolve

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors are well-known in international business.[1] In an investment decision, ESG data provides a way to earn financial returns while participating in long-term safeguarding of the planet and having positive impact on people’s lives.[2] The number of sustainable funds have more than tripled in the past decade. As of March […]
Earth Day every day
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Earth Day/Every Day resolutions
as shared by our team

Recently, several members of our team looked back at Earth Day, 2022. These are some of the thoughts they shared about “everyday Earth Days” in their lives. Earth Day is about appreciating the beauty and importance of nature. We often take it for granted, but everything from the trees to the bugs to the air […]
Sustainable future

Beyond mountains of waste, a sustainable economy is seen

The linear economy has persisted domesticly and worldwide. Until recently, democracies, monarchies, and totalian regimes have all followed the same economic model. Drawing the line This model has served many generations, yet it endangers future generations. Some of the consequences are piled in front of us today. Others drift in the oceans, pollute our air, […]
EV fleet

How EV service fleets can extend their range

A transition from high maintenance petroleum vehicles brings challenges and opportunities to fleet managers. Proactive steps taken today can reduce acquisition and maintenance costs by better planning for tomorrow’s EV service fleets.

AWARE of CDC and NIH guidelines

The Baseline Property Condition Assessments described in ASTM E2018-15 do not specify consideration of infectious disease transmission concerns. In a pandemic and post-pandemic environment, that inspection and documentation is essential.

Buildings open to the public must comply with local regulations. For best results and greatest public acceptance, any planning for building repairs and maintenance should not overlook current CDC and NIH guidelines.

Optionally, ecoPreserve's can assist with a comprehensive GBAC STAR™ Accreditation which extends beyond the building to include the goals, actions, equipment, and supplies needed to implement best practices for outbreak prevention, response, and recovery.

Tools tailored to location and need

Disaster resilience requires a select toolset, identified, adapted, or created as needed based on planning calls and inclusive workshop participation.

Business and government organizations today are confronted by threat categories that range from drought to flood, from fire to hurricane, and extend globally to pandemics and sea level rise. Threat categories are broad and diverse, but ecoPreserve and collaborating organizations design resiliency tools for specific local context.

Local needs are identified and verified. Building from that essential understanding, tools are designed, tested in pilot programs, refined, then implemented through action plans.

Today's challenges/
tomorrow's potential

ecoPreserve collaborates with major community and private organizations in optimizing the resiliency and resource efficiency of their workplaces, venues, and public spaces.

In response to ever-increasing environmental, sociopolitical, and public health challenges, we advocate for and participate in assessment and planning actions that directly address disaster preparations, recovery activities, infrastructure improvements, and smart building/city design.

Online and in-person workshops

ecoPreserve designs and leads workshops in varied formats, to achieve varied goals.

Often an event is held for skill and knowledge development, but some needs of an organization or community are better resolved through collaboration to identify requirements and to design solutions. A range of Disaster Resilience workshops are available for solutions planning and development, as well as for training and communication.

Disaster Planning and Recovery Workshops

  • Identify technical and business process gaps
  • Define stakeholders, recovery teams, and processes/functionalities necessary for operation
  • Highlight missed expectations from a data loss and recovery time perspective
  • Address compliance with regulatory agencies and industry standards
Here's how to request further information. Thank you for reaching out!

Here's how to request further information. Thank you for reaching out!

Facility Condition Report

The report is prepared in accordance with the recommendations of ASTM E2018-15, Standard Guide for Property Condition Assessments. This is a partial list of contents:

  • PHYSICAL CONDITION
    • General condition of the building, grounds, and appurtenances
    • Physical deficiencies, their significance, and suggested remedies
    • Photographs
    • Safety issues observed
  • INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPREAD POTENTIAL
  • OPPORTUNITIES
    • Potential operating efficiencies
    • Electricity and water use reductions
    • High-efficiency interior and exterior lighting
  • ORDER OF MAGNITUDE RENOVATION BUDGET
    • Recommended interior finishes
    • Construction costs

Risk Mitigation Improvements

  • IAQ
    • Airflow
    • Temperature and humidity
    • Vertical transportation (escalators and elevators)
  • HVAC EQUIPMENT
    • Settings
    • Conditions
    • Capability
    • Filtration
  • FLOORPLAN
    • Traffic patterns
  • FURNISHINGS
    • Placement for social distancing
    • Clear barriers where social distancing is not possible

Interior Elements

  • Foundation
  • Building frame and roof
  • Structural elements
    • Floors, walls, ceilings
    • Access and egress
    • Vertical transportation (escalators and elevators)
  • HVAC equipment and ductwork
  • Utilities
    • Electrical
    • Plumbing
  • Safety and fire protection

Grounds and Appurtenances

  • Façades or curtainwall
  • Topography
  • Storm water drainage
  • Paving, curbing, and parking
  • Flatwork
  • Landscaping
  • Recreational facilities
Here's how to request further information. Thank you for reaching out!

AWARE of CDC and NIH guidelines

The Baseline Property Condition Assessments described in ASTM E2018-15 do not specify consideration of infectious disease transmission concerns. In a pandemic and post-pandemic environment, that inspection and documentation is essential.

Buildings open to the public must comply with local regulations. For best results and greatest public acceptance, any planning for building repairs and maintenance should not overlook current CDC and NIH guidelines.

Optionally, ecoPreserve's can assist with a comprehensive GBAC STAR™ Accreditation which extends beyond the building to include the goals, actions, equipment, and supplies needed to implement best practices for outbreak prevention, response, and recovery.

An OPTIMIZED Assessment

Certified Sustainability Consultants on a facility assessment team can discover ways to lower energy costs. Their understanding of HVAC equipment suitability and condition along with the specifics of LED lighting retrofits can provide offsets for needed investments in upgrades and replacements.

Knowledge of water systems can bring further savings while averting water waste. It can all be part of an assessment which might otherwise overlook water fixtures and irrigation schedules.

How should a facility be ASSESSED?

A thorough facility assessment finds the issues - on the surface or below - which have a potential negative impact on the building. That brings the facility to meet building codes. Beyond that, the assessment proactively addresses the deficiencies not covered by code.

The occupants of a building benefit as the assessment reveals conditions having a potential impact on their health or safety. The assessment must not overlook those conditions, nor fail to consider the frequency and duration of occupant visits.