News and Insights Blog

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ecoPreserve to support Central/North Florida Resilience Hub

ecoPreserve is pleased to participate with the Urban Sustainability Directors Network to support a Resilience Hub for Central and North Florida. The hub will priortize service to intentionally marginalized populations.
Renewable energy grid
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National laboratories explore tomorrow’s energy grid

The 17 national laboratories of the US Department of Energy have been leaders in scientific innovation for more than seventy years. Much of the research at those laboratories today focuses on how to migrate the petrol-powered energy grid of today to one that leverages renewable energy. The transformation will involve significant challenges: Delivering ample power, […]

Online event to focus on energy and environmental careers

Are you working in the energy and environmental sector or pursuing opportunities there? Here’s an online event that you may wish to consider: On Wednesday, April 20th at 4:00 pm Eastern time, the Council on Women in Energy & Environmental Leadership (CWEEL) will present a Career Spotlight and Mastermind Coaching Session. Register for the 4/20/2022 […]
Solar array during storm

The lower-carbon future of coal-fired power plants

Conversion to natural gas In the 1980’s, horizontal drilling and fracking had become common practice. Natural gas prices plummeted. Those lower costs, and the reduced carbon dioxide emissions of natural gas, caused many coal-fired power plants to be converted to natural gas. Power plant owners minimized transition costs, using the existing power grid without having […]
Building Utilities
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Utility cost savings begin with benchmarking

In the U.S., buildings consume an estimated 40% of the country’s energy.[1] Large commercial buildings also use a an estimated 2.3% of the public water supply.[2] Consumption of energy and water utilities at that volume has environmental, social, and balance sheet impact. The impact can and should be managed. Benchmarking can be a starting point for that initiative. […]
Ashley Schnetzer

Sustainability Specialist earns LEED accreditation!

Congratulations to Ashley Schnetzer for her recent accreditation as LEED Green Associate. It’s further evidence of the benefit Ashley brings to every project, sharing from her depth of knowledge in green building practices. The U.S. Green Building Council created the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system to evaluate the environmental performance of […]
Recycling bins
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Three quick wins to launch a recycling program

The U.S. EPA presents a compelling case for recycling. Looking back a decade, their 2020 Recycling Economic Information (REI) Report found recycling and reuse activities that produced 681,000 jobs while contributing $37.8 billion in wages. For every 1,000 tons of recycled material, 1.17 jobs were created. Construction and Demolition waste provided the greatest employment benefits. […]
Morgan McDonald

Sustainability Specialist advances LEED status to Accredited Professional

Morgan McDonald, Sustainability Specialist at ecoPreserve, recently earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Accredited Professional (AP) status. This accreditation, awarded by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) focuses on Building Design and Construction (BD+C). The U.S. Green Building Council created the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system to evaluate the […]
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Any building can be a better building

Better buildings aren’t limited to downtown zip codes or trendy street address. They are not marked on maps. GPS devices will not locate them. There’s no need. Chances are, a better building is literally within your reach. Here is what sets them apart: Greater energy efficiency Are energy costs a concern in your building? The […]

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.