Posted in ecoViews

Agricultural methane source
|

A surprising source of climate calamity

Today’s super storms, famine, and rampant wildfires are, substantially, the consequence of climate change resulting from human induced Greenhouse Gases (GhG). To slow this process, CO2 and methane emissions are of immediate concern. Current atmospheric methane concentrations are higher than at any point in the past 800,000 years. In 2018, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate […]
Water Infrastructure
| ,

Water system funding may soon pour in

The U.S. has significant water problems. More than 15% of wastewater utilities have reached or exceeded their design capacity. There is a water main break every two minutes. Those problems, and others, have earned low marks on the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Report Card for America’s Infrastructure. The U.S. gets a “C-” for its drinking water. […]
Earth Day

Happy Earth Day, 2021

Our 4.5 billion-year-old planet has seen a 11% increase in carbon dioxide, just since 2000. Automotive and industrial activities add another 24 billion tons of it every year. Greenhouse gas accumulation is just one reason why Earth Day is more urgent than ever. You’ve heard about (and maybe seen!) the storms, the fires, the catastrophes […]
Electric Bus

Climate change solutions can serve social needs

Ever-increasing numbers of weather and climate disasters have brought tragedy all too often. In 2020 alone, no fewer than 262 lives were lost. Property damages exceeded $95 billion. Each of those 22 disasters claimed or impacted lives while disrupting business and commerce.[1] Low-wealth communities were hardest hit by storms, floods, and fires. Those same cities […]
MSW

Better Solid Waste Management (SWM) in a circular economy

In a circular economy, recycling keeps waste materials out of landfills. Instead, the materials are available for valuable repurposing and reuse. Plastic packaging is seen along grocery store aisles, worldwide. One of the largest consumer products companies, Unilever, brings familiar brands to about 190 countries. In the U.S., their Dove, Hellmann’s, and Seventh Generation brands […]
Highway intersection
|

The road ahead for Electric Vehicles will be a busy one!

More than 276 million vehicles travel today’s U.S. roadways. All but 1.6 million of those cars, trucks, and buses find fuel at the 115,000 gas stations along the way. That remaining small percentage (less than 2%) requires plug-in power and is fueled at home or by the 26,000 vehicle charging stations now open to the […]
| ,

The challenge of recycling plastics right

If no one buys the recyclables, then they are trash. This is the message you should take away from this SoCal video on the struggles of California recycling. Cities, counties, and states around the U.S. are struggling to find a better way to educate and engage residents and businesses in recycling clean materials. If we […]
|

Three routes to resilient communities

In 2020, 16 of the weather and climate disasters in the U.S. each brought losses exceeding $1 billion. Eleven severe storms devastated lives and properties in more than 30 states. Further billion-dollar losses were the result of fires, drought, and cyclones.[1] Warnings of these climate change impacts have been published – and at times disputed, […]
| ,

Workbook teaches families to “go green while in quarantine”

The Green Actioneers[1], sixty sustainability students from the University of Central Florida, recently published a spiral-bound activity book for families. The two-sided Green Actioneers Workbook[2] suggests free or inexpensive ways to reduce carbon and water footprints. Parents read one side; children solve puzzles and color on the other. News and Notes items accompany the longer […]

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.