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For decades, facility managers and building operators have been trapped by proprietary lock-in in access control systems. The Aliro standard—the first interoperable, non-proprietary mobile credential standard launched by the Connectivity Standards Alliance in February 2026—allows a single credential to be used on authenticated readers from different manufacturers. Kastle became the first company to deploy Aliro-authenticated mobile credentials simultaneously in Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, and Samsung Wallet. This article explores the standard's practical impact on building operations and its path to adoption.

Many facility managers fail to ask suppliers how they classify their workforce when signing cleaning contracts, leading to legal and financial risks that indemnity clauses cannot fully protect against. The article points out that joint employer liability principles, the prevalence of worker misclassification, cost avoidance behind low bids, and limitations of contractual protections all constitute potential risks. The author recommends reducing risks through three checks (W-2 or contractor status, matching of workers' compensation documents, and internal compliance systems).

The choice of immersion cooling fluid directly affects data center heat dissipation efficiency, hardware reliability, and long-term operational costs. Based on insights from Dennis Schuetzle, CTO of Infinium, this article analyzes the chemical properties of cooling fluids, main categories, and selection strategies, emphasizing that fluids should be regarded as core infrastructure components rather than simple consumables.

Legionnaires' disease is on the rise in the United States, and traditional laboratory culture testing has limitations due to delayed results. Facility managers can enhance their ability to prevent and control Legionella through more frequent rapid testing, dynamic water management plans, and ongoing education, moving from compliance to proactive control.

The AI boom is driving a surge in electricity demand from data centers, but grid expansion is lagging behind. Ameresco CEO George Sakellaris wrote that in the future, large data centers will not be able to rely solely on the grid and will need to adopt a 'bring your own power' model, investing in distributed energy and microgrids to ensure reliable power supply and avoid pushing up residential electricity prices.

Industrial decarbonization is imperative, and HVAC systems are key. ABB expert Yann Bottoli points out that adopting variable frequency drive motors can significantly reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. Its LV Titanium motor, with its compact design and plug-and-play features, is helping facilities overcome adoption barriers and accelerate the journey toward net zero.

Experts and organizations in the U.S. electric industry say grid operators urgently need new tools and regulatory authority to address the growing threat of drone attacks. In the GridEx VIII exercise report, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) noted that asset owners have concerns about their ability to defend against unmanned aerial system attacks and called on the government to consolidate fragmented guidance documents and clarify legal interception technologies. Under current regulatory constraints, utility companies can only address drones after they land, which is often too late.

Over the past decade, digital connectivity in commercial buildings has significantly increased, but access credential management remains manual, making smart building systems a weak link in cybersecurity. An IBM report shows that in 2024, nearly 70% of attacks targeted operational technology and critical infrastructure, with credential leakage being a primary entry point. This article explores access complexity, vendor visibility gaps, and shared login risks, and proposes practical measures such as governance discipline, vendor access control, and multi-factor authentication to strengthen security.

Industrial ammonia refrigeration systems ensure food safety but also carry high risks. A Cargill engineering manager proposed the LOOP-BAR framework, which directly overlays safety protection layers on system diagrams, enabling operations, maintenance, and engineering teams to share the same safety view and reduce potential hazards.

The energy debate surrounding data centers often overlooks their potential value. Modern data center loads are highly predictable, cooling systems are adjustable, and they possess backup power and cross-regional load migration capabilities. By designing reasonable electricity pricing mechanisms, such as interruptible load pricing, real-time pricing, and virtual power plant compensation, data centers can enhance grid resilience. Meanwhile, contractual safeguards such as minimum contract terms, exit fees, and credit requirements can prevent cost shifting. Utilities need to invest in analytical platforms to iteratively optimize electricity pricing design and balance the interests of all parties.