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Student health and safety should be top priorities for any education facility. In an increasingly turbulent world, a school should act as a haven for students to learn, socialize, and become their best selves. When students have these bases covered, it’s much easier for them to succeed. Indeed, schools that are safe, clean, and well-organized see improved rates in student participation, success, and retention. Many factors contribute to these positive outcomes, including the very air that ever...

For most educational institutions in the U.S., classes resume between the end of August and the middle of September. Though the COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing, most schools will completely return to in-person learning this fall. Providing students, faculty, and staff with a clean and safe indoor environment is imperative for increasing morale, productivity, and learning outcomes. However, after the past two years of uncertainty and labor shortages, many school administrators might find thems...

The global workforce is in constant flux, in no small part, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here in the U.S., there has been plenty of talk and concern regarding wage stagnation, mass resignation, and labor shortage. Indeed, many industries are currently experiencing a decline in labor participation. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, industries like food service and hospitality continue to struggle retaining workers. At the same time, however, higher-paying industries have remained rel...

Many of us have started paying more attention to indoor air quality (IAQ) during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic since the disease primarily transmits through the air in enclosed spaces. That said, the air that surrounds us has a larger impact on our overall well-being than we might realize. Dust particles, mold spores, and other unseen particles can linger in the air and on surfaces inside your building, triggering allergies and reducing health outcomes for all occupants.Here at The Budd Group, w...

The national economy is always in flux, but the past two years have been particularly turbulent, in no small part due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While many industries are gradually recovering, public education institutions still face a significant labor shortage across the board. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment in the state and local public education sectors have seen nearly a 5% drop-off on average since the start of the pandemic – 6.8% for K-12 teachers, 14.7% fo...

School won’t be in session for another month or so, but facility managers must use this time to get their facilities back in tip-top shape for the return of students this fall. Most schools returned to in-person learning this past school year, and the 2022-23 session will likely follow suit. As such, every classroom, gymnasium, athletic field, quad, cafeteria, library, hallway, office, and common space requires your full attention. Neglecting any of these spaces can result in poor health and s...

Labor – both in-house and outsourced – accounts for a significant chunk of any business expenses. While these costs are necessary for doing business, you don’t want them to get out of control. Reducing labor costs without sacrificing operability can seem like an uphill battle. That said, there are a surprising number of ways to keep these costs under control while maintaining your business’ efficiency. As it turns out, simply staying on top of facility maintenance can result in significa...

It doesn’t matter what type of work you do or what kind of building you operate out of – every occupant in your facility needs to breathe quality air. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tells us that most Americans spend about 90% of their lives indoors. If the air inside your facility is polluted or stale, it can take a serious toll on people’s physical and mental well-being. As such, indoor air quality (IAQ) is one of the most important measurements to consider at your facility.Un...

Carpeting is a common flooring choice for all sorts of workplace settings, especially offices. A carpeted floor is comfortable, safe, aesthetically pleasing, noise-reducing, and energy-efficient, thanks to insulative qualities. Like any other type of flooring, however, proper maintenance is required to continue reaping these rewards. Carpets won’t take care of themselves, after all, and if your facility experiences high levels of activity on a regular basis, your carpets can quickly deteriorat...

Summer is a time for less work and more play – there’s still work to do, however. If your facility’s concrete floors have seen better days, you don’t want to neglect them all season long. There’s no time like the present to repair, finish, and/or polish your commercial concrete flooring. And as it turns out, summer is an opportune time to tackle such projects. You might wonder why you should polish your concrete floors in the first place. A quick glance at our previous blog, “How Po...

Another school year has come and gone. Though some areas within your educational facility will be used throughout the off-season for summer classes, staff meetings, and other events, there will be much more space and time to tackle important renovations over the summer months. Deep cleaning and disinfection are among the most important tasks to accomplish during this time, especially in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Even if your cleaning staff and/or services have done a great job keep...

Spring is a busy time of year for many industries. As work at your warehouse picks up alongside the warmer weather, your floors will be under more stress than normal. Increased foot traffic and machine activity will take a toll on your floors, and so will temperature fluctuations, ground shifts, and other environmental factors. If you’re not prepared, your warehouse flooring may require serious attention during and after the season, slowing down your operations. Moreover, damaged flooring is a...