IFMA

IFMA Insider
November 6, 2009

Mobile Social Media, America's New Addiction
World Market Media
Social media is a rapidly growing market, with Twitter at the forefront growing more than 1,000 percent since February. New sites are constantly rising and falling in an attempt to innovate the social media market place. With this new rise in popularity, the workplace has responded in its limitation of access to social media websites. Statistics show that more than 70 percent of employers have banned such sites. As always, The Man never fails to hold you down

World's Highest Skyscraper in Dubai Won't Open Until January Next Year
Chicago Tribune
Visitors will have to wait until early next year for the opening of the world's tallest building in Dubai. The media office of the city-state's ruler said the hulking Burj Dubai will now debut on Jan. 4, a month later than expected. The new opening date is timed to coincide with the fourth anniversary of Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's appointment as ruler of Dubai.

System Upgrades Power Up Energy Savings for Hotels
Environmental Leader
For hotels, going green translates into energy-saving projects with some very tangible results. These include the Hilton New York’s energy fuel cell installation that is nearly three times as efficient as the electric grid, system upgrades at Denver's historic Oxford Hotel that nearly cut the hotel’s monthly utility bills in half, and the solar panel system at the Dubai Aloft Hotel that will save about 870 megawatt hours of electricity annually. They also garnered several environmental awards for their improvements.

US$555 Billion Sahara Solar Energy Belt Takes Giant Step Forward
Inhabitat
A giant step has been made in what will be the world's largest renewable energy project. While previously just a grand vision for the production of clean energy in the Saharan desert, the project now has a core group of backers and a signed agreement between 12 companies wanting to move forward with the US$555 billion renewable energy belt. The 12 collaborators signed articles of association last week for the DESERTEC Industrial Initiative, which will work to bring more companies and groups on board as well as focus on regulations and conditions to get the project successfully completed and generating pure power from the sun.

Harvesting Energy From Nature's Motions
Medical News Today
By taking advantage of the vagaries of the natural world, Duke University engineers have developed a novel approach that they believe can more efficiently harvest electricity from the motions of everyday life.

Taipei 101 is Seeking to Become World's Tallest Green Skyscraper
Taiwan News Online
Taiwan's landmark skyscraper Taipei 101 is seeking to become the world's tallest green building, its owner Taipei Financial Center Corporation (TFCC) announced. Harace Lin, chairman of TFCC, told a press conference that the company plans to apply for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design® (LEED) certification for the building. To obtain that certification, Lin said, Taipei 101 will invest NT$60 million (US$1.8 million) over the next 18-month certification process to undergo hundreds of building modifications.

The Greening of Willis Tower: Rooftop Gardens Part of Plan to Improve Efficiency
Chicago Tribune
Buildings account for about 70 percent of all Chicago emissions, according to the Chicago Climate Action Plan. If the largest 10 buildings in the Loop were targeted for greening projects, architect Sara Beardsley said, it would reduce the energy needs of the Loop by more than 10 percent. With a building as enormous as Willis Tower, the floor space of which is equivalent to 16 city blocks, a change in the direction of the sun can mean that when the temperature outside is 5 degrees, air conditioning is being pumped into one part of the building because so much heat is being collected from the sunlight while the side in shadow is being heated. An experimental green roof (greenery planted on a roof to lower energy costs and offset water runoff) on the 90th floor required metal meshing to prevent sod and plants from blowing away.

Daylight Savings Time Associated with Workplace Injuries
The Examiner
Gaining an hour of sleep is something everyone loves in the fall, but when springtime rolls around, we’re not as enthusiastic to "spring ahead" into Daylight Savings Time. And a recent study shows that the effect of Daylight Savings Time on people’s sleep can actually increase the amount of injuries that occur in the workplace.

Blue Energy Seems Feasible and Offers Considerable Benefits
Science Daily
Generating energy on a large scale by mixing salt and fresh water is both technically possible and practical. The worldwide potential for this clean form of energy—blue energy or blue electricity—is enormous. However, it will be necessary to work actively on several essential technological developments and to invest heavily in large-scale trials.

Six Ways to Create a Culture of Gratitude in Your Organization
Reliable Plant
Here's a question just in time for Thanksgiving: Does your organization encourage a culture of gratitude? Not in an obligatory (and fear-tinged), "In this economy you'd better be grateful just to have a job, buddy!" way, but in a, "Gee, I really appreciate my co-workers and the feeling is mutual!" way? Chances are the answer is no. According to a recent Gallup poll, 65 percent of people say they don’t feel appreciated at work. And that feeling quickly leads to pervasive negativity, low morale, and (worst of all), decreased productivity.