Houston —The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) has announced the formation of the Hospitality Facility Managers and Engineers Community, a new community of practice focused on the hotels and hospitality industry. IFMA’s communities of practice are organized special interest groups that unite members of specific industries not represented by IFMA councils. The new community will provide a network for hospitality professionals to connect with one another, share resources and take advantage of continuing education opportunities.

“I see this group as an avenue to discuss problems that engineers may face and make new contacts that could be beneficial in the long term with larger projects,” said Bill Masefield Jr., FMP, engineering manager at the Omni Parker House Hotel in Boston and a member of the community design team. “This is an opportunity for me to share my experiences with other managers and build a community that will help recent graduates like me connect with more experienced industry professionals all over the globe.”

The new community will hold a kickoff webinar entitled “Greening Your Hotel: Why Start Now? How to do it,” featuring Dan Ruben, executive director of Boston Green Tourism, at 2:00 p.m. EDT on July 29, 2008. Ruben will discuss the green hotel movement, the benefits of environmentally friendly hotel design and ways hospitality professionals can make their hotels green.

For more information, contact kari.stein@ifma.org or visit www.ifma.org.