Category: Energy Management and Lighting

No Retrofit Needed: Modernizing Buildings with AI

Industry-wide demand is mounting to rethink how we create energy-efficient, comfortable, and smart buildings. More facilities managers are turning to technology to help create smart building systems that use real-time data to adjust temperature and lighting, monitor air quality, and other maintenance controls. The market for Internet of Things (IoT) platforms is expected to hit […]

Are Digital Twins the Future of Smart Facilities?

With growing infrastructure demands and tighter budgets, traditional reactive strategies in facilities management often result in unplanned downtime and expensive breakdowns. A Deloitte study found that predictive maintenance—which includes strategies that anticipate problems before they occur, reducing costs and increasing efficiency—can result in up to 15% reduction in downtime and up to 20% improvement in […]

The Financial Case for Energy Tracking in Facilities

Some media are reporting a widespread backlash against ESG and carbon-reduction initiatives. That may be welcome news for facilities managers who view energy tracking as a financial and administrative burden. But the reality is that energy tracking and reporting can lead to significant cost savings for facilities. A glance at data from commercial and industrial […]

USGBC: New Budget Law Undermines Green Building Policy

Editor’s note: FM Perspectives are industry op-eds. The views expressed are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect those of Facilities Management Advisor. It wasn’t long ago that Republicans and Democrats in Congress overwhelmingly supported tax incentives and other economic carrots encouraging investment in homegrown energy industries to boost energy security and affordability. That bipartisan tradition ended […]

Don’t Let Safety Take a Vacation: 5 Steps to Secure Your Facility This Summer

Summer is often a welcome change of pace, but unfortunately for facilities, it’s not all sunshine. While staff schedules thin out and activity slows across many commercial properties during the warmer months, opportunistic criminals often see this seasonal lull as a green light to steal and vandalize. For businesses, that means now is the time […]

Rethinking Factory Layout Design to Improve Worker Safety

The manufacturing industry has long been characterized by its assembly line-style factory layout design. Improving the safety of factory workers has been a focus in recent years, which led to a shift in factory layout design. By rethinking the layout, it is possible to create a safer working environment for employees, reduce the risk of […]

Can Replacing Battery-Powered IoT with RF Technology Help Boost ESG Goals?

Editor’s note: FM Perspectives are industry op-eds. The views expressed are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect those of Facilities Management Advisor. As the U.S. smart building market reached $24.66 billion in 2024, the demand for Internet of Things (IoT)-driven automation continues to rise. From environmental sensors to access control systems, smart buildings rely heavily on […]

How Energy Management Helps Restaurants Serve Up Success

Editor’s note: FM Perspectives are industry op-eds. The views expressed are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect those of Facilities Management Advisor. As the vice president of operations for over 30 Wendy’s locations, my No. 1 goal is to take care of our customers. For many of them, this means delivering a flawless Baconator or a […]

Smart Building Tech: A Strategic Line of Defense Against Rising Insurance Costs

Just as commercial real estate (CRE) began to recover from the impacts of COVID-19, the industry is now entering a new era of financial pressures. Driven by an uncertain economy, aging infrastructure, extreme weather events, and a more conservative insurance underwriting landscape, property insurance premiums are climbing at an alarming rate. In Q1 2024, commercial […]

Unlocking the Future of Commercial Facilities Through Occupancy Setbacks

Commercial office building owners are racing to make their properties smarter, more resilient, and more adaptive. The drive for greater energy efficiency and occupant comfort is intensifying, fueled by the need to deliver rapid returns on investment while navigating rising electricity and operational costs. Supporting Net-Zero Goals Occupancy setbacks have been identified as a powerful […]