Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
From construction sites and building maintenance to HVAC inspections and asset monitoring, drones are becoming valuable tools for facilities professionals. While adoption continues to grow, many misconceptions remain about what drones can do, where they provide the greatest value, and how they’re likely to shape the future of facilities management. For facilities professionals, the real […]
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. In many commercial buildings, the HVAC system is not broken. The plant runs. Occupants are mostly comfortable. The building automation system (BAS) shows no obvious crisis. However, the utility bill may still be higher […]
As the U.S. faces a historic skilled trades labor shortage, the Lowe’s Foundation has announced the Building Futures Skilled Trades Coalition to help train and develop 1 million people for skilled trades careers by 2035. The national alliance is backed by over 75 American educators, businesses, workforce organizations, industry vendors, and stakeholders across the skilled […]
Hotel equipment failures disrupt operations and drain budgets through emergency contractor fees and damaged customer satisfaction ratings. Preventive upkeep flips this dynamic by catching problems before they escalate into costly crises. Facilities managers who implement structured maintenance programs see reduced overhead, improved guest experiences, and better protection of their property investments. The True ROI of […]
Empty schools can look quiet during summer break, but their roofs, plumbing, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems remain active. With fewer people present to notice a musty odor, a stained ceiling tile, or water under a mechanical unit, a small moisture problem can spread for days or weeks. The U.S. Environmental Protection […]
Summer 2026 has made an already familiar problem nearly impossible to ignore. In early July, a heat dome fell over the central and eastern United States, breaking daily temperature records from Newark to Boston, with heat indices reaching 115°F in some areas, according to the National Weather Service. The same week, grid operator PJM Interconnection […]
Every day, thousands of people pass through building entrances without a second thought, until something goes wrong. A malfunctioning door during peak hours isn’t just an inconvenience; it disrupts operations, creates safety risks, and slows critical building flow. For facilities managers overseeing high-traffic environments, such as hospitals, retail centers, corporate campuses, transit hubs, and more, […]
Every day in schools across the country, millions of children and adults are impacted by poor indoor air quality (IAQ). Though IAQ is a top environmental risk to public health, more than half of K-12 schools do not have IAQ management plans to proactively address air quality risks. To help create healthier learning environments for […]
Retail facilities depend on reliable building systems to keep stores safe and efficient. Maintaining heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment, refrigeration units, lighting, and other critical assets is essential for minimizing disruptions, controlling operating costs, and creating a positive customer experience. Artificial intelligence (AI) is helping facilities managers take a more proactive approach by analyzing […]
The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), the Brown University Pandemic Center, and the Air Club have jointly released a new report highlighting a rapidly expanding wave of indoor air quality (IAQ) policy innovation across the globe. Drawing lessons from nearly 160 policies spanning 40 countries, the report identifies five leading policy models that governments are […]