Category: Maintenance and Operations

Heat Safety Starts with Hydration: Steps Facility Leaders Should Take to Protect Workers

Heat waves are arriving earlier and lasting longer. According to NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, 2025 was the fourth-warmest year on record for the U.S., with average temperatures 2.6°F above the 20th-century average.  With rising temperatures come increased risks to the workers caught in them—particularly those in the labor-intensive manufacturing and distribution industries. Heat […]

The Future of Restroom Hygiene Isn’t Human or Machine—It’s Both

By now, facilities managers may have seen the headlines: Self-cleaning restrooms are making their mark across cities, promising to automate maintenance, reduce labor demands, and easily sanitize high-traffic public spaces. Public restrooms can be demanding spaces to manage, and the costs of getting them wrong are real and measurable. Any technology that raises the baseline, […]

5 Swimming Pool Oversights that Lead to Safety Incidents and Facility Disruptions

Managing swimming pools for multifamily communities, associations, country clubs, hotels, gyms, and other commercial facilities requires more than maintaining clear water and opening each day. Successful operations depend on disciplined systems that protect swimmers, extend asset life, and prevent safety incidents, whether operating seasonally or year-round. More often than not, safety incidents and operational disruptions […]

Faces of Facilities: Kyle Rager on Investing in People

The best facilities managers don’t just keep buildings running—they help people succeed, too. Kyle Rager is proof of that. Early in his career, mentors recognized his potential and encouraged him to take on bigger challenges. Now, after more than 15 years in the profession, he believes one of the most important responsibilities of an FM […]

The Shifting State of Retail Safety and Security

Retail store theft levels are stabilizing, but external theft and fraud overall continue to rise, according to a new study released by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and the Loss Prevention Research Council. In addition, workplace violence remains a major concern for retailers. The Impact of Theft & Violence 2026 report found that retailers experienced a […]

Are Office Investments Keeping Up with Attendance Demands and AI Shifts?

U.S. companies are increasing expectations for employees to work from the office, with 89% of respondents in CBRE’s 2026 Office Occupier Sentiment Survey requiring at least three in-office days per week, up from 78% a year earlier. Despite the focus on office attendance, only 14% of companies are making major improvements to their space, suggesting […]

The Execution Gap: Smart Buildings Still Fail When People Are in the Loop

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.  The smart buildings industry has made significant investments in sensors, dashboards, Internet of Things (IoT), and artificial intelligence (AI). By 2030, this investment is projected to exceed $200 billion. Over 70% of new commercial […]

Healthcare Group Recognized for Excellence in Facilities Management

The American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE), a professional membership group of the American Hospital Association, announced Geisinger is the winner of the 2026 Excellence in Health Care Facility Management (FM Excellence) Award. Each year, the FM Excellence Award recognizes individuals or facilities teams that implement new or innovative programs or processes to optimize […]

American Lung Association Calls on Schools to Join Indoor Air Quality Challenge

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 […]

Back to Basics: How Exterior Glass Maintenance Supports Better Workplaces

Facilities teams are constantly balancing competing priorities. From HVAC systems and lighting upgrades to landscaping, safety inspections, and tenant satisfaction, there’s never a shortage of items requiring attention. Yet one area that often receives less consideration than it deserves is exterior glass maintenance. Many organizations invest heavily in creating clean, welcoming, and productive indoor environments, but […]