Category: Maintenance and Operations

How to Protect Commercial Facilities from Costly Termite Damage

In honor of Termite Awareness Week, March 1-7, the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) is urging commercial property owners and facilities managers to take action before spring termite activity reaches its peak. Termites cause an estimated $6.8 billion in property damage annually in the United States, with commercial facilities facing unique risks that can lead […]

Making Facilities Data Matter

Facilities leaders are tasked with planning, protecting, and growing facilities, making the facilities teams stewards of more data than ever before. But despite facilities’ expertise and the information at their fingertips, stakeholders outside of their departments—like finance—still misunderstand or undervalue facilities work because the technical language and metrics don’t translate to financial frameworks. As a result, investments are delayed, upgrades deferred, and the organization exposed to risks that could have been avoided—all because the […]

Groups Launch Network to Help Modernize HVAC in Schools

Three nonprofits—the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council, the National Center on School Infrastructure, and the New Buildings Institute—have formed the HVAC Change Lab, a new partnership to improve health, safety, and academic success by upgrading heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in schools. The groups are partnering with school […]

Under Construction: Top Facility Projects of February 2026

Facilities Management Advisor’s “Under Construction” series highlights some of the latest, most interesting facility project announcements every month. World Trade Center Office Tower Financial services giant American Express has revealed plans to build a new state-of-the-art global headquarters at 2 World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan—marking the final office tower to be built at the World […]

Real Estate Power Crunch: Will Energy Availability Beat Location for Future Facilities?

As many companies face ongoing power disruptions and other energy needs, the traditional real estate mantra of “location, location, location” is increasingly giving way to “location, resilience, reliability,” according to JLL’s new “Where Energy Meets Property” report. Energy availability and security is fast becoming a defining factor in commercial real estate (CRE) decision-making, with critical […]

Why Clear Audio Is Becoming a Core Requirement in Modern Facility Operations

Have you ever strained to understand an announcement in an airport or missed critical instructions over a facility’s intercom? These moments of audio confusion are more than minor frustrations. In environments where safety, efficiency, and coordination are vital, the clarity of sound systems is a direct contributor to operational performance. The requirement for precise, intelligible […]

How AI and Other Tech Will Free Up Time for Facilities Managers in 2026

For years, the phrases “skilled trades” and “manual labor” have been synonymous with one another, making electricians, plumbers, carpenters, and HVAC technicians professions one would not associate with advanced technology or artificial intelligence (AI). However, this perception is evolving as more trade workers experience the tangible benefits of advanced technology. An August 2025 survey from […]

How Manufacturing Facilities Can Cut Carbon in 2026

For years, sustainability in manufacturing lived in slide decks, pledges, and long-range targets. As the industry moves into 2026, that era is ending, and what lies ahead is far more concrete, technical, and operational. Sustainability is no longer something companies or facilities promise; it is something they must prove. The industry is moving away from […]

How Delays in Disaster Response Impact Facility Budgets and Reputation

Disasters rarely arrive with warning, and their aftermath can escalate quickly without the right response. Tornadoes, for example, strike Texas more frequently than almost any other state, often with devastating results. In one recent year, these storms caused over $229 million in damage across the U.S., with many commercial properties hit especially hard. Businesses that […]

Awards Honor Green School Leaders of 2026

The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Green Schools National Network (GSNN) have announced the recipients of the 2026 Best of Green Schools Awards. The awards recognize 11 U.S. schools, districts, organizations, or individuals for advancing environmental stewardship, creating healthy learning environments, and promoting education for a sustainable future. “America’s students deserve […]