Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
For decades, facilities managers (FMs) have been the unsung heroes of commercial and retail buildings, ensuring comfort, safety, and operational continuity behind the scenes. However, as the built environment faces the mounting pressures of rising energy costs, ambitious sustainability goals, and the challenge of “doing more with less,” the FM role is undergoing a deep […]
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 […]
There is no such thing as perfect, airtight security. This is a hard truth that facilities managers have to accept. Any security setup is going to have gaps somewhere. Our job is to minimize those gaps to reduce the odds of a malicious actor slipping through and help keep the facility safe amidst a rising […]
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 […]
Technology companies are strategically optimizing their real estate portfolios to free up capital for artificial intelligence (AI) investments while simultaneously enhancing workplace effectiveness. JLL’s “2025 Technology Spaces Report” explores how technology organizations are using data-driven strategies to balance cost optimization with innovation demands across office and specialized research spaces. “The race to lead in artificial […]
Incorporating everything from hands-on labor to leadership roles, facilities management is a versatile industry that has a lot to offer professionals with different skill sets. That’s why Mike McGraw is happy his career path led him to FM over 20 years ago. McGraw currently serves as a unit director at ESFM USA, the corporate facilities […]
The threat landscape for Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled smart buildings is rapidly evolving, with cyberattacks showing a significant upward trend. Reports indicate cyberattacks targeting IoT devices more than doubled in 2024, surging by 124%. This surge underscores the growing focus of cybercriminals on exploiting vulnerabilities within interconnected building systems. Such attacks can compromise everything from […]
Production supervisor Scott Wagner received a text message at 6:42 a.m. while at home preparing for his commute. The night shift ended almost two hours ago, but he was just now learning about a critical failure in the assembly line’s main conveyor system. The overnight team had been struggling with the issue since 4:15 a.m., […]
Many facilities management (FM) teams are aging, creating an urgent need to attract and retain Gen Z talent to sustain operations and drive future innovation. This generation brings fresh perspectives on digital tools and flexible workflows. Companies must adopt practical strategies beyond traditional hiring and retention methods to stay competitive. Bridging generational skill gaps and […]
Facilities managers know all too well the high cost of inefficiency—how anything from a lack of insulation to a poorly maintained HVAC system can lead to compounding utility costs. Inefficiency isn’t just about energy, though—it also encompasses water waste. And one of the most common sources of water waste is undetected, unaddressed leaking. Leaks can […]