Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
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 residential and commercial building sector is the leading energy consumer in the U.S. economy, accounting for approximately 40% of the nation’s entire energy consumption and 35% of U.S. carbon emissions. What’s worse? The […]
Earth Day is a good reminder that facilities managers play an important role in managing environmental impact. Daily operational decisions can shape how sustainable a building is. Managers can use this holiday to develop a clear and practical plan to improve energy efficiency and support long-term environmental goals. Conduct a Facility-Wide Energy Audit An energy […]
Hyperscale data center growth is running headlong into real-world constraints—interconnection queues, transformer lead times, water stress, community scrutiny, and tightening climate policy. At the same time, the thermal profile of the data center sector is shifting decisively from air to liquid cooling, concentrating heat into a form far more useful than a plume of hot […]
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 […]
Water systems are among the most essential—and least visible—components of any facility. Pipes, valves, pumps, and recirculation loops work quietly behind walls and below floors, delivering water for sanitation, heating, cooling, and daily operations. Because these systems often function behind the scenes, they tend to receive less attention than HVAC or electrical systems—until a failure […]
Behind every high-performing building lies an unsung hero: the central plant. These mechanical nerve centers—clusters of chillers, boilers, pumps, and cooling towers—quietly provide heating and cooling to hospitals, airports, campuses, and other complex facilities. When everything hums along, hardly anyone gives them a second thought. But when a pump fails or a chiller trips, the […]
Between unpredictable weather pattern changes, record heat waves, devastating storms, and raging wildfires, utilities remain under massive strain to keep up with unpredictable usage demands. Additional factors like regulations, tariffs, and grid constraints further impact energy budgets. As unforeseen costs and usage spikes remain rampant, especially for companies with multi-site portfolios, current energy budgets simply […]
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 […]
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 […]
In a year when data centers faced their toughest power challenges yet, the industry didn’t just survive—it thrived. JLL’s new North America Data Center Year-End 2024 Report reveals a sector charging full speed ahead, with colocation vacancy plummeting to a record low of 2.6% and absorption levels doubling in just two years. But beneath the surface of […]