Opinion
The latest opinion pieces by industry thought leaders
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The accountability gap in facility management
Facility managers are increasingly accountable for security outcomes across multiple sites even when the systems responsible for delivering those outcomes remain largely outside their control.
Tim Garrett • Aug. 25, 2026 -
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Partnerships: the cornerstone of future-ready buildings
Automating operations must be phased in for facility managers to get the full benefits of smart building technology.
Susanne Seitz • Aug. 20, 2026 -
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How hotels can prepare for hurricane season
Annual property inspections can help hotels identify weather-related maintenance issues before they become costly losses, writes a senior director at an insurance research company.
Ross Haigler • Aug. 19, 2026 -
Courtesy of KLAUS Multiparking America
How changing seasons affect mechanical parking systems
Spring, summer, fall and winter impact car stacker systems differently. Aligning maintenance to the season can save a facility at budget time by heading off avoidable damage.
Darnell Lee • Aug. 12, 2026 -
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Renovating without shutting down: The unique challenges of open-store convenience store remodels
Because of the complicated needs of convenience stores, retailers who want to remain open during renovations need to plan carefully, writes Justin Elder of Elder-Jones.
Justin Elder • Aug. 6, 2026 -
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Building performance standards have deadlines and penalties — are you ready for them?
Some buildings are already in the compliance window. For managers of these buildings, the margin for making operational changes to lower emissions is shrinking.
Christy Martell • July 27, 2026 -
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The data center boom is exposing the limits of facilities management software
Operators must manage power systems, cooling infrastructure and building systems across multiple sites, each carrying its own maintenance history, regulatory obligations and contractual commitments, making integration key.
Bob Mostachetti • July 8, 2026 -
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Periodic inspections alone can no longer keep aging buildings safe
On the five-year anniversary of the Surfside condominium building collapse, a building safety specialist highlights the importance of structural monitoring systems.
Greg Batista • June 24, 2026 -
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How cycling HVAC systems to cooling creates IAQ risks
When outdoor humidity rises faster than a building’s systems can compensate, seasonal transitions drive humidity fluctuations that building envelopes and HVAC systems weren’t always designed to handle.
Steve Willis • June 17, 2026 -
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Behind-the-meter data center gas plants will raise US energy bills
Counterintuitively, it is data centers’ independence from the grid and use of natural gas that will hike energy costs for homes and businesses, write experts from Energy Innovation.
Jeffrey Rissman and Eric Gimon • June 10, 2026 -
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Boston’s BERDO emissions deadline has been extended — but prompt action is building operators’ best move
Missing the deadline could result in daily fines of up to $300 for each building and imperil the building’s ability to benefit from flexibility provisions.
Erin Camp • May 19, 2026 -
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How demand for green space is transforming offices
Facility managers that get design and maintenance right can help their organization use green space to attract Gen Z workers to the office.
Kade Thomas • May 15, 2026 -
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Billions in battery tax credits hinge on FEOC compliance
In the near term, complying with foreign entity of concern restrictions will slow energy storage decision-making, but over time it will reward organizations that can operationalize compliance.
Ravi Manghani • April 30, 2026 -
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Why mobile access control standards matter for building operations
A shared standard for mobile access credentials could ease facility managers’ work by enabling them to use different access control systems without running into device compatibility problems.
Haniel Lynn • April 24, 2026 -
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The most commonly missed risk in cleaning contracts
The indemnification clause that facility managers rely on won't always protect them if the vendor is found to be misclassifying its workers.
Charlie Ramshaw • April 15, 2026 -
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What FMs need to know about data center immersion cooling fluid selection
Immersion systems place IT equipment in continuous contact with dielectric fluid, so facilities managers can benefit from understanding how differences between fluids can affect system performance.
Dennis Schuetzle • April 6, 2026 -
Courtesy of Hydrosense
The next generation of Legionella detection
Rapid testing kits can help facilities managers reduce outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease in commercial buildings.
Greg Rankin • March 24, 2026 -
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Why data centers will need a ‘bring your own power’ strategy
If the AI boom is not handled correctly, we will put grid stability and public trust at odds with tech-led growth, writes Ameresco CEO George Sakellaris.
George Sakellaris • March 23, 2026 -
Courtesy of ABB
How variable speed HVAC motors can accelerate facility decarbonization
By adjusting motor speed to demand, HVAC systems use only the necessary amount of energy, reducing consumption by as much as 50%, ABB data show.
Yann Bottoli • March 17, 2026 -
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How smart building systems became the weakest link in property security
In many facilities, passwords are tracked in spreadsheets, shared across teams or passed along informally when responsibilities shift, exposing organizations to unauthorized access to their networks.
Chris Skipworth • March 5, 2026 -
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How adding safeguards to system diagrams can reduce breakdowns
LOOP-BAR, a process designed to prevent problems in ammonia refrigeration systems, has applicability to other systems that pose dangers in the event of an incident.
Kushal Aurangabadkar • Feb. 25, 2026 -
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Hidden assets: Why data centers don’t have to be the villain
Scheduling intensive computing tasks for off-peak hours and implementing on-site generation assets are two ways data center operators can work with their utility to ease energy loads while generating revenue, a software company executive says.
Scott Engstrom • Feb. 18, 2026 -
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Time for facilities to leverage solar incentives is winding down
Whether you're considering leasing your rooftop to a solar developer, purchasing a system or entering into a power purchase agreement, there’s still time to improve project ROI with federal tax credits — but not much time.
Gabe Phillips • Feb. 6, 2026 -
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How heat pumps are transforming high-performance facilities
The transition to heat pumps is underway across energy-intensive facilities like hospitals and airports, demonstrating that this technology is operationally feasible and economically sound.
Ned Greene • Dec. 22, 2025 -
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Solving the communication gap behind refrigeration problems
Many system breakdowns begin long before there’s equipment failure. The key to heading these off is early escalation of process safety management anomalies.
Kushal Aurangabadkar • Dec. 17, 2025
