Operations

  • Students with backpacks and an adult are walking toward the side of a yellow school bus. The bus doors are open and students are going inside the bus.
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    Some districts reverse school closures despite declining enrollment

    While closures can be “deeply painful,” keeping schools open can mean fewer student resources or even a state takeover, an education professor said.

    By Anna Merod • Dec. 8, 2025
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    Madison Square Garden, Cisco partner to boost arena connectivity

    Improved in-venue connectivity for fans and improved connectivity for operations such as concessions, security and broadcast are high priorities for stadium technology pros, a 2025 survey says.

    By • Dec. 5, 2025
  • Contemporary office design, return-to-office Explore the Trendlineâž”
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    Trendline

    Office Space Utilization

    From return-to-office mandates to pressures to boost the efficiency of office space utilization, facilities management professionals navigate a landscape that must align with evolving workforce and tenant preferences. 

    By Facilities Dive staff
  • An aerial view of a 33-MW data center with a city in the background.
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    Mario Tama via Getty Images
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    U.S. data center power demand could reach 106 GW by 2035: BloombergNEF

    The forecast is 36% higher than its April estimate. Other experts warn that an AI bubble or speculative data center proposals could be fueling excessive load growth projections.

    By Brian Martucci • Dec. 4, 2025
  • Medical building for patients seeking outpatient care.
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    Outpatient facilities to drive healthcare real estate spend, CBRE says

    As providers seek more affordable options to deliver healthcare, outpatient real estate demand is expected to accelerate to record-high levels, the firm says. 

    By • Dec. 2, 2025
  • A general view of the exterior of the branch of retailer Marks and Spencer at Westfield White City on October 20, 2020 in London, England. Marks & Spencer said customer data was accessed in an April 2025 cyberattack.
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    Leon Neal via Getty Images
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    Marks & Spencer, Schneider Electric launch supply chain decarbonization program

    The British retail giant said RE:Spark will help it accelerate progress towards its sustainability goals, which include a target to achieve net-zero emissions across its supply chain by 2040.

    By Zoya Mirza • Nov. 25, 2025
  • A technician programs an automation system
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    Getting the most from ASHRAE 36 HVAC control sequences

    Deploying the best-in-class standards can reduce energy use but also improve air quality, occupant comfort and maintenance operations, design experts say.

    By • Nov. 25, 2025
  • An aerial view of a large warehouse.
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    Nathan Howard via Getty Images
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    FERC approves PECO-Amazon data center transmission agreement

    The pact raises “significant questions” about how the agency and states will protect existing customers from the costs of adding large loads to the grid, FERC Commissioner Judy Chang warned.

    By Ethan Howland • Nov. 25, 2025
  • soCommercial, Steve Taylor, excess commercial space
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    Startup offers free platform for leasing unused space, other assets

    The goal is to give building operators a quick and easy way to monetize anything they’re not using, said soCommercial CEO Steve Taylor.

    By • Nov. 24, 2025
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    As removal products advance, graffiti becomes a more manageable problem

    Lasers, drones and coatings give facilities managers more tools for keeping building defacement at bay.

    By • Nov. 21, 2025
  • The inside of an office is seen after the building was destroyed by a hurricane.
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    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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    As storms intensify, smarter preparation is key to keeping insurance costs down, experts say

    Nearly half of building operators in hurricane-prone areas spent $7,500 annually per property to prepare, a survey by Site Technologies found.   

    By • Nov. 18, 2025
  • People walk across a makeshift bridge as a damaged bridge is repaired.
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    Mario Tama via Getty Images
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    Power outages getting longer as extreme weather takes larger toll, report says

    The average length of the longest power outage has increased in all regions since 2022, according to JD Power. 

    By Meris Lutz • Nov. 17, 2025
  • A chart of rising electricity prices
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    Retrieved from U.S. Energy Information Administration.
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    Electricity prices to rise in 2026, says Energy Information Administration

    Electricity demand is also going up, with much of it concentrated in Texas due to “data centers and cryptocurrency mining facilities,” said the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

    By Meris Lutz • Nov. 13, 2025
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    Yesway nabs Murphy USA leader to spearhead facilities

    In past roles, Robert Drake has reduced maintenance costs, standardized preventive maintenance and strengthened technician training, Yesway says. 

    By Brett Dworski • Nov. 12, 2025
  • Aerial view of the Kukio Golf & Beach Club.
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    Permission granted by Derek Bacigal
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    Q&A

    At a Hawai’i beach resort, even the facilities manager must surf the waves: Derek Bacigal

    As director of facilities at an island getaway, Bacigal must ensure redundancy in critical systems and build his team’s expertise from within.

    By • Nov. 10, 2025
  • A view of a life sciences lab, with empty chairs and desks in front of a large city-facing window.
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    How AI sensors can help guide lab redesigns

    Butlr's sensors, which use body heat to detect when someone’s in a space, can help life sciences, medical technology and other research firms determine better ways to use space, CEO Honghao Deng.

    By • Oct. 31, 2025
  • design ops, Ryan Elder, Facility Systems, Inc.
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    Opinion

    Treating project design support as an operational activity

    Changing space needs is a feature of today’s business environment. Here’s how retaining a design team can give facility managers a nimbleness that saves them money and lets them leverage fast-moving opportunities.

    By Ryan Elder • Oct. 28, 2025
  • A rendering of a building in a parking lot. A sign above the door says "Sheetz." A canopy off to the side has a sign that reads "Ionna" and has a number of EV chargers and cars beneath it.
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    Courtesy of Ionna
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    EV charging missing the mark for convenience stores, industry execs say

    Leaders from Parker’s, Sheetz and Nouria discussed how customer attitudes toward chargers have changed in the past year and a half.

    By Jessica Loder • Oct. 20, 2025
  • A row of cars parked in a parking lot outside of a shopping center.
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    iStock

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    Sponsored by ECAM

    5 signs your retail parking lot security isn’t keeping up

    Are your parking lot cameras failing you? Spot these 5 warning signs before it’s too late.

    Oct. 20, 2025
  • JLLs office space with casual spaces for lounging.
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    Joe Burns/Facilities Dive
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    Deep Dive

    Inside the Aon Center: How JLL manages its home

    The integrated property management giant has people working below ground and above the clouds to ensure the building — and the people inside — can work as efficiently as possible.

    By • Oct. 17, 2025
  • Smash My Trash industrial truck
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    Permission granted by Smash My Trash
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    Sponsored by Smash My Trash

    Rethinking waste: An often overlooked area for improving operations

    It's time to take a second look at your trash; specifically, your facility's open-top dumpsters. A simple waste solution can mean big savings and improved efficiency.

    By Kirk Butts, Director of Communications • Oct. 13, 2025
  • An air conditioning unit in a modern office, with a plant blurry in the foreground.
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    IAQ doesn’t need to increase energy costs: IWBI summit speakers

    Technologies can help facility managers improve energy efficiency and indoor air quality at the same time, ASHRAE President Bill McQuade said.

    By • Oct. 3, 2025
  • A person works on a panel of a large metal box that says Fuel Cell Energy DFC 300.
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    David McNew via Getty Images
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    Facilities could be impacted as DOE cuts nearly $7.6B in clean energy project funding

    Cuts to 223 projects across 16 states will mean job losses, higher energy costs and weaker grid reliability, affecting businesses, experts and state agencies warn. 

    By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Oct. 3, 2025
  • IFMA World Workplace 2025 conference
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    Federal property crisis at inflection point. Incremental moves needed, experts say.

    Market uncertainty complicates solutions as officials wrestle with what to do with millions of square feet of obsolete and underused real estate: IFMA panel.  

    By Brian Martucci • Oct. 1, 2025
  • 2026 conferences for facilities managers
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    Facilities management conferences of note in 2026

    Next year’s facilities management conferences will cover best practices for managing building systems, leveraging technology, recruiting and retaining talent and navigating market conditions. 

    By • Sept. 30, 2025
  • School facilities director
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    Q&A

    The virtue of responsiveness in facilities management: Danny Clemens

    When the buck stops with you on the condition of your organization’s buildings, you owe same-day replies to the people you serve, says a retiring school district facilities chief.

    By • Sept. 26, 2025