Heat pumps have bright future, expert says

Installation training remains a challenge — alongside pushback from the fossil fuel industry and old worries about cold-weather operation — but the future favors the technology, a professor says.

By Joe Burns • Nov. 3, 2025

Utah landscaping firm wants $1B after immigration raid

The state attorney general at the time fabricated facts to accuse Rubicon Contracting of illegal human trafficking in a malicious prosecution, the company says in a lawsuit.

By Robert Freedman • Oct. 31, 2025

California greenlights $25M for apprenticeship programs

Through the Employment Training Panel, the cash will fund 88 apprenticeship programs and some 22,000 workers, many in construction.

By Matthew Thibault • Oct. 28, 2025

Attracting and retaining technicians: ‘It’s often not about money’

Big-picture thinking and making employees feel valued can keep facilities maintenance workers from leaving, says Bryan Decker of Compass Facilities.

By Robert Freedman • Oct. 27, 2025

Employees value office time but struggle with noise, air quality: survey

Time in the office provides “social glue” and advancement opportunities, but building operators must use data to inform decision-making, XY Sense says. 

By Joe Burns • Oct. 20, 2025

As California’s new energy code nears, training is available to help FMs meet it

Software company IES and the U.S. Green Building Council California are offering advanced modeling and performance analysis training so building operators don’t have to fly blind.

By Joe Burns • Oct. 9, 2025

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 Joe Burns • Sept. 30, 2025

DOL says it’s thinking about overtime as it provides timelines for regulations

The agency published its full Spring 2025 regulatory agenda Thursday, nearly a month after apparently removing an earlier version from a White House website.

By Ryan Golden • Sept. 5, 2025

Skilled trades initiatives expand as demand for workers is projected to grow

Demand for HVAC, electrical and plumbing workers is expected to grow at a rate much faster than average, the Bureau of Labor Statistics says.

By Joe Burns • Sept. 3, 2025

US companies collaborate to grow skilled trades workforce

The Business Roundtable sees opportunities to solve the labor gap on a large scale.

By Benton Graham • Aug. 18, 2025

Massachusetts awards skilled trades grants, approves private apprenticeship program

The approval of C&W Services’ apprenticeship program offers the facility service firm “a competitive advantage in a tight labor market,” an executive said.

By Joe Burns • Aug. 12, 2025

September offers window for cheaper, faster HVAC work

Between August and October, when the need for heating and cooling overlap, HVAC service calls hit a lull, meaning less demand and cheaper prices for repairs or maintenance, Samsara says.

By Joe Burns • Aug. 8, 2025

Employers’ emphasis on skilled trades lost on Gen Z: Harris poll

Young workers don’t realize going into the trades can offer good pay more quickly than pursuing a college-based career, the report says.

By Robert Freedman • July 31, 2025

The accidental facility manager: Robert Alemany

With a background in teaching and business, the private school facilities manager relies on people skills to meet his challenges — including making an old building efficient under NYC's Local Law 97.

By Joe Burns • Updated July 30, 2025

Don’t leave cleaning robots to their own devices, manufacturer says

Facility managers should assign someone specific to oversee an autonomous scrubber or other cleaning device to get optimal performance, says a Tennant executive.

By Joe Burns • July 24, 2025

Employees want informal social areas, food to boost collaboration

Most companies requiring in-office work are offering no perks to encourage attendance, leaving opportunities for collaboration on the table, a report by ezCater says. 

By Joe Burns • July 23, 2025

Career and technical education’s proposed move to Labor Department denounced by advocates, lawmakers

The Trump administration says the CTE change will improve efficiencies and spur innovation. Critics say it's "fragmented" and "illegal."

By Kara Arundel • June 27, 2025

Among those in skilled trades, high hopes for a renewed focus on apprenticeships

A push by the Trump administration to put more money into hands-on training is seen as a good start to addressing a longstanding, bipartisan concern: the persistent labor shortage in skilled trades. 

By Benton Graham • May 21, 2025

World FM Day puts renewed focus on talent

Finding skilled labor is a struggle for many facilities managers, but training workers on the newest tools can help to boost morale and meet operational goals, experts say.

By Joe Burns • May 14, 2025

Facility managers appreciate flexibility in work, despite long hours

While budgets have increased, many facility teams struggle to juggle the rising costs of repairs. Despite this, many feel satisfied with their role and would recommend the career, a survey says.

By Joe Burns • April 4, 2025

Sodexo caught in union dues tussle

While the company waits for union instructions, an employee has filed a labor complaint to stop it from deducting dues from her paycheck.

By Robert Freedman • March 21, 2025

Talent problems hinder AI use in facilities management

Over 90% of U.S. commercial building managers using AI report challenges with hiring skilled, tech-savvy individuals, a Honeywell report says.

By Joe Burns • March 3, 2025

ASHRAE offers chapters funding for energy efficiency, technical services

Building operators are encouraged to reach out to engineering firms and local chapters, which may be able to provide pro bono work in the community.

By Joe Burns • Feb. 28, 2025

2025 facilities management outlook

From AI and automation to data center cooling and more, advances in technology are key to the progression of building operations and management, facility managers say.

By Joe Burns • Jan. 31, 2025

FM Technology Outlook: Will AI lead to efficiency gains in 2025?

Experts see promise in generative AI’s ability to guide facilities managers and other building operators as well as enable new use cases for existing technologies. 

By Joe Burns • Updated Jan. 31, 2025