NFMT East 2026: Where Germs Are Hiding in Facilities
At NFMT East 2026, experts warned that germs hide in overlooked facility zones such as drains, soft furnishings, and automated dispensers, posing health risks and operational disruptions. They emphasized a "recipe" approach—integrating people, process, and technology—to achieve effective pathogen control. Recent studies show cleaning can sometimes increase microbial loads, and aerosolization can spread contaminants far beyond the original surface. Targeted interventions on high‑touch points, biofilm‑prone pipes, and malfunctioning dispensers are essential for true infection prevention.
How Variable Speed HVAC Motors Can Accelerate Facility Decarbonization
Industrial facilities are turning to variable‑speed‑drive (VSD) motors to slash the energy intensity of HVAC systems, which account for 28% of global building‑related emissions. ABB’s LV Titanium motor‑drive unit combines an IE5 premium‑efficiency permanent‑magnet motor with an integrated drive, delivering...
Schneider Electric Introduces Variable Speed HVAC Drives to Support Energy Savings
Schneider Electric launched two variable‑speed HVAC drives, the ATH200 and ATH600, promising more than 30% energy savings and robust operation in temperatures from –10 °F to 60 °F. The drives are built for OEMs serving commercial and mission‑critical buildings, featuring native Modbus...
NFMT East 2026: Lowering Peak Energy Demand Can Provide Outsized Benefit
At NFMT East 2026, Sanalife Energy highlighted the growing burden of demand charges on commercial and industrial facilities, with rates climbing to nearly $70 per kilowatt in some regions. Richard Fox explained that trimming peak demand directly translates into substantial...
3 C-Stores Taking Car Washes to the Next Level
Convenience‑store operators are re‑imagining car washes as profit centers, adding subscription plans and digital loyalty ties to drive recurring revenue. Circle K’s parent runs standalone brands Clean Freak and Rainstorm, while Loop Neighborhood Market runs an app‑only subscription model that links...
NFMT East 2026: How Building Operations Help Organizations’ Strategic Goals
The NFMT East 2026 conference highlighted how facilities managers are leveraging AI and other smart‑building technologies to meet strategic objectives. At the opening keynote, Hornets Sports & Entertainment detailed its $240 million Spectrum Center renovation, which combined new seating, LED upgrades,...
Safer Skies Act Creates More Tools for Defending Against Drones
The Safer Skies Act, signed into law as part of the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, gives state, local, tribal and federal law‑enforcement agencies the authority to use radio‑frequency detection to identify, track and, if needed, commandeer rogue drones. Previously,...
Power and Capital Constraints May Drive Shift to Modular Cooling, Smaller Data Centers
Limited grid capacity and an 18% rise in industrial electricity rates are lengthening power‑connection timelines to five years in key data‑center markets, forcing developers to seek onsite microgrids, generators and batteries. JLL warns that power availability now drives site selection...
Which Healthcare Facility Retrofits Save the Most Energy and Emissions?
Hospitals are turning to retrofits rather than new construction to meet tighter sustainability rules, budget constraints, and patient demand, according to a Schneider Electric and JLL white paper. The study examined nine energy‑and‑carbon conservation measures (ECCMs) across seven facilities in...
AI Offers More Intelligent Building Security Alerts, Johnson Controls Expert Says
Johnson Controls' vice president of innovation Greg Parker says AI can make building security alerts faster, more accurate, and actionable, detecting camera misalignments, crowd formation, and anomalies in milliseconds. The Connected Security platform now delivers probabilistic alarm insights and automated...
Strong Demand for Building Sustainability Standards: BREEAM
BRE Global reports a 90 % increase in BREEAM certifications across North America between 2023 and 2025, highlighting rapid adoption in the U.S. market. California leads with over 60 certified projects, followed by Texas, Minnesota, Tennessee and Indiana. Industrial properties show...
How Commercial Property Management Firms Are Using AI — and Hope to Use It Tomorrow
Commercial real‑estate giants are moving from speculative AI chatter to concrete strategies. Cushman & Wakefield introduced an AI Impact Barometer to gauge sector‑wide effects and is using AI for space‑planning, leasing automation, and data‑lake creation. CBRE is leveraging its extensive property...
Why Bigger Batteries Can Make Sense for Facilities
Industrial facilities are re‑evaluating battery energy storage systems (BESS) as installation costs remain largely fixed regardless of capacity, making larger batteries economically attractive. Scott Childers of Stryten Energy notes that a 1 MWh unit spreads upfront expenses over more discharge hours,...
Brooklyn Project Shows Feasibility of Using Geothermal in Dense Urban Areas
Developer LCOR completed the 1515 Surf Avenue mixed‑use project in Coney Island, installing New York City’s largest district‑scale geothermal system. The 400,000‑sq‑ft development, with 460 residential units, relied on $4.52 million in public incentives and a 30 % federal tax credit to offset...
Battery Energy Storage Systems No Longer Just for Backup: NeoVolta
NeoVolta says battery energy storage systems are moving beyond backup power to become a profit‑center for commercial and industrial facilities. The company leverages the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which preserves tax incentives through 2032, allowing owners to slash upfront costs by 30‑50%...
Only 26% of Maintenance Is Preventive: UpKeep Survey
UpKeep’s State of Maintenance 2026 survey of 214 managers reveals that only 26 % of maintenance activities are preventive, despite 90 % of facilities leaders endorsing the approach. The primary obstacles are insufficient staffing and scheduling conflicts, which UpKeep describes as structural...
Automation, Reshoring Trends Expected to Boost Industrial Real Estate Activity
Industrial real‑estate activity is rebounding after pandemic‑induced vacancies as reshoring, automation and third‑party logistics (3PL) demand drive a flight to higher‑quality space. Vacancy absorption has accelerated, and CBRE projects renewals to exceed 35% of total leasing volume, well above the...
Maintenance Performance Requires Discipline in Data Management: Limble
Limble’s latest survey of over 200 asset‑intensive firms shows that high‑quality maintenance data drives a 33% boost in confidence for key performance indicators and lifts cross‑functional trust to 51% of respondents. Discipline in capturing and managing CMMS data leads to...
Recreation Center Is First Public NYC Building to Meet LEED V4 Platinum
Brooklyn’s Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center became the first public building in New York City to earn LEED v4 Platinum certification, marking a milestone for municipal sustainability. The $141 million, 74,000‑square‑foot all‑electric facility uses less than half the energy of comparable structures, cuts fresh‑water...
Mobile Credentials Provide Safer, More Seamless Security: HID
Mobile credentials are rapidly gaining traction in higher‑education campuses and commercial‑real‑estate portfolios, driven by seamless integration with smart‑building and HR systems. HID’s 2025 State of Security and Identity report shows that 69% of security leaders have deployed or plan to...
How Getting Building Data Early in an M&A Deal Can Add Value
Facilities managers are often left out of M&A due diligence, yet early access to building data can dramatically increase deal value. By collaborating with finance teams, they can inventory leases, square footage, occupancy, and technology stacks before the transaction closes....
Johnson Controls to Acquire Thermal Management Firm Alloy Enterprises
Johnson Controls announced a definitive agreement to acquire Boston‑based Alloy Enterprises, a specialist in direct liquid‑cooling platforms for high‑performance data centers and mission‑critical industrial sites. Alloy’s technology claims up to 35 % improvement in thermal‑management efficiency and a 75 % reduction in...
House Bill Gives Facilities Tax Breaks for Improving IAQ
A bipartisan House bill, dubbed the Airborne Act, would grant commercial building owners tax credits for indoor‑air‑quality (IAQ) assessments and HVAC or filtration upgrades. Credits start at $1 per square foot for assessments, $5 per square foot for filter upgrades...
How Digital Signage Providers Can Help Facilities Teams Add Value
Facilities managers upgrading to digital signage can extract greater value by partnering with providers like LG Electronics USA, which emphasizes cost efficiency, asset management, and return on investment. Bingham notes that modern signage must integrate seamlessly with other technologies to...
Colliers Going All-In on AI, CEO Hennick Says
Colliers announced a multiyear, record‑high AI investment, raising its IT capital expenditures to a level never seen in the company’s history. The spend is expected to deliver productivity gains and higher margins within two to three years across its commercial...
City’s Adoption of EUI Signals Less Reliance on Third-Party Building Certifications
Alexandria, Virginia, approved a new ordinance that lets developers meet green‑building requirements using an energy‑use intensity (EUI) metric instead of relying solely on third‑party certifications. The rule applies to commercial projects of 10,000 sq ft or larger, offering a choice between traditional...
CBRE Sees 13% Growth in Facilities Management Revenue
CBRE reported a 13% year‑over‑year increase in facilities‑management revenue for Q4 2025, driven by strong data‑center services and expanding local operations in the Americas. The building operations and experience segment grew 15%, bolstered by recent acquisitions of Industrious and Pearce...