e have all heard the phrase, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” It is attributed to a French thinker dating back to the 1840s, and I think about the saying a lot during conversations with facility executives. While planning coverage for next year’s magazines, I asked our advisory boards about trending topics they are thinking about looking toward 2027. Many of the topics they mentioned are not surprising — artificial intelligence, increased data analysis, rising reliance on renewable energies, the impact of tariffs and finding more ways to improve indoor air quality. But as those topics evolve by the year, one topic never seems to fade — finding the next generation of workers.
Read This » Cincinnati Open Renovation: How Venue Design Improves Event Operationsey Takeaways: Designing the expanded campus as “tennis in a park” uses landscaping, shade, gathering spaces and clear circulation to improve guest comfort during long event days while supporting grounds durability and rapid maintenance. A larger footprint with a more modest capacity increase disperses crowds across the venue, reducing pressure on concessions, restrooms, seating, waste collection and circulation routes. Integrated ticketing, access control, cameras, connectivity and a central command center give operations teams real-time visibility to adjust staffing, parking, traffic routing and security without disrupting visitor flow. For facility management executives, the most interesting part of a major sports venue renovation is often operational rather than architectural: how crowd flow, landscape durability, security, staffing, food service, and guest amenities work together under event pressure. That makes the Cincinnati Open’s $260 million transformation of the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio, a useful case study for facility managers, grounds professionals, and building engineers. Held Aug.
Read This » How Facility Managers Can Retain Top Maintenance Techniciansey Takeaways: Effective people management begins with identifying whether an employee challenge is rooted in unclear expectations, poor working conditions or a mismatch between the person and the role. Top maintenance technicians deliver value beyond technical versatility by recognizing early warning signs, addressing root causes and preventing costly equipment failures before they disrupt operations. To retain high performers, managers should assign complex work, provide outcome-based autonomy, offer direct developmental feedback and ensure leadership recognizes their contributions. Maintenance and engineering managers face a host of personnel challenges these days, including the basic question of how and where to find qualified technicians to replace older technicians who are retiring.
Read This » Are Your Sprinkler Systems Ready When It Counts?When a fire breaks out in any institutional or commercial building, a properly maintained sprinkler system can be the difference between a contained emergency and a devastating loss.
Read This » Building Security Design: How Early Integration Cuts Costs and Improves Accesshe integration of modern, proactive security design is increasingly replacing the old reactive approach toward building security.
Read This » Facility Condition Assessments Help Building Owners Plan Aheadey Takeaways: Facility condition assessments evaluate a building’s systems, age, maintenance history and physical condition to identify issues before they become costly failures. Assessment scopes can focus on specific assets such as roofs or HVAC equipment, or cover an entire facility based on organizational priorities and budget. The greatest value comes from using FCA findings to build a capital roadmap and support evidence-based funding conversations with the C-suite. Every building has a story, but the story is often written in places where facilities teams cannot see.
Read This » Handling Winter’s Worst: How the University of Maine System Tackles Snow and Iceey Takeaways: Prepare early: Winter readiness starts months ahead with equipment servicing, material stockpiles, route planning and staff drills—not when the first storm arrives. Tailor operations to local conditions: Choose deicing materials, equipment and clearing methods based on the specific mix of snow, ice, temperatures, surfaces and sustainability requirements. Put people and continuity first: Train and support crews, prioritize emergency routes and critical buildings, and maintain backup equipment, parts, fuel and contractor relationships. If most grounds managers at institutional and commercial institutions think their winters are tough, they need to try keeping a campus running when annual snowfall can be up to 200 inches, temperatures plunge as low as 40 degrees below zero and snow blankets the ground from Thanksgiving until May. This scenario is reality for grounds managers across Maine, where winter is a months-long operation that demands careful planning, reliable equipment and teams ready to respond around the clock.
Read This » A Look at NFMT West's Peer-Led Education SessionsFMT West offers attendees more than 30 sessions with real experts providing real answers for facility managers to take home to their staff at institutional and commercial facilities. Many of the education sessions are led by boots-on-the ground facility managers who experience the highs and lows of their occupation every day.
Read This » Claude Harding Keeps Art, People and Building in Harmonyey Takeaways: Claude Harding’s deep knowledge of the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art helps him recognize subtle changes in the building before they become larger problems. Strong communication and relationships across departments allow Harding and his team to coordinate maintenance while protecting priceless artwork and supporting museum operations. Harding believes facilities management is ultimately about people, emphasizing teamwork, transparency, adaptability and a willingness to help others. Some of the world’s most famous artworks capture the beauty in the mundane.
Read This » Specifying Door Hardware for Historic Buildingsey Takeaways: Historic status and architectural style should guide door hardware selections, with landmarked buildings potentially requiring preservation office approval. Exterior door hardware must be selected with local climate and exposure in mind, particularly in areas affected by deicing salts or marine conditions. Managers can balance preservation, cost and lead times by considering substitute materials or custom hardware while maintaining the building’s intended aesthetic. Renovation and adaptive reuse of existing buildings are increasingly embraced as vehicles for sustainability and preservation, and the repair and replacement of exterior doors is an integral component for many of these projects.
Read This » Building Resilience from the Outside Iney Takeaways: Passive House principles such as airtight construction, insulation, high-performance windows and heat-recovery ventilation can improve energy efficiency, occupant comfort and building resilience. Facility managers can use routine replacement and upgrade projects as opportunities to gradually improve building performance rather than waiting for a major renovation. High-performance buildings still depend on engaged operations teams that understand design intent, maintain the building envelope and monitor conditions such as temperature, humidity and CO2. Extreme heat, wildfire smoke, power outages and increasingly unpredictable weather change what facility managers need from their buildings. Keeping occupants comfortable on an ordinary day is no longer the only goal.
Read This » Drones Make Building Maintenance Safer, Faster and Cheaperhile historically, multi-story buildings have been accessed by operators on suspended scaffolding or boom lifts, drones have found their way onto the facility professional wish list as a safer, faster and sometimes even cheaper alternative.
Read This »© 2026 NFMT. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy