Resources

64% of FM leaders cite inadequate training and change management among the primary causes of technology failure, yet only 9% identified it as a critical factor when reflecting on past success. https://fmuk-online.co.uk/new-research-reveals-training-paradox-undermining-fm-modernisation-efforts

In January, I usually look to the future. But winter has a way of slowing you down. Fewer distractions. Sharper thinking. On cold mornings, I like to imagine a walk through a small, fictional graveyard. Not of people, but of smart building and smart city technologies that once mattered deeply, worked remarkably well, and are…

Despite its low maturity, the speed of AI-related change is unprecedented. https://www.jll.com/en-us/insights/global-real-estate-cre-technology-survey

JLL Workforce Preference Barometer 2025 https://www.jll.com/en-us/insights/workforce-preference-barometer

JLL’s Global State of Facilities Management Report 2025. https://www.jll.com/en-us/insights/global-state-of-facilities-management-report/?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=gl-gl-wd-fm-ifm-campaign-0125&utm_content=state-of-fm-report&utm_term=sprout

An in-depth research report exploring agility, technology opportunities, workplace strategy transformation, and supply chain solutions to drive facilities management excellence. https://www.colliers.com/en-in/countries/india/occupier-services/adaptive-facilities-management

Open Standards: An Essential Basic Guide to Smart Building Interoperability 2025. https://memoori.com/open-standards-essential-guide-building-interop-2025/

To become climate-friendly, buildings need heat pumps, energy-efficiency measures, cleaner construction, and tech that makes their power use more flexible. https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/carbon-free-buildings/decarbonize-world-buildings?utm_source=Blueprint&utm_campaign=6df57a89d1-Newsletter_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b0b9cbf437-6df57a89d1-209822381

Current wokrplace and real estate changes that are happening, and where customer and partner requests are coming in. This short video covers three topics: Data, interoperability, and standardisation Customer success and ROI Simplifying the buying process https://www.linkedin.com/posts/michaelgrant-metrikus_i-thought-it-was-about-time-i-filmed-a-video-activity-7300137513329799168-jAGM?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAD4PFUB86meCEO-9-BRjJGK9n9qQmXdYpI

In the smart building industry, one of the main hurdles to achieving optimal building performance has historically been the management and interpretation of unstructured data. Advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) have dramatically reduced this barrier. AI has demonstrated remarkable capabilities in recognising and interpreting relationships between building assets without explicit labels. For example, AI can…

https://youtu.be/4DdLbGUHrV8?si=Ldnrzm4nlCss5u5A

In the not-too-distant future, building owners may hold more than just high expectations – they might use the courts as a tool for enforcing design quality. As KPIs for sustainability, health and wellbeing, and community engagement shift from being woolly should-haves to baseline requirements, accountability in building design will inevitably transform. Miss these critical targets,…

Our industry is famed for its complexity and intricate collaborations. The idea of a smart building design consultancy running on just two people might sound like a radical proposition. Yet, in our increasingly digital world, where the industry seems to have converged on a standard set of smart building capabilities, the impressive prowess of generative…

If you’ve been in a meeting or sat through a panel about building technology lately, you’ve probably heard someone mix Building Information Modelling (BIM) with smart buildings. For those not conversant with the nuances, it’s an easy mistake to make. Both terms are steeped in digital innovation, both involve data, and — let’s be honest…

As we look ahead to 2025, the intersection of technology and the built environment promises some steps closer to how we design, operate, and inhabit our spaces. In 2024, a lack of liquidity saw the industry cautiously dipping its toes into some of the tech it promised to. War, elections and lingering inflation prevented much…

As smart buildings start to enter the mainstream for most corporates, there’s a common challenge that keeps popping up – who should own the smart capability within a company? Today, most offices are more than just desks, a coffee machine and passive-aggressive emails. They’re complex, tech-enabled ecosystems, replete with sensors, data analytics, and automated systems…

We’ve all seen it happen. Someone had a great idea, but it was a bit last minute. Usually, by the time a scheme gets to RIBA Stage 4 (detailed design), the property developer is focused on what they can do to create the most differentiation in the market. Understandable. We all want to add what…

It’s a question that keeps coming up: Where does the smart building designer sit in a multidisciplinary design team? The answer has been different every time, depending on the project, the people, and how “smart” the client really wants the building to be. The thing is, smart touches every part of a design —architecture (where…

For the past 10 years, I’ve been trying to calculate the same thing that my very first smart building client challenged me on… “yeah, that’s all great. But what’s the return on investment if I spend this much?”. And well, that’s a difficult question to answer. It’s taken me years and lots of trial and…

It’s no surprise to anyone that knows me, that I love a certificate. In fact, I’ve just celebrated my 5 year anniversary as a reverend of the Universal Life Church. Peace be upon your smart building… but the vast range and increasing specificity of some certifications is getting out of control. Lately, email signatures have…

I’ve never been particularly enthusiastic about digital twins. I don’t know why. Maybe they’re for the sort of people that never grew out of their ‘The Simms’ phase? Maybe the abuse suffered at Architecture School has led me to believe that those hours at the literal drawing board with leaky Rotring pens, was somehow worthwhile?…

It’s starting to become clear to many across the industry that their smart buildings didn’t deliver the value that they were promised. From bombastic sales pitches to guaranteed savings, some have been left with lacklustre results or, at worst, nothing at all. And now that AI is being thrown into the mix, many are feeling…

Open-plan offices have never been for me. I don’t have the attention span to deal with all the distractions, I’m a germaphobe, and I still struggle to understand that, just because they’re far away, you don’t need to shout down the phone. To be a bit Gen Z about it, they’re just not part of…

We’ve all worked on projects that want one… a Single Pane of Glass. Apparently, having one place to access all systems is the panacea of smart buildings. They’re supposed to be sleek, streamlined interfaces that bring together various systems – be that heating and cooling to security and lighting – into one, easy-to-use dashboard. It’s…

On a recent conference panel, I was disheartened to confirm something that I had already suspected. When someone has success with their smart building project, it’s kept top secret. So this month’s column is a combo of whinge and a business self-help article. I find the level of secrecy to be a paradox that is…