The US facility management industry was estimated at $2.1 Trillion in 2023, and is projected to reach $3.5 Trillion by 2030. The industry is changing fast and is faced with four large challenges: sustainability & resilience, smart building technologies, advanced materials, construction methods, & equipment, and addressing talent shortages.

Reducing the environmental impact of facilities is driven by corporate ESG mandates, government regulations, incentives, the growing need for resiliency, and reducing utility costs. Circular economy principles emphasize using renewable, recycled, and recyclable materials. Facility managers are also pushed to reduce waste, decarbonize, and advance electrification.

Smart building technology is advancing rapidly. The most dramatic example is AI, which beefs up the capabilities of building management systems (BMS), building automation systems (BAS), and building information modeling systems (BIM). AI-powered predictive maintenance is growing quickly in different types of facilities, from industrial to corporate campuses.

Advanced materials, construction methods, and innovative equipment are introduced at a dizzying pace. Biobased materials, self-healing concrete, light transmitting concrete, modular construction, and 3D printed construction. Electrification has introduced electric equipment and building systems to replace fossil fuel-burning versions. This includes EVs & EV chargers, electric scissor lifts, electric forklifts, and heat pumps for HVAC as well as hot water.

The aging of the workforce and increasing retirements creates a talent shortage, as with many other industries. Many younger workers prefer a collection of part-time opportunities and are less interested in a traditional full-time role for a single employer. Some predict half of facility management jobs will go unfilled by 2025. Facility managers are expected to increasingly rely on (and manage) contractors to get work done. New software platforms help match contractors to facility management needs.

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David Shiller

David Shiller is the Publisher of LightNOW, and President of Lighting Solution Development, a North American consulting firm providing business development services to advanced lighting manufacturers. The ALA awarded David the Pillar of the Industry Award. David has co-chaired ALA’s Engineering Committee since 2010. David established MaxLite’s OEM component sales into a multi-million dollar division. He invented GU24 lamps while leading ENERGY STAR lighting programs for the US EPA. David has been published in leading lighting publications, including LD+A, enLIGHTenment Magazine, LEDs Magazine, and more.

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