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Facilities Management in 2025: Challenges and Trends
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Facilities management is evolving at a rapid pace, driven by technological innovation, growing sustainability needs and new dynamics in the workplace. In 2025, facilities managers will face complex challenges, but they will also have tools and technologies at their disposal that can transform the way they manage buildings and resources. Below, we detail some of the main trends and challenges that will mark this sector in the coming years:
These trends require innovation, security and investment in skills development, creating a more sustainable and efficient future in facilities management.
As buildings become more connected and digitalized, cybersecurity becomes a priority. Systems such as access control, energy management and building automation are permeable to cyber attacks, and any breach can result in huge losses, both in financial and reputational terms.
Challenges: Smart buildings and digitalized management systems depend on a robust cyber infrastructure. Facility managers will need to take a holistic approach to cybersecurity, from the physical security of servers to the ongoing training of teams on how to prevent and respond to attacks.
Solutions: The implementation of real-time monitoring systems and close collaboration with IT teams will be key to protecting systems. In addition, the integration of advanced security technologies, such as multi-factor authentication and encryption of sensitive data, helps to protect building and occupant data.
Cybersecurity will also be a central concern when it comes to protecting the sensitive data of occupants and the building's operation. Managers will have to adopt strict monitoring, auditing and incident response practices to ensure that control and monitoring systems are not subject to unauthorized access.
With the growing complexity of facilities management, the shortage of qualified professionals is a constant concern. The need for qualifications in emerging technologies, such as automation, artificial intelligence and sustainability, requires facilities managers to adapt and train their teams to face the new challenges.
Challenges: The shortage of qualified talent in the sector requires companies to focus on training and retaining employees. In addition, rapid technological evolution requires constant adaptation, with facilities professionals needing specific skills in areas such as data management, automation and cybersecurity.
Solutions: Investing in the ongoing training and retraining of facilities professionals will be essential to ensuring a qualified workforce. Partnerships with educational institutions and professional development programs can also be useful for attracting and retaining talent.
Sustainability in 2025 goes beyond the transition to renewable energies, focusing on the implementation of effective environmental management. The main challenge will be for companies to adapt to a new paradigm in which environmental efficiency becomes a fundamental criterion for daily operations. In this scenario, the efficient management of resources and the minimization of environmental impact will be essential for the survival and growth of companies, especially as expectations around environmental responsibilities increase.
Challenges:
Integrating effective environmental practices involves overcoming a number of challenges. One of the main obstacles is the complexity of implementing systems to monitor, control and improve environmental impacts, especially in companies with complex and diverse operations. Compliance with constantly evolving environmental regulations and the need for precise resource management are also issues that require ongoing attention.
Solutions:
The solution to these challenges lies in adopting an Environmental Management System (EMS), which enables companies to monitor and manage their environmental performance effectively. A well-implemented EMS not only ensures compliance with environmental standards, but also makes it possible to optimize resources, reduce waste and promote greener practices. The integration of technologies that collect and compile real-time data on resource use and pollutant emissions provides a clear and accurate view of operations, allowing for more informed decisions and the implementation of continuous improvement strategies.
Predictive maintenance is replacing reactive and time-based maintenance, using sensors and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to predict when building systems need maintenance before failures occur. This not only helps to avoid unforeseen costs, but also ensures the continuity of services in buildings.
Challenges: The main difficulty in adopting predictive maintenance is the need to invest in technology to install IoT sensors and data analysis systems. In addition, facilities managers will need specialized training to interpret complex data and make effective decisions based on it.
Solutions: Many computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) already come with integrated predictive maintenance modules. Integrating AI with these systems helps to anticipate equipment failures and optimize the life cycle of assets. In the long term, predictive maintenance generates substantial savings in equipment repairs and replacements.
Predictive analytics will allow managers to identify wear and failure patterns before they become critical. The use of advanced sensors and real-time data will provide a clearer picture of the operating status of systems such as HVAC, elevators and lighting systems, reducing downtime and increasing efficiency.
The transformation in the workplace, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has led many companies to adopt hybrid models, in which employees divide their time between working from home and in the office. In 2025, facilities management will have to continue to respond to this reality by creating more flexible and collaborative working environments.
Challenges: Adapting spaces to meet the needs of hybrid workers requires reconfiguring building layouts and re-evaluating the services offered. In addition, managing office equipment and shared spaces can be more complex when occupants are not always present in the same place.
Solutions: To respond to these challenges, companies can adopt space booking technologies such as mobile apps that allow employees to choose and book flexible workspaces. Monitoring the use of spaces, improving air quality and introducing new temperature and lighting control systems will improve the workplace experience.
Flexibility will be essential for attracting and retaining talent in 2025. Facilities managers will have to ensure that workspaces are adaptable, offering employees a healthy, comfortable and technologically advanced environment.
Facilities management is becoming more data-driven, with managers using real-time information to make more informed decisions. Predictive analytics, fed by data from sensors and management systems, will make it possible to forecast future needs and optimize building operations.
Challenges: The large amount of data generated can be difficult to manage and interpret, requiring robust analysis systems and qualified professionals to interpret this data. In addition, integrating different data sources and platforms can be a challenge.
Solutions: Increasingly sophisticated building management platforms are integrating predictive analytics functions, allowing facility managers to make more agile and informed decisions. The use of machine learning algorithms can help predict usage patterns and optimize systems, improving efficiency and sustainability.
The digital transformation of buildings is already taking place through technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT)automation and Artificial Intelligence (AI). By 2025, the functionalities of smart buildings will be even more sophisticated. Not only to optimize energy efficiency, but also to improve the occupant experience, creating more personalized and intelligent environments.
Challenges: Implementing smart technologies requires a significant initial investment and there can be resistance to change on the part of facility managers who are more familiar with traditional methods. In addition, integrating different technological systems can be complicated and require specialized training.
Solutions: Advances in system interoperability will enable simpler and more efficient integration. For example, intelligent building management platforms (or BMS) will be able to combine data from different sensors to optimize the performance of systems such as lighting, HVAC and access control. As technologies become more accessible, initial costs will also tend to fall.
Building management systems (BMS) will also be more integrated with real-time data platforms, giving managers the ability to monitor and control critical building systems, such as security, comfort and energy consumption, from a single control panel. Building automation will be based on AI agents that continuously adjust the conditions of the environment based on occupant preferences and external conditions, directly interacting with and managing the systems.
Facilities management in 2025 will be marked by a convergence of technologies, sustainability and a people-centered approach. The transition to smarter, more sustainable buildings, combined with the use of real-time data, will make space management more efficient and effective. However, the challenges related to implementing new technologies, the shortage of qualified talent and adapting to new ways of working will require an innovative approach and continuous training.
For facilities managers, 2025 offers extraordinary opportunities to transform their buildings and operations. With the integration of new technologies and a focus on sustainability and the well-being of occupants, the future of facilities management will be smarter and greener.
Are you ready to face the challenges and take advantage of emerging trends in facilities management? Contact us to find out how we can optimize the management of your assets and create a more efficient and secure future for your workplace.
João Gonçalves
Consulting Director
