Facilities management is entering a defining period. Sustainability expectations across the built environment are accelerating rapidly, driven by tighter regulation, increased investor scrutiny and changing workplace demands. For the FM sector, the years to 2030 will be less about setting new ambitions and more about delivering credible, integrated outcomes.

Analysis from the SFMI’s Sustainable Ambitions Report explores how sustainability priorities are likely to evolve over the next five years and what this means in practice for FM providers and their clients. Drawing on benchmarking data, sector research and insight from industry leaders, the report highlights four themes shaping sustainable FM: decarbonisation, wellbeing, social impact, and risk and opportunity management. Across all four, progress is evident, but delivery remains uneven.

Decarbonisation: From reset to integration

The past decade saw widespread net zero commitments across the sector, many made before organisations fully understood the scale of operational, technical and financial change required. The subsequent recalibration of targets has sometimes been portrayed as retreat, but in practice it reflects a shift towards more realistic delivery.

FM providers have continued to advance practical decarbonisation. SFMI data shows that 57 percent of organisations now have energy efficiency or decarbonisation plans, up from 37 percent in 2023. Carbon measurement has strengthened through frameworks such as the GHG Protocol, SBTi and ISSB standards, while electrification and renewable energy adoption continue to increase.

Despite this, operational emissions reductions remain modest. Too many projects are still delivered as like‑for‑like replacements with limited alignment to long‑term roadmaps. By 2030, leading organisations are expected to embed decarbonisation into financial planning, capital investment and service delivery. Greater focus on Scope 3 data and service‑level emissions will support more informed procurement decisions and meaningful benchmarking. Regulation is also expected to place greater emphasis on in‑use performance, reflecting how buildings actually operate rather than how they are designed.

Wellbeing: Building an evidence base

Wellbeing rose rapidly up the FM agenda during and after the pandemic. FM teams responded with new technologies, workplace interventions and staff engagement to improve environmental, physical and psychological conditions. There is now wider recognition that wellbeing outcomes depend not only on design, but on behaviours, culture and operations.

Frameworks such as WELL, FITWEL and BREEAM have provided useful structure, but robust evidence linking workplace features to measurable outcomes such as productivity, absenteeism or mental health remains limited. As expectations mature, wellbeing is increasingly viewed as a core operational issue rather than a brand differentiator.

By 2030, more standardised wellbeing KPIs are expected to emerge, with stronger emphasis on mental health. Improved data will increase demand for digital tools that monitor and optimise conditions in real time. Biophilic and circular design approaches are also likely to become more common in refurbishments, supporting both occupant wellbeing and asset resilience.

Social impact: Improving consistency and credibility

Social impact is now firmly embedded in FM, particularly in public sector procurement. While sophistication is increasing, significant challenges remain. The most notable is limited engagement with Tier 2 and Tier 3 suppliers, where labour‑intensive services sit and where the greatest potential impact often lies.

Inconsistent methodologies have also led to wide variation in reported outcomes, undermining trust and comparability. Reported social impact as a proportion of turnover can vary dramatically, eroding confidence in headline figures.

Looking ahead, social impact is expected to mature from volume‑based reporting to more meaningful measures of long‑term impact. Greater alignment of methodologies will be required, along with metrics focused on sustained employment, skills development and community outcomes. Social impact reporting is also likely to become more closely aligned with financial reporting, reinforcing its role as a strategic driver rather than a bid requirement.

Risk and opportunity: Closing the maturity gap

Risk management remains relatively immature across much of FM. While physical climate risk is better understood, transition risks such as regulatory change, carbon pricing and supply chain disruption are often underdeveloped. Modern slavery risk, despite its relevance to FM supply chains, is still frequently addressed through limited assurance rather than deeper verification.

At the same time, opportunity‑led thinking is advancing. FM providers are expanding into decarbonisation services, asset optimisation, wellbeing solutions and technology‑enabled efficiency. Artificial intelligence is expected to reshape administrative roles, while increasing the value of on‑site, human‑centred skills rather than replacing them.

From insight to action

Across all four themes, common capability gaps remain. These include the need for stronger client ownership of sustainability strategies, reform of procurement practices to reduce greenwashing, adoption of commercial models that support long‑term investment, development of integrated sustainability skillsets and improved data quality for decision making.

The challenge for the FM sector is not a lack of frameworks or guidance, but inconsistent application. Organisations that move decisively from discussion to delivery over the next five years will be best positioned to meet regulatory expectations, client demands and wider scrutiny.

These issues and recommendations for the sector will be explored further during an upcoming SFMI webinar focusing on sustainable facilities management and the road ahead to 2030.

 Simona Sopagaite, Implementation Consultant at SFG20, shares her insights on how funding cuts will impact the existing maintenance backlog in the education sector

According to UUK (Universities UK), many universities are responding to planned government funding cuts by pausing capital expenditure and infrastructure improvements to protect day-to-day operational spending. This means maintenance, repairs, and upgrades to buildings and facilities are likely to be delayed or cancelled. It has been reported that 60% of institutions have scaled back on repairs and maintenance to existing facilities, with 89% planning to do so over the next 3 years*. 

With universities exposing themselves to non-compliant building maintenance measures and risking further spiralling costs, Simona Sopagaite, Implementation Consultant from SFG20, the industry standard for building maintenance, has shared her insights on how these institutions can save time, effort, and money without compromising their estate’s compliance. 

Step 1: Establish risk appetite and tolerance 

To make your budget stretch further amongst the university funding cuts, your first activity should be establishing the level of risk tolerance your organisation has in terms of exposure to risk. 

Using a risk register, you can identify risks, see if it is within the established risk appetite, and see the associated costs or time implications. Fundamentally, a risk register can help you to assess and rank maintenance needs and ensure that the most urgent issues are addressed first, i.e. those that directly affect staff and student safety and/or will become costly later down the line. 

Step 2: Fix your asset register 

The best way to maintain your property is to know what you have inside your building. Asset registers ensure that all building assets are accounted for and, therefore, able to be scheduled for maintenance works and repairs appropriately, reducing the risk of unexpected failures and compliance risks.  

The biggest problem with asset registers is that most of their data is incomplete or even missing in some cases. Whether it’s lost during the handover process at the end of construction or passed across ineffectively between different parties during the life of the assets, this can make working with asset registers frustrating at best and impossible at worst. In fact, the SFG20 State Of Facilities Management 2026 Report revealed that only 15% of organisations have an asset register that is 100% accurate, with 1 in 10 not having any asset register at all.**

Ultimately, organisations that update their asset registers monthly or quarterly are likely to be better positioned to be more cost-effective in their approach, being able to implement planned preventative maintenance, resource and financial forecasting, as well as evidence compliance with legislation and the golden thread of information.

Step 3: Understand your statutory obligations 

Delays in maintenance works, especially those that are critical, can lead to compromised student and staff safety, disruption to learning, and further costs further down the line. 

Making sure those responsible for maintenance of your estate are fully aware of their statutory obligations and the most critical tasks for optimal functioning is essential to reducing disruption and ensuring student and staff safety.

Non-statutory building maintenance tasks differ from statutory building maintenance tasks in that they don’t have any traceable references to primary or secondary legislation. However, this doesn’t always mean that they are any less vital to an organisation’s operation, as non-statutory building maintenance tasks are often used to prevent premature failure of an asset, minimising disruption and costs to businesses. For example, faulty lightbulbs would cause considerable disruption in a room used for university exams.

Step 4: Cost forecasting 

Once you know what you’ve got to maintain, and your asset register is accurate and complete, you can now apply the compliant maintenance to each asset. From this, you can then forecast the budget to do all the tasks required to achieve compliance with the law. You must communicate this to your stakeholders – this is how you demonstrate exactly what budget you need.

The first step will be ‘First Principles Estimating’, looking at labour time, material costs, and ancillary costs, such as specialist tools. This can be followed by a review of historical data, to track the actual time taken for tasks, analyse material and sub-contractor costs, and identify task trends over time. 

Simona Sopagaite said:

“For universities, cutting back on maintenance tasks, especially those required by law, will put organisations at risk. Delayed upkeep not only risks student and staff safety, but can also result in increased fines, legal exposure, and unexpected breakdowns. 

Without following the steps discussed above, you can’t expect to have a clear picture of your university’s compliance, risks and cost forecasting. All of this has a key part to play in helping to support a high-quality learning environment in universities in line with student expectation. 

The bottom line is, if you cannot clearly justify budget requirements to executives, they cannot make an informed investment decision about future funding.”

Comment Piece By John McHugh, Senior Director, Head of Place & Community, CBRE’s Property Management UK team

For years, workplace strategy revolved around efficiency. Occupancy levels, desk ratios and cost per square foot dominated conversations around office performance. Today, however, the challenge facing occupiers is fundamentally different: the office is no longer competing with the building next door; it is competing with home.

Vibrancy, Connection, Belonging – these are no longer aspirations for the workplace. They are essentials.

Hybrid working has permanently shifted expectations. Employees now make an active choice about whether commuting into a workplace feels worthwhile. That means offices must deliver something employees cannot easily replicate at home: connection, culture, energy and a sense of belonging.

This is changing the role of facilities management and workplace experience teams in profound ways.

The modern workplace is no longer judged solely on operational performance. Increasingly, it is being measured on emotional outcomes; whether people feel welcome, engaged and part of something bigger. In many organisations, belonging is quietly becoming the new workplace KPI.

This is where placemaking has moved from a “nice-to-have” amenity to a strategic business tool.

Too often, placemaking is misunderstood as simply adding visual appeal or organising occasional events. In reality, effective placemaking is about shaping environments that create meaningful human interaction. It is the process of turning workplaces into destinations rather than obligations. Placemaking is about transforming spaces into places people genuinely want to be part of – animated, welcoming and social.

Employees are far more likely to commute when workplaces provide experiences that feel energising, collaborative and socially valuable. The most successful office environments today create opportunities for spontaneous interaction, shared experiences and community-building throughout the working week.

At a business park in Manchester or a mixed-use estate in London, that might mean curated food markets, food festivals, wellbeing initiatives, cultural and bespoke events, networking opportunities or seasonal activations. But the real value lies beneath the activity itself. These experiences help create familiarity, strengthen workplace relationships and reinforce organisational culture in ways virtual meetings cannot fully replicate. 

At its core placemaking brings places to life.  It creates memorable experiences and supports everyday interactions that foster belonging.

Facilities management teams are increasingly central to this shift because workplace experience now sits alongside operational delivery. The physical environment must function efficiently, but it must also actively support engagement and retention.

In many ways, FM professionals have become custodians of workplace culture.

This is particularly important as businesses continue to navigate fluctuating attendance patterns. Mandating office attendance alone rarely creates meaningful engagement. Employees may comply, but compliance is not the same as connection.

Instead, organisations achieving stronger workplace attendance are typically those investing in environments people actively want to spend time in. They recognise that the commute must feel justified – professionally, socially and emotionally. We have seen the positive results in action across a varied portfolio of office buildings located across the UK.

Importantly, this does not necessarily require large-scale capital expenditure or dramatic redesigns. Often, the biggest impact comes from consistent programming, thoughtful activation and creating moments that encourage interaction. Small, but regular experiences can significantly influence how employees perceive their workplace and their relationship with it.

There is also a growing recognition that workplace experience directly supports wider business objectives. Organisations focused on attracting and retaining talent increasingly understand that culture is experienced physically as much as it is communicated verbally.

The office therefore becomes more than a place to work. It becomes a platform for collaboration, identity and community.

As hybrid working continues to evolve, the workplaces that succeed will be those that deliver more than desks and meeting rooms. They will provide atmosphere, vibrancy and opportunities for connection that employees cannot recreate remotely.

The future workplace is not simply about attendance. It is about creating environments where people feel they belong.

And in today’s market, that may be the most important performance metric of all.

Energy performance specialist Mesh has successfully delivered a sustainability project for Forestry England at Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, helping to improve the energy efficiency and long-term resilience of buildings on the 600-acre estate.

The historic arboretum near Tetbury, managed by Forestry England, is one of the UK’s most visited heritage sites, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. 

Rapid growth in visitor numbers, combined with the impact of climate change, prompted the need for a clear, practical plan to reduce energy use and carbon emissions across the estate’s facilities including the visitor centre, café and restaurant and offices.

Following a competitive tender, Mesh was appointed to develop an evidence-based strategy to guide building upgrades, balancing sustainability ambitions and the transition away from fossil fuels in this sensitive rural and heritage setting.

Mesh took a whole-building approach, assessing how the buildings on the estate currently perform, how they are used at different times of the year in line with fluctuating seasonal visitor patterns, and how future changes to climatic conditions could affect running costs and user comfort.

This has enabled Forestry England to make informed decisions on heating solutions, energy supply and building fabric improvements, and to plan upgrades in a phased approach. It provides a clear framework for improving energy efficiency, and importantly, for moving away from fossil fuels.

Several of the strategies have already been implemented, delivering immediate energy efficiency improvements whilst informing longer-term refurbishment and upgrading plans.

Sophie Nash, Programme Manager at Forestry England: 

“Our aim with this project was to use detailed analysis to steer our specifications for remediation and upgrading works to improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of our most heavily-used buildings at Westonbirt and the resilience of our electricity infrastructure to support future growth.

The assessments carried out which were very thorough and detailed, provide us with valuable insight to inform the design and specification of refurbishment and remediation works in a phased approach.”

Doug Johnson, Founder and Director of Mesh, said:

“For rural estates, landowners, parks and visitor attractions across the UK, this project for Forestry England clearly demonstrates how a data-led, whole-building approach can accelerate decarbonisation and create a clear route towards net zero – even in the most sensitive heritage environments and landscapes.”

The Westonbirt project reflects growing demand from rural estates, landowners and visitor attractions for clear sustainability strategies that reduce risk, improve performance and support long-term resilience.

Matt Bailey, Workplace Specialist at Matrix Booking.

The world of work has changed drastically in just a few years. Hybrid working has become mainstream, patterns of office attendance are less predictable and employee expectations around flexibility, experience and choice continue to shift. For organisations, this has made the workplace more complex than ever before.

As these expectations continue to evolve, the role of facilities management (FM) is changing with them. Once viewed primarily through an operational lens, FM is now increasingly recognised as a strategic function that directly influences productivity, employee experience, cost efficiency and long-term organisational resilience.

In an environment defined by constant change, FM decisions increasingly shape how effectively organisations keep pace. However, despite this expanded role, many FM teams still struggle to influence the decisions that matter most.

Turning insight into action

Facility managers are often closer than anyone to the daily realities of how workplaces function. Years of experience, close contact with teams and an understanding of how spaces operate mean FMs often have a strong instinct for what is working and where challenges lie. That professional judgement remains essential, but in today’s workplace it is no longer enough on its own.

Senior leaders want clarity on how workplaces are performing and how investment decisions will support wider business goals. In an environment where every initiative is assessed under a microscope and expected to demonstrate return on investment, evidence has become critical. Without clear, credible data, even well-founded FM insight can struggle to gain traction at a senior level.

The stakes are rising. Over a third (38%) of UK businesses report losing up to a full day (24 hours) of operational time every week due to poor workspace management, such as insufficient space allocation or ineffective booking systems. More than a quarter (28%) say that simply being unable to find space in the office when needed is impacting productivity, a figure that rises by 43% in government and public sector organisations.

From operational detail to strategic clarity

Much of the data FM teams need already exists. This can include how often desks are booked, which meeting rooms sit empty, when spaces typically reach capacity and how demand fluctuates across the week. Each of these signals provides valuable insight into how the workplace is actually being used.

The challenge is not the absence of insight, but gathering, consolidating and communicating it effectively. Data often sits across disconnected systems, manual processes or individual teams, making it difficult to form a complete, reliable picture of workplace performance. As a result, issues that feel obvious on the ground can be difficult to validate in senior discussions, delaying or deprioritising essential decisions.

Without this visibility, organisations risk making long-term workplace decisions based on assumptions rather than evidence. Misaligned investment, underutilised space and inefficient resource allocation can quickly become systemic issues, with knock-on effects for productivity, engagement and retention.

The role of workplace technology

This is where workplace technology plays a critical role. Tools such as desk and meeting room booking systems, space utilisation platforms and resource allocation systems capture real-time behaviour across the workplace. When this data is brought together into a single view, FM teams can identify patterns in attendance, collaboration and demand that directly relate to organisational outcomes. 

By consolidating operational data and translating it into outcome-led insight, technology helps bridge the gap between FM priorities and C-suite concerns such as cost control, productivity, sustainability, risk and employee experience. When conversations shift from opinion to evidence, data becomes the mechanism for securing stakeholder buy-in, guiding investment and shaping smarter workplace strategies.

Building a future-ready FM function

However, technology alone is not enough. To unlock the full value of workplace data, organisations must also invest in skills, processes and culture. FM teams need the confidence to interpret insight, communicate it clearly and embed evidence into everyday decision-making.

Regular reporting, shared metrics and leadership buy-in are critical. When data is treated as a strategic asset rather than an administrative task, FM moves from operational support to trusted strategic partner. As workplace complexity continues to grow, evidence-led decision-making is no longer optional for facility managers seeking influence.

Organisations that recognise FM as a strategic function and empower teams with the data to demonstrate their impact will be better placed to navigate the next era of work. Those that do not risk inefficiency, disengagement and workplace decisions made without the insight needed to support long-term success.

Case study from Expansive.

Too many systems. Too many spreadsheets. Too much time spent chasing jobs that should’ve been closed yesterday. These organisations didn’t need another FM buzzword; they needed things to work. Here’s what happened when they switched to expansive:

• TEAMSPORT (Leisure & Entertainment, 37 venues):

The challenge: Rapid growth exposed paper-heavy processes, slow compliance and limited visibility across sites.

What changed: Expansive was rolled out across the estate in weeks, not months, giving sites clarity and contractors structure.

Results: Live in 12 weeks, 2,300+ work orders in 12 months, 10x faster compliance checks, 50% faster time to fix.

• SPAMEDICA (Healthcare, 38 hospitals):

The challenge: Fragmented FM processes made compliance tracking difficult across a growing healthcare estate.

What changed: Expansive brought every site, asset and audit trail into one place.

Results: Implemented in 12 weeks, 6,000+ work orders in year one, 100% compliance KPI’s achieved.

• THE CO-OPERATIVE BANK (Financial Services)

The challenge: A failed TFM model left the FM team without control, clarity or contractor engagement.

What changed: Expansive restored structure, accountability and confidence across the supply chain.

Results: 30% increase in contractor engagement, 6,000+ work orders raised, 93%+ contractor adoption.

• QUEENSWAY (Hospitality & Retail)

The challenge: Rapid expansion was being managed through spreadsheets and email, limiting visibility and slowing FM teams down.

What changed: Expansive replaced manual processes with one system that worked across countries, languages, and brands.

Results: Live in 8 weeks, 99% contractor adoption, 10% improvement in SLA compliance, 4.5% reduction in reactive maintenance costs.

Book a Demo: https://www.expansivefm.com/demo

With a proven track record spanning three decades, Asckey has established itself as a trusted leader in providing innovative FM software solutions.

In 1995, several significant computer programs and technologies emerged, including the release of Windows 95, the introduction of Java and JavaScript, and the development of the Internet search engine AltaVista. The year also saw the launch of Amazon, eBay and Netscape. However, more legendary is the inception of what is now known as Asckey Data Services Limited, a name inspired by ASCII, a standard data-encoding format for electronic communication between computers.

Where it all began

Asckey started as a consultancy company working with NHS Estates, now known as NHS England, working from a back office of a house in St Ives. Asckey consulted on the support of the Works Information Management System (WIMS), owned by the Healthcare Facilities Consortium (HFC).

The company decided to expand, move to an office outbuilding in Pidley, and took a step into application development. In 2001, Asckey were awarded a contract by the HFC, then a member of the NHS Confederation, to redevelop WIMS.  Due to the size of the project and the number of stakeholders, this project took several years to complete. In 2005, the project reached its conclusion, and WIMS was transformed into EclipseFM, our first version of Computer Aided Facilities Management software.

During this time of development, in 2003, Asckey also began hosting and maintaining the Estates & Facilities Management portal, now known as NHS Digital.

The growth in services

With the development projects growing, Asckey began to assess how we could further support our NHS clients. In 2008, we began providing N3 hosting services for NHS-related applications and then in 2015 we facilitated the move from N3 to the Health and Social Care Network for many of our clients. HSCN hosting then became a service we offered to the Healthcare sector. 

In April 2011, following a reorganisation within the HFC, Asckey acquired the full rights to Eclipse-fm® which was subsequently rebranded as fmfirst®.  In 2012, the name was changed to fmfirst® Estates, becoming an innovative CAFM system used by NHS Trusts across the country. 

The fmfirst® name became the preceding name to our developing suite of applications, with our cleaning compliance application, fmfirst® Cleaning, being added to the portfolio in 2013.

2014 saw the creation of fmfirst® Cloud which became the platform to access our cloud-based products and became a demo platform for showcasing what the software could do.

With the growth of the team, we were then able to offer bespoke development as a service and welcomed new clients from outside the healthcare sector.

In 2016, the management of Asckey changed hands. In 2018, with the continued growth of clients and the Asckey team, we moved to new premises from a village office to a building in the town of St Ives. The move in 2018 also led to a rebrand of the company to represent the change we had gone through from consultancy to application development and hosting providers.

How we continue to grow

The fmfirst® product suite continues to evolve in terms of functionality and user numbers.  There has been a significant increase in fmfirst® uptake in recent years with notable growth in the number of fmfirst® sites across the UK.  This includes the whole of the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board – the largest health organisation in the UK.

Along with fmfirst® Cleaning, fmfirst® Cloud now hosts our Survey, Portering and Tasking applications. fmfirst® Tasking has become an alternative CAFM solution for many of our clients. We continue to add new modules within our applications, most recently we added Stock Management to our fmfirst® Tasking module.

By working with our clients, we continuously improve and develop our applications to achieve our mission of becoming the partner-of-choice for organisations. We are proud to say that 75% of our clients have been with us for 8 or more years. 

Get in touch today if you would like to discover more about our applications and how we can add value to your organisation.

By Nigel Dews, Managing Director Restore Information Management

The story of 2026 is not about chasing the next breakthrough. Organisations aren’t abandoning innovation, but they are done with experimentation for its own sake. Big visions are being replaced by a focus on what works day to day. CIOs are under pressure to prove value, reduce risk, and keep the organisation running, not just to trial new technology. In our world of Information Management, trust, governance, and resilience matter just as much as innovation and increasingly determine whether it succeeds at all.

Over the past year, we’ve spoken extensively with organisations across sectors about their information management challenges and ambitions. Here’s what they told us and what we predict will be the trends in 2026.

1: From AI Hype to AI Practicalities 

With nearly nine in ten organisations now using AI in at least one business function, the question for 2026 isn’t whether to adopt AI, we’ve actually been using it for years, but how deeply it should be embedded into everyday operations. The focus is shifting away from generic tools and toward AI agents designed to handle governance, data quality, retention, and optimisation quietly in the background.

Yet, at the same time, CIOs are more cautious than ever. Talking to our customers reveals a growing scepticism toward overhyped “AI” promises, particularly where accuracy, security, and accountability are unclear. 

The message is consistent. AI must deliver practical value, operate transparently, and strengthen, not weaken compliance. 

 2: Legacy Foundations vs. Modern Expectations

Consumers want information at their fingertips; organisations want to differentiate via customer experience. Forcing organisations to access real time data around the clock and from anywhere. 

But here’s the friction point. Many are trying to deliver real-time insight on top of fragmented, legacy-heavy environments. The ambition is there; the foundations often aren’t. This gap explains why incremental progress still dominates, even as the need for speed accelerates.

The challenge isn’t choosing the next shiny technology. It’s building an information management ecosystem that can adapt, comply, provide efficiency and access, helping to make quicker decisions and improve the user’s end experience.

3. From Cloud Adoption to Cloud Judgment

Cloud‑native platforms have shifted from being a bold choice to an expected part of modern IT. With most large‑scale data environments now running partly or entirely in the cloud, the question is no longer “Should we use cloud?” but “How do we use it in the smartest way?”

For many organisations, hybrid and multi-cloud strategies are emerging as the pragmatic middle ground, balancing flexibility, resilience, and regulatory demands. This mirrors what CIOs are telling us: wholesale replacement of legacy systems is rarely realistic. Controlled evolution is.

4. UK Data Sovereignty and the return to local service 

UK organisations are becoming far more conscious of where their information lives, who can access it, and which legal frameworks ultimately govern it. Ongoing regulatory change, geopolitical uncertainty, and high-profile data breaches have sharpened awareness that data hosted or managed overseas can introduce risks that are difficult to see and even harder to control.

There’s a growing recognition that local service delivery matters. Information Management providers who combine UK infrastructure with on-the-ground service, deep understanding of local regulation, and the ability to support hybrid environments that blend digital and physical information securely provide more value than global ones. 

5. Trust Becomes the Differentiator

Perhaps the most striking insight from our customer research is this: technology is no longer the deciding factor.

Organisations consistently prioritise reliability, service quality, and delivery confidence over cutting-edge features. After years of ambitious promises and underwhelming execution, trust has become the real currency of digital transformation.

In 2026, information management partners will be judged not by how futuristic their platforms sound, but by how well they understand sector-specific pressures, compliance realities, and operational constraints.

6. Sector Specific Pressures 

In the public sector we will continue to see mandates for the NHS and Government for 
paperless and interoperable systems. Organisations will not only want to work with sector experts but trusted digital partners who can help them navigate legacy records and systems. 

They will want direct access to multiple experts who not only understand the sector they are in, but where they can offer flexible ways to meet their needs. 

7. Sustainability Continues to be a focus 

85% of companies increased their sustainability-related investments from 2023 to 2024, with green IT initiatives, paper reduction, and eco-friendly storage becoming standard considerations in information management strategies. This is a 10% rise from 2023. Sustainable data management practices and ethical AI deployment will influence procurement decisions. 2026 is shaping up to be the year organisations stop talking about transformation and start embedding it into governance models, operating rhythms, and everyday decision-making. Automation, real-time insight, compliance, sustainability, and trust are no longer separate conversations. They are converging into a single mandate: control at scale.

2026 isn’t a year of radical reinvention. It’s the year organisations finally make good on the promises of the last decade. As AI becomes business as usual, cloud strategies stabilise, and data sovereignty moves centre stage, the winners will be those who prioritise trust, governance, and real-world impact over hype. 

Information management is no longer a supporting function; it is the backbone of operational resilience, compliance, and customer experience.

If 2025 was the year businesses talked about transformation, 2026 is the year they’ll be forced to prove it. Organisations that can’t control their information won’t control their future.

AI has triggered a shift in the facility management and built environment sectors, offering opportunities to streamline operations and enhance maintenance strategies. However, despite the promise of increased efficiency and cost savings, AI adoption comes with significant risks – especially when it comes to building maintenance schedules for high-risk buildings. 

Mike Talbot, Chief Technology Officer at SFG20, the industry standard for building maintenance, has shared his insights on the dos and don’ts of using AI in facilities management. 

The dos of using AI 

1. Using AI tools for deep research

AI is an invaluable tool for conducting in-depth research. Whether you’re assessing new maintenance technologies, gathering market intelligence, or researching evolving regulations, AI can quickly process vast amounts of data and extract relevant insights. In facilities management, where decisions often depend on the latest information about equipment performance, AI can significantly enhance the speed and quality of research. By automating this process, AI frees up human resources to focus on more strategic activities—such as adapting the findings to your unique operational context.

2. Leveraging AI to review and challenge 

AI can be a powerful tool for reviewing and challenging your work. From checking for compliance issues in contracts to identifying inconsistencies in documents, AI-powered tools can scan large volumes of information quickly and flag potential risks or errors. In facilities management, AI can identify gaps in existing workflows, prompting facilities managers to revisit and refine their strategies.

3. Maximise asset lifespan 

AI-powered solutions can extend asset lifecycles by predicting potential failures before they occur. By recommending the best timing for maintenance (not applicable for statutory requirements), AI can prevent both over-maintenance, which can cause unnecessary cost, and under-maintenance, which can lead to premature failure.

The risks of using AI

While AI offers clear advantages, its over-reliance can expose organisations to risks that could undermine maintenance effectiveness. One of the main risks is using it to create maintenance tasks and schedules, which may miss critical regulations or fail to take specific context into account.

1. Lack of human judgment when creating contracts or building maintenance schedules

AI-generated schedules and contract clauses can be useful tools, but they are no substitute for the judgement of experienced engineers and facilities professionals. Competent practitioners draw on years of technical training, practical experience and industry knowledge to interpret legislation, understand risk, and apply standards in context.

Without this human input, AI is prone to treating guidance as static and absolute, missing nuances that are critical to statutory compliance. An engineer or FM professional will recognise when a new code of practice affects an existing regime, when a manufacturer’s recommendation should be challenged, or when building-specific factors demand a more conservative approach. AI, by contrast, may uncritically reflect incomplete or out-of-date legislation, regulations or Approved Codes of Practice, creating an impression of compliance that does not stand up to scrutiny.

Human judgement is also essential in understanding how assets behave in the real world. Experienced practitioners know how changes in occupancy, usage patterns, environmental conditions or operational strategy will alter maintenance requirements. While AI might propose a schedule based on assumed or “ideal” usage, a professional can see when a change in activity renders that schedule inadequate, and adjust it to prevent missed maintenance, equipment failure and potential non-compliance.

2. Inability to adapt to unforeseen circumstances

AI systems are typically designed to follow patterns, a main reason they are beneficial in predictive maintenance. However, these systems may not respond well to unexpected changes. If a facility experiences a sudden surge in activity, a breakdown, or an emergency situation, AI-generated schedules might fail to adjust quickly enough to accommodate the new conditions. This lack of adaptability could result in improper or delayed maintenance, putting equipment and operations at risk.

3. Relying on outdated content in AI-written maintenance schedules

A key risk in using AI to generate maintenance schedules is that it may not keep pace with changes in legislation, regulations and standards over time. Maintenance obligations in the built environment are inherently longitudinal: statutory duties, Approved Codes of Practice and industry standards evolve, and maintenance strategies must be updated accordingly.

If an AI system is trained on, or continues to draw from, incomplete or outdated legal and technical sources, it may generate schedules that reference superseded standards or omit newly introduced requirements. This can create a false sense of compliance while exposing duty holders to enforcement action, contractual disputes, insurance challenges and increased liability – particularly in higher-risk settings such as healthcare and residential buildings.

The risk is not only about immediate accuracy, but about maintaining a defensible compliance position over the life of an asset. Where AI-generated schedules are not explicitly grounded in current legislation and updated guidance, organisations may struggle to demonstrate that their maintenance planning has followed the law as it has evolved, undermining both safety outcomes and legal compliance.

Mike Talbot, CTO at SFG20, says: 

“AI, like any professional tool, delivers its best results when guided by people who understand both the technology and the realities of managing complex building assets. It offers genuine value by speeding up early research, helping teams explore maintenance options in more depth, facilitating longer asset lifespans, and increasing overall efficiency. But even with these strengths, it still benefits from clear human direction and careful review.

“SFG20 recently tested creating a maintenance schedule for an L1 Fire Alarm system within a Large Language Model (LLM) and encountered a glaring error within seconds: the reference standard the schedule was based on was out of date. The problem here is that it could potentially put building occupants at risk and leave building owners exposed to legal consequences.

“When used in a controlled, informed way, AI can enhance efficiency and help organisations get more from their assets over time. Its role is to support professionals in making better decisions, not replace the experience and judgement that ensure maintenance strategies remain accurate, safe, and fully aligned with current requirements.”

As hybrid working becomes the norm, more and more companies are recognising the need to create a destination office that will attract and retain employees by offering more than just a place to work. The pandemic saw a shift to remote working, driven by flexibility and an improved work / life balance which has had a direct impact on city centres and office space use. This changing culture means today a workplace has to speak to an employee’s sense of wellbeing as much as to their desire to do a good job. It means workspace design, service excellence and facilities management all play a part in employee satisfaction and productivity.

Gary Seaton, Sales and Marketing Director, and John Norris, Head of Innovation at cleaning and security provider Samsic UK, look at how facilities management and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) can help create destination offices by providing healthier, happier workplaces.

From Gary’s perspective: “Creating a destination office today means aligning space with purpose – where AI, sustainability, and wellbeing intersect to support hybrid workforces.”

While John believes: “We’re not just cleaning offices; we’re transforming them into ESG-aligned, data-led spaces people want to return to.”

Today, many companies are facing real challenges in getting people to return to their workplace because employees have grown accustomed to the flexibility and balance offered by remote working. The decision to commute to a fixed place of work (or not) is weighed heavily against factors such as impact on wellbeing, opportunities to collaborate and socialise, as well as the overall quality of the workplace experience.

According to the Office for National Statistics Opinions and Lifestyle Survey1, more than a quarter (28%) of working adults in Great Britain in late 2024 were hybrid, splitting their working hours between the office and home.

Many companies are now demanding office attendance two or three days a week, or are even looking to cut the hybrid model altogether with a full-time return, but could such a change in attitude turn into a stampede for the door? According to WTW’s Global Benefits Attitudes Survey2, 52% of employees indicate they would quit or look to leave if their company mandated a full-time return to the company premises.

The return-to-office battle has never been felt more keenly. Therefore, forward-thinking companies are trying to entice people away from remote working – rather than just demanding it – by creating more appealing workplaces, which have been termed ‘destination offices’.

The ultimate aim of a destination office is to provide a space that promotes a sense of community and belonging, strengthens company loyalty and enables a deeper connection with company culture. It should provide flexibility for people to work in the way they want, in premises that are comfortable, engaging, clean and hygienic. It means developing an employee-centric ethos and providing an experience-driven workplace that meets people’s emotional and physical needs.

The question is: how do businesses achieve this while also keeping an eye on the bottom line?

Wellness programmes and ergonomic workspaces are a given, but there are more subtle nuances that help to create an enticing workspace, such as using AI and intelligent data analysis in facilities management to greatly improve user experience. By analysing data, companies can optimise predictive maintenance, on-demand cleaning and smart resourcing, to support the creation of dynamic, employee-friendly spaces.

AI can tell you what people do, what they want and what they like. It can monitor their use of the building, lifts, canteens, washrooms, tracking trends that may help businesses identify what people are doing that makes them come to the office rather than stay working from home.

A healthy, hygienic environment is a mainstay of a destination office, particularly in this post-COVID world. This is where facilities management can make a real impact, especially by improving wellbeing through intelligent hygiene. Data-led auditing can track hygiene standards and target areas for improvement – ensuring healthier indoor environments. 

AI-led cleaning routines directly support the comfort and health of building occupants using sensor feedback to ensure spaces remain clean and inviting, while predictive replenishment ensures essentials, such as washroom products, are always available.

Touchpoint-focused cleaning and on-demand scheduling, which supports user comfort and safety, can be utilised, while scent management in reception areas can help to improve the sensory experience of employees and visitors.

Cleaning and security teams often operate with real-time feedback tools, allowing adjustments that improve comfort and user experience. It means site operatives can ensure shared spaces, such as washrooms, kitchens and breakrooms, remain clean, safe and welcoming.

If you look at Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs3, it is AI that will help a destination office reach the top of that pyramid, covering physiological and safety requirements, creating social belonging, building self-esteem and achieving self-actualisation, where people can achieve their potential and feel a real purpose.

It is all about finding solutions so that you can move people’s mindsets from ‘I need to survive at the office’ to ‘I am happy to commute for an hour because I am going somewhere I want to be’.

AI can also provide energy and efficiency solutions helping to reduce water and chemical usage. Audits can also help to identify energy savings opportunities through LED lighting, and cleaning schedules that are tied to occupancy.

Therefore, a real benefit of AI for companies is how data analytics and AI-driven insights can support better service delivery, optimise building management, predictive maintenance, and operational efficiency. 

The use of data can also support a company’s ESG targets, using data-led ESG gains, whether it is eliminating chemical usage, reducing single-use plastics, or tracking energy and material savings, AI can help clients meet their ESG targets with measurable results.

Physical changes can also have an impact on people’s perception of a building with many businesses also prioritising green cleaning, using methods and products that prioritise human and environmental health and employee wellbeing.

Facilities management can have a direct impact on the creation of a destination office, which in turn can enhance productivity, wellbeing, and culture.

Reimagining office space is one thing, but it goes far beyond just enticing workers back into the office. A destination office is a powerful tool in helping to retain top talent, boost morale and motivate a workforce, and facilities management has a strong role to play in this modern office trend.