IFMA Releases AI Guide for Facilities Managers

The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) recently released a guide to understanding and using AI in built environments, according to a news release. “Gamechanger: A Facility Manager’s Guide to Building a Relationship with AI” is available to IFMA members through IFMA’s Knowledge Library, and it serves as a roadmap for facility management professionals looking to adopt AI solutions into built environments.

“With AI dominating much of today’s technological discussions, FMs must learn to harness its capabilities and applications,” said Dean Stanberry, former chair of IFMA’s Global Board of Directors and member of the association’s AI in FM Working Group. “This guide serves as both a roadmap and a compass for facility managers. It offers step-by-step guidance on starting, scaling and sustaining AI initiatives. The insights shared are drawn from industry research, expert opinions and practical experiences, making it a valuable companion for any FM looking to stay ahead of the curve.”

“Gamechanger” covers facility management applications including predictive maintenance and energy efficiency optimization, the news release reports. It also offers guidance into AI deployment, how to align AI strategy with business goals, how to manage organizational changes, and how to ensure infrastructure readiness. The guide’s ultimate goal is to help facility management professionals improve building efficiency while reducing cost and boosting the tenants’ experience.

“AI in FM brings many questions from the C-suite to rank-and-file employees, and rightly so,” said Lynn Baez, IFMA Global Chair. “‘Gamechanger’ equips FMs to take the lead in answering those questions and turning those inherent challenges into opportunities to prepare their organizations and people to succeed.”

The guide will also be part of a panel discussion at the IFMA World Workplace 2024 Conference and Expo at 3:15 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 10, in San Antonio, Texas.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Photo courtesy of Kraus-Anderson

    Minnesota District Completes $49.7M Addition, Renovation Project

    St. Paul Public Schools in St. Paul, Minn., recently announced the completion of a $49.7-million addition and remodeling project at two district schools, according to a news release.

  • How a Portable Sink Helped an Art Classroom Run More Smoothly

    Classroom design decisions can have outsized effects on instructional time and safety at schools juggling mismatched infrastructure, strict budgets, and crowded schedules — particularly in the arts. Between spilled paint and dirty brushes, art classes run smoother with a sink in the studio. But many schools don’t have a sink in every art classroom.

  • California School District Completes Elementary School Modernization

    The San Diego Unified School District in San Diego, Calif., recently held a ribbon-cutting for a whole-site modernization of Pacific Beach Elementary School, according to local news. The school first opened with one building in 1930 and added six more between 1938 and 1957.

  • Chartwells Launches Campus Dining Evaluation Framework

    Contract food-service management provider Chartwells Higher Education recently announced the launch of BLUEPRINT, according to a news release. The evaluation framework was designed to provide a data-driven and customizable roadmap towards optimizing campus dining services and, by extension, the student experience.