What Can AI Do for Facility Managers?

10/28/2024

Facilities managers who have not given much thought recently to artificial intelligence (AI) might want to think again. First, their initial impressions of the technology might not have been quite accurate. Second, the technology is advancing rapidly in ways that are likely to have a tremendous impact on the operations of institutional and commercial facilities.  

The technology’s applications in facilities so far have been limited as developers and managers try to figure out the most economical and practical strategies for making AI work. In some cases, applications have involved tapping into and analyzing relatively small streams of data being collected in facilities. In other cases, managers have begun using it to streamline everyday tasks that are less operational in nature. 

In all cases, though, AI has piqued the interest of managers and building owners hoping to uncover the best ways to benefit from its vast potential. 

Where are we? 

AI’s arrival in facilities several years ago prompted a variety of reactions from managers, ranging from fear over job loss to bold predictions of immediate benefits for facilities and their organizations. In reality, the technology generally has had a tangible but minimal effect on many facilities. 

"I'd say most organizations are on the early exploration to experimentation phase of their maturity lifecycle,” says Ryan Small, vice president of products and programs with FEA, a consulting engineering firm. “I'm not seeing a lot of organizations that are heavily implementing AI in their day-to-day operations, with a few caveats.” 

In the case of some healthcare facilities, AI seems to be having a larger impact. 

"In the past two years, AI technology has advanced from having exciting potential in the healthcare space to now providing real-time benefits for both facilities management organizations and their clients,” says Brandon Quigley, national director of operations with Medxcel. “There is curiosity about AI, even among those who might be hesitant or novice users. Building owners, directors and managers continue to progress along the learning curve as AI’s potential to enhance operational efficiency is recognized.” 

AI applications in facilities have been around for a while, even if managers might not have considered it that way, such as Internet of Things (IoT) in mechanical rooms monitoring temperature and vibration. 

“That's been around for a little while, and (managers have) gotten pretty good at that,” Small says. “Building owners in general are pretty well-versed that that is a capability set.” 

Broader operational applications have been less common, he says. 

“The other kind (of AI), though, larger-scale prediction, forecasting, classification, content generation — I'm not seeing building owners and managers, particularly in large buildings, use that as often,” he says. “It's a newer concept for most organizations.” 

Benefits and challenges 

While the applications of AI in facilities have been minimal and targeted, the technology does offer the very real promise of benefits related to the way key building systems and equipment operate. 

"Its predictive analytics can provide better outcomes in operational efficiency and resource management,” Quigley says. “With the automation of routine tasks, this technology provides opportunities for experts in these organizations to focus on more pressing issues, such as safety management and infection control. 

“A strong future use case I have seen picking up steam is in the indoor air quality space — predicting environmental changes from construction, justifying that new air handler based on actual data, or even the ability in real-time to confirm, eliminate or prevent building-blaming issues.” 

In many facilities, the benefits more often have related to managers’ tasks that are not related to a facility’s operations. 

"The use cases for most applications of these large language models are not FM specific,” Small says. “They're broad efficiency gains. Can my meetings run more efficiently? Can my presentations be smoother? Can my ability to analyze the data set get faster? There's a lot to that side of it which is not FM specific." 

Despite these benefits, AI’s wider application still faces challenges related to managers’ interest in learning about its potential benefits and drawbacks. 

"While there is tremendous growth in this space, a large portion of the population is unfamiliar with AI,” Quigley says. “This presents a huge opportunity to become educated users prior to full integration, and those who don’t embrace AI now risk being left behind. 

“Two years from now, AI technology may be utilized (in healthcare facilities) to confirm or prevent building-related issues related to surgical site infections and healthcare-associated infections, as well as forecast resource demands such as staffing and hospital bed allocation in emergency scenarios or drills.” 

Perhaps the toughest impediment to AI’s wider acceptance in facilities is managers themselves. 

“The biggest challenge in the widespread adoption is that you need to take the time to learn how to make this efficient for you,” Small says. “The first six months of you interacting with it might not make you any more efficient. You might have a lot of fun, but it may not make you any more efficient. Using it and figuring out where in your day-to-day business processes this fits makes a big difference.” 

Dan Hounsell is senior editor for the facilities market. He has more than 30 years of experience writing about facilities maintenance, engineering and management.