The need for a holistic approach to building lifecycle management isn’t a new concept for facility operations leaders, but it’s one that’s increasingly gained traction over the past year. There are two market factors driving this change: one is the exponential growth of available data about buildings and their systems, and the other is a greater interest from the design/build industry in improving the handover process.
The proliferation of AI is also influencing the conversation. After all, to realize the promise of AI to predict, diagnose, and ultimately heal building systems, facility managers need the right data in place. And getting good data requires a consistent view of the information generated throughout the life of the building.
These themes have been the subject of several recent industry conversations, from the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) IT Community April webinar “Enhancing FM with a Digital Thread: Insights and Strategies from Industry Experts” to the session “Optimizing Facilities Management Through the Lens of Lifecycle Management” at IFMA’s Facility Fusion 2025 conference in Austin, Texas. They also surfaced in keynotes by JLL and Autodesk at Eptura’s Flex/25 New York and London events.
The increased attention on building lifecycle approaches is a positive step, but organizations of all sizes continue to struggle with where to start.
Making the case for better data governance and standardization
As digital maturity advances, the amount of available building and asset data has exploded. According to Egnyte’s 2024 AEC Data Insights Report, AEC firms’ data storage increased six-fold from 2018 to 2023.
Because buildings are generating massive volumes of information, getting actionable insights to inform operational decision making is increasingly complex. This becomes even more challenging if data nomenclature and formats are not standardized. For example, something as simple as using the term “floors” in one system and “levels” in another can cause confusion about available space when evaluating portfolio needs. That problem is compounded for enterprises that may have buildings or campuses across multiple cities or countries.
In the digital thread webinar, panelist Dean Stanberry noted, “we need better sharing of data across stakeholders and departments because today so much data is not passed on in the right format, so data is being lost and recreated.” Bell Bank Facilities Senior Project Manager Marshall Macfarlane agreed, saying, “when you look across the entire commercial real estate industry, we have an incomplete and imperfect process.” Fragmented data management, data loss, and data duplication can lead to inefficiencies and increased operational costs.
At Facility Fusion, Meg Swanson, Chief Market Officer at Eptura, advocated for proactively addressing data standards, saying, “We need to have common nomenclatures. If you know that some or all of your existing facilities are on Excel spreadsheets, or if spaces and equipment are referred to differently in various systems, that’s a place to start right now.”
Auditing existing information, identifying gaps, and developing a data framework takes time, but standardization can help ensure that data is consistent and usable across different stages of the building lifecycle.
Overcoming fragmentation in building lifecycle management
The role of digital threads
Facility and real estate leaders have historically led the demand for detailed building handovers from architecture, engineering, and construction because they rely heavily on this information. In fact, operations bear 68% of the costs associated with poor data interoperability, per the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Cost Analysis of Inadequate Interoperability in the U.S. Capital Facilities Industry.
To address information gaps, many AECO industry influencers are advocating for the creation of digital threads, an approach that uses digital workflows and data sharing to track assets through their full lifecycle. Susan Clarke, Senior Manager of Building Operations Strategy at Autodesk, has explained the digital thread concept as multi-dimensional and comprised of “four S’s: stakeholders, skills, standards, and smart solutions.”
This starts with identifying and involving the right people at all stages of the building lifecycle – from architects, capital planners, and asset manufacturers to owners and operators – to gain alignment and buy in. Stakeholders who agree on the need for a digital thread must ensure that all teams involved develop essential skills in data, communication, and change management.
Once the requisite people and skillsets are in place, it’s critical that program managers implement consistent data standards to enhance information exchange. Finally, stakeholders should leverage smart solutions such as integrated worktech platforms and building sensors that support digital continuity and can continuously collect real-time data, analyze historical patterns, and predict future outcomes.
Following these steps ensures that data is structured, shared, and used effectively across all stages of a building’s life.
Early involvement of operations
One of the key issues in building lifecycle management is the exclusion of operations from early decision-making processes in new builds. Ted Ritter, a panelist the Facility Fusion conference, emphasized, “It’s rare to have operations there at the beginning of the cycle. That is a recipe for disaster.” This exclusion can result in operational costs and inefficiencies that could have been avoided with better alignment and communication.
Susan Clarke stated, “facility management and operations are fountains of knowledge when it comes to trying to understand the future needs of a building, whether that’s the operational needs or maintenance and asset needs.” Bringing in the people who will ultimately run the space from a project’s conception can help ensure that the operational needs of the building are considered in the initial planning phase.
The good news is that the design/build sector is taking more notice of the need to involve operations earlier. This stems from a combination of owners setting this expectation or even specifying it directly in contracts, and from AEC professionals seeing the value of operational data and insights during recommissioning or as lessons learned for new projects.
How to get started
Proactive strategies to lead and influence building lifecycle management
The Facility Fusion panelists shared three categories of actionable ideas that operational leaders can start implementing to improve how their buildings run:
- Build lifecycle relationships
- Understand which teams lead and manage capital projects to better coordinate efforts
- Proactively build relationships with capital project and AEC teams if possible
- Think strategy and small requests; FMs need to become master influencers as they don’t always have decision-making authority
2. Clarify your data dictionary
- Analyze workflows and data structures to pinpoint inconsistencies
- Assess how inconsistencies will impact future decision-making
- Create/clarify a data dictionary to help standardize information over the next 12 months
3. Influence projects
- Start with small, consistent requests to build momentum; avoid overwhelming the AEC team
- Review AEC contracting processes and formats for clarity on operational needs and timelines
- Use received information and demonstrate its benefits
In support of these best practices, technology can help bridge the gap between different stakeholders and improve data management. Once the right standards are in place, AI can help automate data collection, analysis, and sharing, making the process more efficient.
By addressing the challenges of data governance, standardization, and early involvement of operations, the industry can move toward more data-driven and sustainable building management.
By Jonathan Davis
Jonathan writes about asset management, maintenance software, and SaaS solutions in his role as a digital content creator at Eptura. He covers trends across industries, including fleet, manufacturing, healthcare, and hospitality, with a focus on delivering thought leadership with actionable insights. Earlier in his career, he wrote textbooks, edited NPC dialogue for video games, and taught English as a foreign language. He holds a master's degree in journalism.
