The National Facilities Management & Technology (NFMT) Baltimore 2024 conference and expo, March 12 – 14, brought together facility management professionals from across the country to explore the latest trends, technologies, and best practices in the industry. With a diverse range of sessions and exhibitors, the event provided a platform for attendees to network, learn, and gain valuable insights into the ever-evolving field of facility management.
Although many of the sessions focused on narrow technical topics, two of the standouts shared best practices based on industry insights.
Event session: Becoming an Asset Champion: Leadership Lessons in FM
A highlight of the event was “Becoming an Asset Champion: Leadership Lessons in FM.” Led by industry insiders Mike Petrusky and Mike Robbins from Eptura™, the session focused on the critical role of leadership in facility management and how professionals can become effective asset champions within their organizations.
Both presenters have a deep understanding of the topic based on direct experience. As the Director of Podcasts and Events at Eptura, Mike Petrusky has interviewed more than 150 facility and management leaders over the previous four years. And as the manager of Solutions Engineering, Michael Robbins hears about industry challenges every day.
The session delved into the importance of aligning facility management strategies with overall business objectives, emphasizing the need for facility managers to be proactive, innovative, and adaptable. Attendees gained valuable insights into leadership techniques, change management, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement within their teams.
They also dived into the topic of data, with the presenters looking at how organizations can use preventive maintenance and holistic data analysis to drive success by enhancing operational efficiency. By capturing data from technologies that support reactive, proactive, and predictive decision-making, teams can benefit from real-time assessments.
Event session: Asset Management Trends: Progress Versus Potential
Another successful session with Mike Petrusky and Mike Robbins was “Asset Management Trends: Progress Versus Potential,” which explored the latest advancements and challenges in asset management, showing how companies can make progress by leveraging technology and data to optimize facility performance.
Attendees learned about important industry trends, including:
- Business resilience
- Automation and insights
- Preventive over reactive maintenance
- Predictive maintenance
- Internet of Things (IoT) and sensors
- Data-driven decision-making
The session also addressed the potential barriers and limitations that facility managers can encounter when implementing asset management strategies, providing practical solutions and best practices to overcome these challenges.
Networking opportunities
NFMT Baltimore 2024 provided ample networking opportunities for facility management professionals to connect, collaborate, and share experiences. Attendees had the chance to engage in meaningful conversations with industry leaders, experts, and fellow practitioners, fostering valuable relationships that can lead to future collaborations and professional growth.
Expo themes and insights
In addition to the informative sessions, the NFMT Baltimore 2024 expo showcased many exhibitors representing various sectors of the facility management industry. Attendees had the chance to explore cutting-edge products, services, and technologies designed to enhance facility operations, improve energy efficiency, and streamline maintenance processes.
Professionals engaged with exhibitors, participated in live demonstrations, and exchanged ideas with industry peers. From innovative software solutions to sustainable building materials, the expo offered a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements in facility management.
Why a holistic view of data matters
Many of the conversations at the event, both formal and informal, focused on the challenges of adopting technology and supporting generation knowledge transfer. There was also an understanding of the need for a holistic view of data. For example, there is a growing understanding and appreciation for leveraging building information modelling (BIM) data for facility management, including through digital twins. There was also a growing interest in data capture and reporting for sustainability campaigns and incentives.
Overall, the event highlighted how people understand the importance of data, but want specific, actionable insights to achieve them.
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 hold a master's degree in journalism.
