AI and Smart Controls Help Facilities Teams Predict Failures, Improve Building Performance

The days of the wrench-turning facilities manager are on their way out. In their place has emerged a new, tech-savvy professional who touches on every aspect of running a building. The pandemic exposed where purely technical models fell short, prompting many leaders to look beyond problem-solving toward operational resilience. As buildings generate more data and systems become connected, facilities teams must decide how to fold new tools into their daily routines. Today's FM role is just as much about managing data and executive expectations as it is about fixing hardware.

Rashiek Barber, Assistant Director of Engineering at Highgate Hospitality Management, has spent more than two decades working across engineering and facility operations, building a reputation for managing complex building systems and high-stakes infrastructure. Over the course of his career, he has worked with organizations such as CBRE, Brown Harris Stevens, and the U.S. Department of State, where operational reliability and compliance are paramount. His work spans commercial, residential, hospitality, and government environments, with a focus on energy efficiency, sustainability initiatives, and large-scale building performance.

Today, Barber focuses on how AI-driven smart technologies can complement human leadership inside modern facilities operations. He sees the move toward more advanced systems as necessary, but believes success depends on professionals staying informed and adaptable. "You don't have to be an expert," Barber says, "but you do have to be aware of just how fast technology is changing."

• People over processors: From Barber's perspective, the value of predictive maintenance and energy optimization depends entirely on balancing data from advanced tools with the judgment of the people running the buildings. He sees the integration of AI as a way to support and extend what facilities teams already do, by connecting the systemic and the human into a streamlined operation. "We don't always do the physical work. We manage, we operate, we control the process, the narrative. But at the same time, you're only as good as your staff." Even with AI, it's all about the team.

• Slashing the stats: When applied well, Barber notes that AI and smart controls can measurably improve building efficiency. "We've seen different interchanging climates, and that has a lot to do with our energy consumption and greenhouse gases," Barber says. "With AI and the smart technology that we now have, we're able to have that knocked down by a significant amount—almost 70%."

• Greening the grid: Moving toward more green and efficient technologies also contributes to overall sustainability and gives facilities managers a way to address larger environmental issues. "We're seeing different retrofits picking up with green initiatives, giving money back to facilities that actually opt into sustainability programs. It has a major overall impact not just on facilities, not just on the operations and the organization, but on the environment as well."

For many organizations, capturing this kind of measurable ROI means updating parts of the physical infrastructure. Legacy systems are often augmented by active sensors, EMS, and pressure controls, and AI, allowing leaders to predict events before they happen. This predictive capacity gives facility managers key data to move from a reactive to a proactive stance. "Being able to identify problems or concerns before they happen is huge because it allows us to plan as far as capital costs," Barber says. "It allows us to forecast a more predictable life cycle within the building, which goes to cost performance. It allows us to optimize our energy usage."

• Translating the tech: For Barber, his role as an FM isn't just behind a desk or in an office. It's a large-scale, interpersonal position that negotiates the value and impact of AI across an entire building of people. "Whether it's Gen X, baby boomers, vendors, or VPs, you need to understand who you're speaking to and what is the intended purpose in your conversation. And if all you are is technical, you can feel the tension."

• The human hardware: At the same time, it's crucial for FMs to connect with the technicians in the organization, no matter where they are. This is where AI helps. "You're going to need to lean on the technicians. Maintenance or building staff, hospitality, your housekeeping, or house manager, or your CTO. These are the people responsible for the process. AI has enabled us to identify areas where we want consultants to come in and break down the system for better performance and efficiency."

Rather than treating AI as abstract or intimidating, facilities professionals should demystify the tools and understand how they fit into everyday systems. Barber points out that taking short courses, attending vendor demos, or directly engaging in some of these seminars helps teams understand the data and assumptions behind new products. A growing body of resources on the state of AI in facilities management can help professionals determine which tools fit their operations.

As more building systems are touched by data-driven tools, Barber sees the facilities role continuing to expand: connecting data, people, and infrastructure in ways that keep operations running while making sense of the trade-offs that come with each new generation of technology. "We're at a time where we're so far into the future that our reality has not caught up. People understand AI, but not to a full extent. I think that alone has to keep people wanting to evolve and learn."