Creating Resilience

The Increasing Demands on Corporate Real Estate Leaders

Four factors reshaping facilities management (2/4)

April 2, 2025

illustration of commerical real esate remit

The role of corporate real estate (CRE) is expanding beyond traditional building operations, fundamentally reshaping facilities management (FM). Today’s CRE leaders are tasked with enhancing employee experience, meeting sustainability targets, and optimizing real estate portfolios, requiring FM teams to adopt new strategies and technologies.

How the Expanding CRE Remit is Transforming FM

1. Sustainability: From Energy Efficiency to Carbon Reduction

Sustainability in FM is no longer just about reducing energy costs—it now encompasses full-scale carbon reduction strategies across portfolios and supply chains. Organizations are adopting renewable energy, responsible sourcing, and AI-driven efficiencies to meet net-zero goals.

  • ≥20%

    reduction in energy consumption delivered by technology-led FM strategies

AI and advanced analytics are at the core of this transformation:

  • Machine learning optimizes energy consumption by predicting usage patterns and adjusting HVAC, lighting, and other systems accordingly.
  • IoT sensors and AI-driven monitoring provide real-time data on asset conditions, enabling predictive maintenance that minimizes breakdowns, lowers repair costs, and reduces downtime.
  • Smart space-use trackers adjust building operations based on real-time occupancy, ensuring resource efficiency and cost savings.
The promise of big data, AI, and data science is difficult to operationalize, but for corporate real estate teams, AI enables predictive insights over descriptive data, improving decision-making and response times.
Kapil LahotiChief Digital & Technology Officer, GWS
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2. Workplace Experience: Aligning FM with Employee Expectations

Corporate real estate now plays a critical role in attracting and retaining talent, requiring FM teams to create workplaces that are seamless, flexible, and engaging. Hybrid work models demand intelligent space management, technology integration, and a strong human-centric approach.

FM teams are leveraging AI-powered workplace analytics to:

  • Optimize space utilization based on employee behaviors
  • Enhance workplace services with predictive cleaning and on-demand maintenance
  • Improve indoor air quality and comfort to boost employee well-being


To entice employees back to physical offices, FM teams must evolve from operational enablers to strategic experience architects, ensuring that the workplace enhances productivity, collaboration, and well-being.

facility manager works in shared workspace


3. Portfolio Strategy: Leveraging FM for Business Impact

CRE leaders are increasingly prioritizing portfolio optimization, and facilities management is central to this effort. FM teams are now seen as strategic partners who provide data-driven insights to support real estate decision-making.

Advanced analytics and AI-driven FM technologies are enabling:

  • Transparent visibility into facility usage and space requirements.
  • Data-backed recommendations on portfolio adjustments to align with business goals.
  • Regionalized FM strategies, adapting sustainability practices and return-to-office policies to different economic and cultural landscapes.

As businesses rethink their real estate footprint, FM teams play a pivotal role in aligning facilities strategies with financial and operational objectives.

The Future of FM: A Strategic, Technology-Driven Approach

The expanding role of CRE is reshaping FM into a strategic, technology-driven function that extends beyond maintenance to business impact, sustainability, and employee experience. AI, machine learning, and advanced analytics are empowering FM teams to become proactive partners in shaping corporate real estate strategy.
By embracing intelligent solutions and a forward-thinking mindset, FM professionals can future-proof their operations and contribute to broader organizational success. In this era of transformation, facilities management is no longer just about managing space—it’s about shaping the future of work itself.

Discover three other key factors accelerating change in facilities management.

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