Facilities Unfiltered - The Built Reality

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What does “best practice” facility management actually look like—and why does it rarely match reality? In this podcast, Josh Lowe and Nic Guedenet tackle the gap between the FM lifecycle as it’s taught in textbooks and how it actually plays out on the ground. Join us for candid discussions about how emerging technologies and smarter practices can help bridge the gap between FM theory and FM reality—before it’s too late.

  1. The Staffing Cliff | Facilities Unfiltered | Episode 15

    May 20 ·  Video

    The Staffing Cliff | Facilities Unfiltered | Episode 15

    Facilities teams everywhere are approaching “the staffing cliff", and it’s not just about hiring more people. In Episode 15, Josh and Nic unpack why staffing shortages, turnover, and an aging workforce are colliding with the reality that most professionals don’t choose facilities as a career path—they stumble into it. With too few accredited FM degree programs and long hiring cycles for leadership roles, the gap isn’t closing anytime soon, which raises a tougher question: what can leaders do right now? The conversation dives into pragmatic strategies facilities leaders can use to stabilize operations and make the case for support—without sounding like “another squeaky wheel.” From in-house vs. outsourced models (and when service providers become the “easy button”) to the hidden cost of institutional knowledge living only in people’s heads, Josh and Nic explore how process, metrics, and the right tools can help teams onboard faster, retain talent, and tell a clearer story to CFOs and boards. If you’re trying to do more with less—and prove what it really takes to run the built environment—this episode is for you. Chapters (00:00:00) - Facilities Unfiltered: Staffing Issues(00:06:23) - Facility Management: Understaffing(00:09:42) - Are You Ready for a Healthcare Crossover?(00:11:58) - In-House vs Outsourced: The Value of Service Providers(00:13:39) - Service Provider vs In-House Contractor(00:17:29) - Facility Staffing Crisis(00:23:46) - CFO Forum: The Need for Metrics

    29 min
  2. COVID & FM, A Six-Year Reflection | Facilities Unfiltered Episode 14

    May 13 ·  Video

    COVID & FM, A Six-Year Reflection | Facilities Unfiltered Episode 14

    Six years after COVID was declared a national emergency, Josh Lowe and Nic Guedenet look back on how the pandemic reshaped facilities management—overnight. From the split reality of “essential worker” life versus remote work improvisation, they unpack what it felt like to keep buildings safe and operational while guidance, supply chains, and expectations shifted almost daily. This reflection digs into the real FM lessons that stuck (and the ones that faded): the scramble for cleaning products, the rise of “cleaning theater,” and the rapid push to upgrade HVAC performance—sometimes with unintended consequences like overtaxed equipment, burned-out motors, and growing deferred maintenance. They also talk candidly about the human side: burnout, retention, leadership support (or lack of it), and how hybrid work has permanently changed building loads, energy strategies, and the need for better data. If you manage—or simply occupy—buildings, this episode offers a grounded take on what COVID revealed about preparedness, trust, and knowing what you’re responsible for. Chapters (00:00:05) - The Covid Crisis: Six Years Later(00:05:33) - Overnight Essential Workers: What Went Right(00:09:20) - Custodial Experience under Covid(00:16:02) - MRV13 and the HVAC Standards(00:22:38) - The Covid Effect on Employee Relations(00:28:51) - Six years on, are we back to the same old habits?(00:30:35) - COVID: A Positive Experience(00:32:29) - Cleaning Your Building

    34 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

What does “best practice” facility management actually look like—and why does it rarely match reality? In this podcast, Josh Lowe and Nic Guedenet tackle the gap between the FM lifecycle as it’s taught in textbooks and how it actually plays out on the ground. Join us for candid discussions about how emerging technologies and smarter practices can help bridge the gap between FM theory and FM reality—before it’s too late.