Facilities Unfiltered - The Built Reality

AkitaBox

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. Hero or Hazard? Why Saving the Day is Killing Your Facility | Facilities Unfiltered | Episode 16

    3d ago ·  Video

    Hero or Hazard? Why Saving the Day is Killing Your Facility | Facilities Unfiltered | Episode 16

    We've all been there: the 2 a.m. call, the overheating server room, the frantic scramble to save the day. In facility management, being the hero feels good — but what if that hero complex is actually holding your facility back? In this episode, Josh and Nic tackle the uncomfortable truth about reactive maintenance culture and the "cycle of abuse" that keeps facility teams trapped in firefighting mode instead of strategic planning. From the technician who ripped out asset tags to protect his job security, to the office-bound manager proving his worth through capital funding wins, this conversation unpacks the tension between perceived value and actual value in facilities work. The guys explore how organizations inadvertently train their teams to see emergency response as their only worth — and why that mindset costs everyone: late nights, burned weekends, and facilities that never quite get ahead of the next crisis.

    12 min
  2. 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
  3. 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

  4. May 6 ·  Video

    AI Across the Lifecycle Series #4 - Bolt-On vs. Built-In AI. Why AI in FM Software Isn't All Equal | Episode 13

    In the finale of our AI Across the Lifecycle series, Josh and Nic sit down with AkitaBox product expert Dan Cooper to cut through the noise around “AI-enabled” facility management software. With AI suddenly everywhere—from IFMA show floors to CMMS feature lists—the team unpacks a crucial reality: not all AI is created equal, and a bolt-on chatbot that summarizes work orders is a very different animal than AI that’s trained for facilities and built directly into your workflows. You’ll hear what “trained” vs. “untrained” AI really means in practice, why most FM data sets degrade the moment they’re delivered, and how AI-native systems can help close the gap by writing data, flagging missing fields, and focusing teams on the few changes that actually matter. They also share a simple set of questions owners should ask any vendor claiming AI capabilities—plus a look at the bigger prize: moving from stale point-in-time assessments to “living data” and predictive signals that can trigger diagnostics before failures happen. Chapters (00:02:56) - Training AI vs Untrained AI(00:10:19) - Maintain Your Data: Will I Die on the Hill?(00:15:46) - Is AI Worth the Investment in Your Data?(00:23:32) - How AI Can Help You Manage the Heat

    27 min
  5. AI Across the Lifecycle Series #4 - Lifecycle, Costing, & Capital Planning | Facilities Unfiltered Episode 12

    Apr 29 ·  Video

    AI Across the Lifecycle Series #4 - Lifecycle, Costing, & Capital Planning | Facilities Unfiltered Episode 12

    Capital planning has always asked facilities teams to “predict the future” with tools that weren’t built to be maintained—binders, spreadsheets, PDFs, and one-time assessments that quickly go stale. In this installment of the AI Across the Lifecycle series, Josh Lowe and Nic Guedenet get candid about why traditional lifecycle costing models erode trust (when the model says four panels but the building has 22) and why the real bottleneck isn’t technology—it’s culture, workflow, and how consistently teams capture the right data. They dig into what AI can actually change when the fundamentals are in place: more realistic, variable-aware cost forecasting (labor type, prevailing wage impacts, permitting, rigging, disposal, contingencies), continuously updating ROM estimates that reflect market shifts, and scenario planning that helps leaders understand the true cost of underfunding. Along the way, they unpack practical steps you can take now—even in an “old crappy system”—from tying work to the actual asset, to building a site-specific useful life table, to tapping purchasing history, so you’re not waiting for a “magic button” to start getting better outcomes.

    33 min
  6. AI Across the Lifecycle Series #3 - Development of Preventive Maintenance with AI | Facilities Unfiltered Episode 11

    Apr 22 ·  Video

    AI Across the Lifecycle Series #3 - Development of Preventive Maintenance with AI | Facilities Unfiltered Episode 11

    In this AI Across the Lifecycle Series installment, Josh Lowe and Nic Guedenet unpack where AI can genuinely help PM teams right now: accelerating calendar-based schedules by pulling from trusted sources like manufacturer O&M manuals and industry standards, while avoiding the “bad data faster” trap that comes from poorly constrained tools and questionable inputs. From there, the conversation moves into the real-world complexity: how to balance manufacturer-prescriptive recommendations with what’s actually worth the squeeze, how to rethink “preventive vs. reactive” KPIs in a world of sensors and BMS alarms, and why the biggest opportunity may be AI acting as the brain layer—prioritizing work when staffing and time are constrained. They also dig into practical, high-impact possibilities like dynamically adjusting PM plans when staffing changes, bundling tasks when a tech is already on-site, and using AI to reinforce safety procedures and SOPs so efficiency never comes at the expense of people. Chapters (00:00:06) - Unfiltered: The Built Reality(00:00:33) - What Do We Need For AI in Preventative Maintenance?(00:07:18) - Reactive PMs: Is the AI Good for Business?(00:13:53) - Preventative Maintenance: Culture Shift(00:21:19) - Is AI Integrating With BMS Systems?(00:28:14) - A Week in the AI Wars

    29 min
  7. AI Across the Lifecycle Series #2 - The Foundation: Data Collection & Cleanliness | Facilities Unfiltered Episode 10

    Apr 15 ·  Video

    AI Across the Lifecycle Series #2 - The Foundation: Data Collection & Cleanliness | Facilities Unfiltered Episode 10

    AI promises to help facilities teams do more with less—but only if the foundation is solid. In this second episode of the AI Across the Lifecycle series, Josh and Nic sit down with AkitaBox Director of Product Geoff Baron to unpack the unglamorous (and absolutely essential) reality behind successful AI in the built environment: data collection, structure, and cleanliness. From “garbage in, garbage out” to why AI will confidently fill gaps when your data model is broken, they break down what facilities leaders should do before they ever “push the go button.” You’ll hear practical perspective on why so many AI projects miss expectations, how to think about AI as an “exoskeleton” rather than a replacement for human judgment, and where early wins can show up once your data is in shape. If you’re curious about AI but wary of hype, privacy concerns, or messy reality on the ground, this episode maps the path from hesitation to readiness—without pretending the hard parts don’t exist. Chapters (00:00:05) - Facilities Unfiltered: The Built Environment(00:08:19) - What's the Next Quagmire for AI in Business?(00:12:45) - What Should FMs Expect From AI?(00:18:22) - What are the Easy Wins for AI in the Data Industry?(00:23:10) - A Week in the Life of AI

    26 min
  8. AI Across the Lifecycle Series #1 - What AI Can’t Do | Facilities Unfiltered Episode 9

    Apr 8 ·  Video

    AI Across the Lifecycle Series #1 - What AI Can’t Do | Facilities Unfiltered Episode 9

    AI is everywhere in facility management right now—but hype doesn’t equal reality. In the kickoff of our “AI Across the Lifecycle” series, Josh Lowe and Nic Guedenet cut through the buzzwords to talk about what AI can’t do in FM, and why that matters if you’re trying to adopt it without wasting time, budget, or trust. They unpack the rapid acceleration of AI adoption, why so many AI projects still fall short, and the biggest constraints most teams run into—starting with foundational data. You’ll also hear why AI can’t “walk the floor,” can’t replace relationships and on-the-ground judgment, and struggles with truly novel facility problems. The takeaway: AI isn’t a magic button, but it is a powerful force multiplier—especially for understaffed, underfunded teams—if you start small, pick a use case, prove value, and keep building momentum.

    30 min
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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.

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