FMJ Facilities Management magazine providing industry-specific intelligence to FM and property professionals
TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT: PRODUCTIVITY DRIVE CONTINUES
On technology investment more broadly, the survey presents a picture of cautious intent. Over half of respondents (58 per cent) say their organisation will probably or definitely invest in new FM technology in the next 12-18 months. The dominant driver, cited by 27 per cent, is improved efficiency and productivity. Supporting sustainability and energy management goals featured for 12 per cent, cost savings for 10 per cent, and AI capabilities specifically for 9 per cent.
The technologies attracting most interest include AI or automation tools (18 per cent), contractor management software (14 per cent), and predictive maintenance platforms (14 per cent). This selection reflects a pragmatic set of priorities: tools that reduce manual effort, improve compliance management, and shift maintenance from reactive to proactive.
Yet the barriers to adoption are real and well-established. Cost remains the single biggest obstacle, cited by 26 per cent of respondents. The skills gap in the workforce was flagged by almost one in five respondents (19 per cent), while difficulty integrating IoT and AI solutions was highlighted by 17 per cent. These are not trivial challenges. For many FM teams, the path to technology adoption runs through budget approval processes, change management programmes, and significant investment in training, all of which require sustained organisational will.
FACING THE NET ZERO CHALLENGE
Sustainability presents a particular tension in this year’s survey. Net zero targets are viewed as the biggest challenge facing the industry at 51 per cent, the highest proportion of any trend assessed, while only 21 per cent see net zero as an opportunity.
This is not a sign of resistance to sustainability goals, but of honest reckoning with the gap between ambition and resource. FM professionals are frequently expected to deliver carbon reductions whilst simultaneously achieving cost savings. Smart technologies and automated energy management systems can help, and the survey shows strong interest in automating energy management processes (21 per cent plan to do so in the next 12-18 months).
LOOKING FORWARD
The five-year outlook expressed by respondents is ambitious and, in important respects, consistent. Eighteen per cent expect increased use of smart technologies and automation to define the future of FM, making it by far the most anticipated development. Data-driven decision-making (11 per cent), sustainability as a central focus (12 per cent), and the integration of agentic AI and autonomous systems (9 per cent) all feature prominently too.
These are the expectations of a profession that sees clearly where the industry is heading and wants to be part of shaping it. The challenge is ensuring that the conditions, in terms of data quality, skills, budget, and organisational support, are in place to make that ambition a reality.
The 2026 Voice of the Facilities Manager survey ultimately tells a story of a sector that has moved from curiosity about AI to genuine engagement with what it will require. The next chapter will be written by the organisations that move from engagement to investment: in their data infrastructure, in their people, and in the integrated systems that will allow FM teams to do more, with more confidence, in an increasingly complex built environment.
The full 2026 Voice of the Facilities Manager report is available at mrisoftware.com.
