If there’s one thing 2025 has made clear, it’s that the role of the facility manager keeps expanding. From sustainability to strategy, from data analytics to people leadership — today’s FM is a connector, analyst and changemaker all at once.
At IFMA, our mission is to empower facility professionals through knowledge, research and community. This roundup brings together some of the most impactful IFMA resources from 2025 — the blog posts that started conversations, the podcast episodes that inspired new thinking, the research that redefined priorities, and the FMJ articles that put it all into context.
Whether you’re looking to upskill, benchmark, or just stay ahead, here’s your one-stop guide to the year’s best content.
IFMA’s Connected FM Blog remains one of the most accessible ways to keep up with industry trends, leadership insights and professional growth stories.
Here are a few of the year’s standouts:
A forward-looking piece by Brian Sanders that explores how AI, including both traditional analytics and generative AI, can transform facilities management through improved data accessibility, predictive maintenance, energy optimization and space utilization. Check it out.
This post outlines how to obtain IFMA’s Certified Facility Manager credential: teaming eligibility, preparing for the exam, applying and taking the exam. Great for FM professionals considering certification. Check it out.
A helpful guide for newcomers or career changers entering the FM space. It outlines what the profession looks like today from essential competencies to credentialing and career paths. Check it out.
Facility management is as much about listening as it is about learning, and IFMA’s Connected FM Podcast brings those conversations straight to your ears.
Four standout episodes from 2025 include:
Brent Ward and Ray Bizal provide a clear breakdown of the critical codes from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) that facility managers need to know — covering fire, electrical and life-safety standards, plus newer topics like wildfire and active-shooter preparedness. Listen now.
In this powerful conversation, host Kelsey Hirsch interviews Teena Shouse about her career journey, how she mapped her path into leadership, and the importance of mentorship and diversity in facilities management. Listen now.
Lorri Rowlandson of BGIS guides us through a three-layer approach to AI in facility management: (1) individual desktop tools, (2) operational automation, (3) client-value-driven innovation. Listen now.
In this candid and future-facing dialogue, Kay Sargent (Director of Thought Leadership, Interiors at HOK) and host Edward Wagoner challenge the status quo of workplace design and FM roles — arguing for a shift from “sustainability” toward “regeneration,” and from doing things as they’ve always been done, to bold rethinking. Listen now.
Research remains at the heart of IFMA’s mission. In 2025, several studies stood out each offering actionable takeaways that professionals can apply immediately.
Data isn’t just for IT anymore. This report highlights how FMs are increasingly using analytics to tell the story behind facility operations. It explores how curiosity, storytelling, and data literacy are reshaping FM roles and how teams can build analytical capacity for smarter, faster decisions. Read the report.
When FMs are involved early in capital projects, everyone wins. This report demonstrates how early input from facility teams prevents design inefficiencies, reduces lifecycle costs, and improves performance outcomes. Read the report.
Sustainability continues to dominate the FM agenda. This report explores how facility managers are leading the transition to a circular economy through smarter resource use, reuse models, and long-term asset thinking. Read the report.
The FM profession is as much about people as it is about places. This fascinating study dives into the psychology of FMs, revealing common traits like integrity, adaptability, and collaboration. Read the report.
The FMJ continues to provide practical insights that tie IFMA’s research to real-world practice. Below are several stand-out articles from 2025 worth sharing with your team or audience:
From the data-driven mindset of the FM Analyst to the insights behind effective leadership, 2025 has been a year of reflection and reinvention for the facility management profession. IFMA’s growing library of blogs, podcasts, reports and FMJ articles continue to equip FMs everywhere with the knowledge and insights they need.
The takeaway? The world of FM never stands still, and neither should you.