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The earliest recorded use of a “pesticide” or chemical compound to deal with insects was in 2500 BC; archeological research has shown that the ancient Sumerians were using sulfur compounds to repel and kill insects during this time. And while the types of pesticides commonly used have changed in the past 3000 years, the desire to get rid of pests hasn’t. Even today, a bug sighting can inspire an instinctive urge to eliminate the invader at all costs, leading, in some cases, to the overuse of hazardous pesticides. Fortunately, now there’s another option available for commercial pest control: integrated pest management.

Not every weed, insect, or fungus needs to be controlled, as some are innocuous or even beneficial.

Unlike traditional grab‑and‑spray protocols, integrated pest management (IPM) takes a different approach. By leveraging data about insects—their lifecycles, and how they interact with plants and other insects—IPM can stop problems before they start. And while IPM does include the judicious use of pesticides, this methodology relies more on other means, making it an increasingly popular choice for companies seeking sustainable pest control solutions for commercial landscaping.

The Benefits of IPM for Commercial Pest Control

Integrated pest management has become the preferred approach for sustainable commercial pest control because it balances effectiveness, environmental responsibility, and long‑term cost savings. Rather than relying on routine chemical applications, IPM emphasizes prevention, monitoring, and targeted intervention. This shift reflects a broader national movement toward greener facility operations and more resilient landscapes.

IPM for commercial pest management has several important benefits:

  • Reduced chemical use – IPM prioritizes non‑chemical methods and uses pesticides only when necessary, improving safety and reducing environmental impact.
  • Lower long‑term costs – Preventative strategies and targeted treatments minimize expensive remediation and reduce material waste.
  • Improved regulatory compliance – IPM aligns with evolving environmental standards and supports documentation for audits and inspections.
  • Enhanced sustainability – Healthier landscapes, reduced runoff, and lower toxicity contribute to ESG and corporate sustainability goals.
  • Greater effectiveness – By addressing root causes rather than symptoms, IPM provides more durable, long‑lasting pest control.

One of the primary advantages of IPM is its ability to limit the development of pesticide‑resistant pest populations. In decades past, heavy reliance on chemical pesticides allowed certain insects and weeds to adapt, rendering once‑reliable treatments far less effective. IPM counters this problem by incorporating a wider range of control methods—biological, mechanical, and chemical—making it harder for pests to develop resistance. This diversified strategy not only protects the environment but also preserves the long‑term viability of pest‑control tools.

IPM also supports healthier indoor and outdoor environments. By reducing the frequency and volume of chemical applications, facilities minimize the risk of contaminating soil, waterways, and air. This is especially important in public spaces such as parks, campuses, and recreational areas, where visitors may be sensitive to chemical exposure. For organizations with ESG goals, IPM provides a measurable way to reduce environmental impact while maintaining high standards of effectiveness and safety.

IPM has financial benefits too. Because it focuses on prevention and early detection, IPM reduces the need for large‑scale remediation and repeated chemical treatments. Healthier landscapes require less intervention overall, and targeted treatments reduce labor and material expenses. Over time, this leads to more predictable budgeting and fewer costly surprises.

Together, these benefits make IPM a powerful tool for facilities managers seeking to protect their buildings, landscapes, and occupants while meeting sustainability expectations.

Eco Friendly Commercial Pest Control Methods

Today’s sustainable commercial pest control programs include a wide range of low‑toxicity and non‑chemical solutions that weren’t widely available even a few years ago. These methods help organizations reduce chemical exposure, improve indoor air quality, and support sustainability goals.

Botanical and Essential‑Oil‑Based Treatments

Plant‑derived compounds such as rosemary, peppermint, thyme, and geraniol provide effective control of ants, roaches, and flying insects with minimal environmental impact. These products break down quickly, reducing the risk of residue in sensitive environments.

Microbial and Biological Controls

Beneficial organisms—such as Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), parasitic wasps, predatory mites, and nematodes—can be used to target specific pests without harming people, pets, or beneficial insect species like bees and ladybugs. These biological agents are especially useful in landscaped areas, green roofs, and outdoor common spaces.

Heat Treatments

High‑temperature remediation is now a leading method for eliminating bed bugs and other heat‑sensitive pests without chemicals. Heat treatments are particularly valuable in hospitality, healthcare, and multi‑unit residential settings where chemical exposure must be minimized.

Pheromone and CO₂‑Based Traps

These traps attract and capture pests by mimicking the chemical signals that drive insect behavior, and so reduce the need for broad‑spectrum pesticides. Pheromone traps are especially effective in warehouses and food‑service environments.

Mechanical Controls

These include adjusting irrigation schedules, improving soil health, installing physical barriers, using mulches that deter pests, and pruning vegetation. These methods support long‑term pest suppression by making the environment less hospitable to unwanted species.

Smart Technology: The New Frontier of Commercial Pest Control

In addition to the traditional tools listed above, advances in digital technology have created new IPM solutions that are reshaping commercial pest control. Facilities can now leverage advanced monitoring tools that improve accuracy, reduce chemical use, and support data‑driven decision-making. Here are four smart tools worth considering.

IoT‑Enabled Pest Monitoring Traps

Monitoring traps use sensors to detect pest activity and send real‑time alerts to technicians. This enables faster response times, reduced labor costs, more precise interventions, and better documentation for audits. These smart traps are especially useful in large facilities such as warehouses, distribution centers, and manufacturing plants.

AI‑Driven Monitoring and Analytics

Artificial intelligence can identify patterns, predict infestations, and optimize technician routes. AI systems analyze temperature and humidity trends, historical pest activity, structural vulnerabilities, and seasonal patterns. This predictive capability helps facilities managers address issues before they escalate.

Drone‑Assisted Inspections

Drones can inspect roofs, loading docks, and hard‑to‑reach exterior areas, providing a safe way to detect the presence of insects before they become a serious problem. Drones are particularly valuable for large campuses, industrial sites, and buildings with complex architecture.

Digital Reporting and Compliance Tools

Modern pest‑control platforms provide automated service logs, photo documentation, trend analysis, and compliance reports. These tools streamline communication between pest‑control providers and facilities teams.

Whether or not you choose to invest in advanced digital technologies, or prefer to rely solely on traditional methods, it’s important to ground your operations in practices and techniques that have proven to keep buildings and landscapes healthy. Here are six best practices that will help ensure your pest control program’s long‑term success.

A pheromone-based insect trap hangs from a tree, with six trapped insects visible through the clear plastic of the trap
Pheromone and CO₂ based traps attract and capture pests by mimicking the chemical signals that drive insect behavior.
Regular monitoring, a key aspect of IPM, ensures pests are managed and the environment thrives.

1. Strengthen Sanitation Protocols

Sanitation is the foundation of any effective commercial pest control program. Pests are opportunistic; they gravitate toward food, moisture, and shelter. When these resources are available to insects—whether in a break room, warehouse, loading dock, or landscaped area—pest pressure increases dramatically. Facilities managers can reduce this pressure by ensuring that food waste is promptly removed, spills are cleaned quickly, and storage areas remain organized and free of clutter. Even small lapses, such as leaving trash bags beside a dumpster or allowing organic debris to accumulate in drains, can create ideal breeding conditions for bugs.

In commercial environments, sanitation must be consistent and systematic. This means establishing clear cleaning schedules, ensuring that custodial teams understand their role in pest prevention, and conducting regular inspections of high‑risk areas such as kitchens, waste‑handling zones, and mechanical rooms. When sanitation is treated as a shared responsibility across departments, pest problems become far less likely to escalate.

2. Improve Structural Integrity

Exclusion—physically preventing pests from entering a building—is one of the most effective and sustainable pest‑control strategies available. Many infestations begin with small structural vulnerabilities: a gap under a door, a torn window screen, or a crack in a foundation wall. Rodents, insects, and other pests can exploit openings far smaller than most people realize. For example, mice can squeeze through holes the size of a dime, and cockroaches can flatten their bodies to slip through narrow crevices.

Facilities managers should incorporate routine structural inspections into their maintenance programs. This includes checking for damaged weather stripping, ensuring door sweeps are intact, sealing utility penetrations, and repairing worn or broken screens. Loading docks, in particular, require close attention due to their frequent traffic and open spaces. By addressing these vulnerabilities proactively, facilities can significantly reduce the need for chemical treatments and improve long‑term pest control.

3. Manage Landscaping Thoughtfully

Outdoor environments play a major role in indoor pest pressure. Overgrown vegetation, standing water, and poorly selected plant species can attract insects and rodents, creating a pipeline of pests that eventually make their way indoors. Sustainable landscaping practices—such as choosing native or pest‑resistant plants, maintaining proper irrigation schedules, and ensuring adequate drainage—help create an exterior environment that discourages pest activity.

Facilities managers should work closely with landscaping teams to ensure that shrubs and trees are trimmed away from building exteriors, mulch is applied sparingly near foundations, and irrigation systems are calibrated to avoid over‑watering. Excess moisture is one of the most common contributors to pest problems, particularly in warm climates. By designing and maintaining landscapes with pest prevention in mind, organizations can reduce both outdoor and indoor insect activity while supporting healthier, more sustainable grounds.

4. Monitor Continuously

Regular monitoring is essential for early detection and targeted intervention. Traditionally, commercial pest control relied on reactive measures—responding only after a problem became visible. Modern IPM emphasizes proactive monitoring through frequent inspections, strategically placed traps, and digital tools that track pest activity over time. This approach allows facilities managers to identify trends, pinpoint hotspots, and address insect incursions before they escalate into full infestations. Over time, this data also helps refine pest‑control strategies, which can reduce chemical use and improve overall facility performance.

Monitoring also supports better documentation, which is increasingly important for regulatory compliance, third‑party audits, and internal reporting. Keep in mind that while smart traps and other technologies do provide useful information on insect activity, visual inspections are still needed to confirm the data in order to make truly informed decisions.

5. Train Staff

Even the most sophisticated pest‑control program can falter if employees are not trained to support it. Staff members are often the first to notice early signs of pest activity, such as droppings, gnaw marks, damaged packaging, or unusual odors. When employees know what to look for and how to report it, facilities managers gain valuable eyes and ears throughout the building. Training should also cover basic prevention practices, such as proper food storage, waste handling, and maintaining clean workspaces.

Creating a culture of awareness does not require extensive training sessions. Short, focused briefings during staff meetings, onboarding, or safety trainings can be highly effective. The goal is to empower employees to participate in pest prevention rather than relying solely on external service providers. When everyone understands their role, pest issues are identified earlier, addressed faster, and prevented more effectively.

6. Collaborate Across Departments

Sustainable commercial pest control is inherently collaborative. Pest issues rarely originate from a single source; they emerge from the interplay of sanitation, maintenance, landscaping, operations, and even procurement decisions. For example, a maintenance team may repair structural gaps, but if the janitorial team is not managing waste effectively, pest pressure will persist. Similarly, landscaping teams may maintain vegetation, but if operations staff leave loading dock doors open, pests will still find their way inside.

Facilities managers can strengthen pest‑control outcomes by fostering communication between departments and establishing shared goals. Regular cross‑departmental check‑ins, joint inspections, and clear reporting channels help ensure that everyone understands how their work contributes to pest prevention. When pest control becomes a collective effort rather than a siloed responsibility, facilities achieve more consistent, long‑lasting results.

A National Shift Toward Sustainable Pest Control

Across the country, pest‑control strategies are evolving to incorporate broader sustainability goals. California’s 20‑year Sustainable Pest Management (SPM) Roadmap is just one example of how governments and industries are rethinking commercial pest control with an emphasis on prevention, environmental health, and reduced chemical reliance. Similar initiatives are emerging nationwide as states and municipalities adopt more stringent environmental standards.

This shift mirrors a broader movement toward holistic, science‑based approaches to pest management—ones that prioritize prevention, monitoring, and targeted intervention over routine chemical application. For facilities managers, this means adapting to new expectations around transparency, environmental stewardship, and long‑term planning.

A Partner in Sustainable Pest Management

PRIDE Industries offers sustainable, IPM based commercial pest control services that align with environmental and regulatory expectations. Our technicians use eco friendly methods and up-to-date monitoring technologies to help facilities maintain healthy, resilient landscapes while reducing chemical use and maintenance costs.
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A hundred years ago, indoor air quality solutions were easy to come by. Occupants of commercial buildings could access fresh air by simply opening a window. But as commercial buildings have changed, so has the concern about the air circulating inside these buildings.

When Honeywell surveyed 3,000 office workers in 2022, it found that 72% worried about air quality in their buildings, 90% wanted to be kept informed about indoor air quality (IAQ), and 62% would consider leaving a job if their employer failed to create a healthier indoor environment. The widespread concern regarding indoor air quality is shared by regulatory bodies as well. Standards and frameworks such as ASHRAE 62.1 and WELL are tightening expectations around ventilation, filtration, and continuous IAQ monitoring, raising the bar for compliance and documentation.

New indoor air quality solutions make it possible to not only meet, but exceed, even the most stringent regulatory requirements.

In today’s business environment, indoor air quality solutions are a top concern at many companies. Fortunately, by following best practices, it’s possible for facilities managers to meet these heightened expectations. By proactively managing IAQ, facilities teams can reduce risk, support regulatory readiness, and unlock advantages like higher occupant satisfaction and a more resilient building portfolio.

Common Indoor Pollutants

When the ventilation, filtration, or humidity control is not working well in a commercial space, indoor air quality can be compromised by a handful of common pollutants:

  • Particulate Matter (PM): Particulates may include dust, smoke, pollen, and other small solid or liquid particles that can be inhaled and cause health problems, such as worsening asthma or cardiovascular issues.
  • Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): These are airborne chemicals emitted from building materials (for example, paint), furnishings, and cleaning products. In addition to eye, nose, and throat irritation, long-term exposure to VOCs may increase the risk of cancer.
  • Biological Contaminants: Mold, bacteria, viruses, and dust mites can trigger allergies, asthma attacks, and other health issues. Biological contaminants often thrive when humidity control systems are not functioning properly.
  • Carbon Dioxide (CO2): At typical indoor levels, CO2 is not toxic. However, with inadequate ventilation, it can become elevated and cause drowsiness and impaired thinking.

In the U.S., the primary organization setting IAQ standards is the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). The most significant ASHRAE standard related to commercial buildings is ASHRAE Standard 62.1.

Another important regulatory body is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which is charged with ensuring safe and healthful working conditions. While OSHA does not have specific IAQ standards, it does set ventilation standards as well as standards surrounding some of the air contaminants that are often involved in IAQ problems.

IAQ guidance can also vary by state. For example, California has introduced assembly bills in recent years targeting indoor air quality at schools and workplaces. Additionally, California has a Green Building Standards Code, which establishes enhanced ventilation and pollutant control measures.

Other associations weighing in may include the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).

Indoor Air Quality Solutions Through Technology

With so many organizations making recommendations and setting standards for IAQ, it can be a challenge to ensure that facilities meet all applicable requirements. Fortunately, new indoor air quality solutions are making it possible to not only meet, but exceed, even the most stringent regulatory requirements. These technologies make it easier than ever before to detect, block, and eliminate pollutants.

Detection and monitoring

The days of “set-and-forget” technology are over. Modern HVAC systems are evolving into active, data-driven platforms. Integrated into building management systems (BMS) and IoT platforms, these systems can sense, interpret, and respond to conditions in real-time. They are capable of monitoring CO2, total VOCs, and PM—often in one housing unit that also monitors temperature and humidity.

Filtration and Purification

Filtration is key to blocking pollutants from entering rooms and hallways. The use of high-efficiency filters (ideally, MERV 13 or higher) ensures that small particles like pollen, dust, and germs are captured before they can cause problems. And disinfection technologies like ultraviolet-C light (UV-C) can be used to inactivate airborne pathogens and reduce microbial growth on coils and other surfaces.

By combining mechanical, passive filtration (like activated carbon and HEPA) with active technology (such as ionization and oxidation), facility managers can take a more balanced, proactive approach to indoor air quality. And integrating AI into building management systems enhances these indoor air quality solutions even further by optimizing the balance of filtration and active purification based on real-time sensor data.

Close-up of a mold infestation on a ceiling of a commercial building.
Mold, bacteria, viruses, and dust mites can trigger allergies, asthma attacks, and other infections.

Pollutant Neutralization

Newer technology goes beyond capturing pollutants to actively destroy these harmful substances. For example, photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) systems use UV light with a catalyst, such as titanium dioxide, to break down microbes and VOCs into a harmless mixture of carbon dioxide and water. Another approach, bipolar ionization, works by attaching to airborne particles to neutralize harmful viruses, bacteria, and some chemicals—all without producing harmful ozone. 

As powerful as the above technologies are, ultimately they’re most effective when used as part of a comprehensive program. It’s also important to note that technology is only part of the solution. With that in mind, here are six best practices to help you get the most from the indoor air quality solutions you choose to use.

Control Pollution Sources

Less pollution created in and around a building means less pollution to filter, remove, and control. Prohibiting indoor smoking and addressing water leaks that can cause mold are obvious ways to cut down on pollutants. Likewise, low-VOC cleaning agents and paints are widely available to help address indoor air quality.

While some sources of pollutants are obvious, others are not. Frequently overlooked VOC sources include the adhesives, stains, varnishes, and composite wood often found in office furniture. Furniture made with pressed wood or treated with oil-based coatings is especially concerning, as it tends to off-gas higher levels of VOCs, including formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, and xylene. While these emissions gradually decrease over time, they can pose health risks in poorly ventilated indoor environments.

For these reasons, the American Lung Association recommends choosing solid wood furniture over pressed-wood furniture. If a company does choose pressed-wood furniture, carpet with flame-retardant materials, or other items containing VOCs, experts recommend unwrapping these items and letting them air out for a week or more before introducing them indoors.

Certain sources of pollution are unique to specific industries. For example, an electronics manufacturing facility may have indoor pollutants from soldering fumes, and a medical laboratory may have VOC pollution from formaldehyde and other chemicals.

Upgrade HVAC Systems

It’s crucial to regularly maintain and update a building’s heating, air conditioning, and ventilation systems. This includes routine duct cleaning and inspection, professional cleaning of components (coils, pans, blowers, etc.), and regular filter replacement. Keep in mind that if you choose to use higher-efficiency filters, you will likely need to change them more often compared to MERV filters with lower ratings. The finer filtration of high-efficiency filters traps more particles, but this quality also leads to faster clogging.

Ensure Adequate Ventilation

According to ASHRAE, enclosed spaces increase the spread of infection. Fortunately, fresh air can greatly mitigate this risk. Improved ventilation can often be achieved through simple steps, such as opening windows when the weather allows (if windows can be opened), adjusting mechanical systems for higher fresh air intake, or using an energy recovery ventilator. These ventilators improve air by exchanging stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air while also transferring heat and moisture. A system using these ventilators can prove highly efficient in winter by recovering heat from the outgoing warm indoor air and using it to preheat incoming cold air. In summer, the process is reversed—the coolness of the outgoing air is captured to pre-cool hot incoming air.

Photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) systems use UV light to break down microbes and VOCs.

Monitor Humidity and Dangerous Gases

Just as temperature must be continuously monitored, so should humidity. The EPA recommends maintaining indoor humidity levels between 30% and 50%. A humidity level above 50% promotes the growth of mold, which can damage building materials and lead to serious health issues for building occupants. Below are just a few of the risks associated with excess moisture:

  • Absenteeism due to illnesses such as asthma
  • Reduced employee productivity due to uncomfortable environments
  • Damaged furniture or supplies
  • Loss of building space during damage repair
  • Increased insurance and litigation costs related to moisture damage claims

In addition to controlling humidity, it’s important to monitor for gases that are known to cause health issues. These include carbon dioxide, particulate matter (PM 2.5 and PM10), and volatile organic compounds. Out-of-bound readings should be addressed immediately, even if that requires occupants to exit the building. Fortunately, modern systems provide real-time alerts that usually enable facility managers to detect problems long before occupants are impacted.

Partner with Building Occupants

Regular communication with building occupants is essential for maximizing indoor air quality solutions. Informing occupants about IAQ initiatives, maintenance schedules, and air quality test results is an excellent way to build trust. So is documenting and addressing any building concerns raised by occupants. Including building occupants in this way gives them a sense of ownership that makes them less likely to behave carelessly, for example by blocking vents or damaging a shared space. They’ll also be more likely to respect nonsmoking areas, and to report leaks, odors, or other issues that affect air quality.

Conduct Regular Audits and IAQ Assessments

Although an indoor air quality audit is not always part of a standard facility condition assessment (FCA), many organizations add this audit to the FCA process—especially to address recent regulatory compliance updates, occupant complaints, or as part of sustainability and health initiatives. The typical steps of an indoor air quality audit include:

Background Evaluation: Review occupant complaints and health concerns, maintenance records, and the building’s history.

Inspection: Walk through the facility and seek to identify possible sources of indoor air pollution, such as chemicals, mold, moisture, or emissions.

Ventilation Systems Evaluation: Evaluate the operation and conditions of the facility’s HVAC systems, including filters, ductwork, outside air intakes, and exhaust vents.

Testing: Test air samples for temperature, humidity, and the presence of pollutants—such as carbon dioxide, VOCs, and particulates—to identify areas of concern.

Data Analysis: Compare collected data with ASHRAE, OSHA, and EPA guidelines to diagnose problems.

Mitigation: Develop appropriate indoor air quality solutions such as system upgrades or other corrective actions.

Indoor Air Quality Solutions Require a Proactive Approach

Achieving superior air quality in commercial facilities requires a multi-pronged approach, one that includes proactive strategies and maintenance. It’s important to tackle obvious pollutant sources, such as smoking and chemicals, as well as not-so-obvious sources, like VOCs from furnishings and biological contaminants from poor humidity control. Common pitfalls—such as “set-and-forget” HVAC systems, irregular filter changes, and a lack of occupant involvement—can inhibit your attempts to improve the environment. Following the best practices outlined here, on the other hand, makes it easy to avoid these pitfalls and maximize the indoor air quality solutions you choose to implement. Facility managers who keep up with the latest regulations and technology can breathe a (clean) sigh of relief, knowing they are improving the health of building occupants—and their company’s bottom line.

Your Partner for ASHRAE-Compliant Indoor Air

Don’t let poor indoor air quality silently undermine your facility and jeopardize the health and productivity of its occupants. At PRIDE Industries, we have more than 35 years of HVAC and building maintenance experience. We can bring the right indoor air quality solutions to your facility, while making the most of your current systems.
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Since the initial adoption of “smart” building automation more than a decade ago, HVAC systems have become increasingly intelligent, connected, and efficient. Early advances such as variable refrigerant flow (VRF), which greatly improved HVAC efficiency, have helped organizations reduce energy use. But as energy costs continue to rise, and regulations tighten, these improvements are no longer enough. For this reason, today’s HVAC trends reflect a growing need to go beyond incremental efficiency gains. More than ever, facilities need HVAC systems that are not only more efficient, but also more resilient, adaptable, and aligned with a company’s long‑term ESG objectives.

Trend 1: Smart, AI-driven HVAC Controls

Fortunately, upgrading HVAC infrastructure doesn’t require replacing or retrofitting all the systems at once. Modern sensors and AI tools can connect to an existing building management system (BMS) to constantly measure, predict, and adjust how the building uses energy. For example, an IoT (internet of things) device can collect important information like occupancy or air quality data, and share it with AI tools that can analyze the data to detect patterns and discover areas for improvement. This information can then be shared with a facility’s BMS, enabling changes that improve both occupant comfort and energy efficiency.

Multi-site organizations are shifting from siloed, site-specific HVAC controls to centralized platforms, allowing facility managers to control dozens of sites simultaneously from a single dashboard.

Modern technology can also help with dynamic load management—shifting or trimming energy use when prices are higher or the grid is stressed. Thanks to machine learning, HVAC technology can learn over time which loads are flexible and how far they can be adjusted.

Trend 2: Electrification and Heat Pump Adoption

Until recently, facilities managers focused primarily on the efficiency of their HVAC systems. Traditionally, even smart HVAC systems often relied on fossil-fuel-driven solutions like gas heat or oil-fired boilers. Current HVAC trends, however, involve moving away from gas and toward heat pumps.

When integrated with AI and IoT-based controls, electrified heat pumps foster decarbonization and greater energy efficiency. Heat pumps can also be financially beneficial, as many government entities and utilities are offering generous tax credits, rebates, and low-interest financing on qualified units. These incentives, combined with continued technological improvements, are turning what were once prohibitively expensive technologies into a practical option for many companies.

There are two common types of heat pump systems that work particularly well in commercial buildings—water-source pumps and air-source pumps. Each type has distinct advantages and disadvantages:

  • Water-source heat pumps: Ideal for large high-rises with limited roof space, water-source heat pumps exchange heat via a central water loop. They offer higher efficiency through stable water temperatures.
  • Air-source heat pumps: Using a rooftop or ground-level unit, air-source heat pumps pull heat from or to outdoor air. These pumps are fairly easy to retrofit with existing systems, making them ideal for smaller commercial properties. However, they are less efficient in extreme cold.

Trend 3: Low-GWP Refrigerants and Regulatory Shifts

Many countries, including the United States, are phasing out high global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants in HVAC systems, mandating stepped schedules that limit how much of these gases can be produced or used in equipment over time. For example, current regulatory HVAC rules favor lower-GWP options—such as R-32, R-454B, or natural refrigerants—over high-GWP hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) like R-410A and R-404A. The federal AIM Act seeks to phase down high-GWP refrigerants by directing the EPA to cut HFC production and consumption 85% by 2036. While new regulations do not require existing high-GWP systems to be retrofitted, over time facility owners will nevertheless have to replace or retrofit “stranded” assets when current refrigerants get prohibitively expensive or hard to source.

At the same time that regulations are tightening, consumer calls for sustainability are growing, and forward-looking businesses are heeding these calls. As many successful companies have discovered, there are practical, bottom-line benefits to having a clearly articulated ESG (environmental, social, and governance) strategy. According to a survey by PwC, consumers are willing to spend 9.7% more on sustainably produced or sourced goods—even during times of cost-of-living pressures. This reality has led companies of all sizes to follow several sustainable HVAC trends, including the use of recyclable materials, energy-efficient components, and enhanced heat recovery capabilities that minimize waste (and maximize performance).

Trend 4: Integrated IAQ and Energy Performance

One of the most important of the HVAC trends has come in the wake of the pandemic, which created a fundamental shift in how governments, businesses, medical communities, and the general public approach indoor air quality (IAQ). According to the 2025 GPS Air Indoor Air Quality Perception Report, 66% of Americans say they’re more cautious about indoor air since the pandemic. This puts pressure on facilities managers to demonstrably improve air quality. The challenge is to improve quality while meeting energy conservation and electrification targets.

A close-up view of a data plate for a component of a Carrier HVAC system
Track refrigerants through data plates or service stickers on chillers, VRF systems, and rooftop units.

One way to achieve both quality and cost goals is to adopt demand-controlled ventilation (DCV). This feature uses CO2 and occupancy sensors to monitor how much air is being used so that outside air can be increased in busy rooms and decreased in lightly occupied areas. Companies can also add in-room filtration for high-risk or high-density areas, thus removing more fine particles without dramatically increasing fan energy.

Trend 5: Portfolio-level Centralization and Remote Management

A handful of emerging HVAC trends are specific to multi-site organizations. One of these trends is the shift from siloed, site-specific HVAC controls to centralized platforms that control dozens of sites simultaneously. Using sophisticated technologies like BACnet and IoT gateways, these platforms aggregate data from multiple building systems and present them in single dashboard, enabling facilities managers to control the HVAC systems of multiple buildings from one central location.

With these systems, facilities managers can see real-time metrics (including temperature, energy use, alarms, and building occupancy) for multiple locations on a single screen. Schedules, setpoints, and modes can all be adjusted remotely, leading to more efficient real-time management. Additionally, energy savings can be achieved through AI-enabled technologies that automatically adjust for factors such as occupancy or weather. Seeing all the data in one place allows for easy benchmarking across sites, faster response to alarms, and a reduction in “truck rolls,” (because more fixes can be handled remotely, thereby reducing the need to dispatch a technician).

It’s worth noting, however, that centralization does not come without risk. Compared to site-specific systems, centralized multisite platforms are more vulnerable to cloud outages and cyberattacks. And when a platform goes down, the impact can be felt across multiple sites. Fortunately, there are ways to mitigate these risks. Using redundant platforms (primary plus backup), for example, allows managers to override the centralized system and segment the network if needed.

Trend 6: Data-driven Maintenance and Workforce Gaps

As with other skilled trades, HVAC technicians are not as plentiful as facilities managers would like. Workyard, a field service management software company, reports that the industry is currently short 110,000 technicians; and 25,000 HVAC technicians leave the field every year. At the same time, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 8% growth in the demand for HVAC workers between 2024 and 2034. These two opposing HVAC trends combine to create a difficult labor situation.

This is a serious issue for facilities managers. Fortunately, it’s not an insurmountable one.

Overcoming the skilled trades labor shortage requires a multi-pronged approach. One solution relies on a greater use of technology. IoT sensors and AI data analysis, for example, enable facility managers to adopt a predictive approach to maintenance, going beyond traditional preventive maintenance.

Rather than servicing equipment on a pre-determined schedule, predictive maintenance calls for determining service needs based on actual conditions. Because of this, organizations that adopt a predictive maintenance model can realize significant savings. For example, when St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center in Arizona transitioned to IoT-driven predictive maintenance for their critical systems, they achieved a 35% reduction in overall maintenance costs (saving over $2 million annually), a 47% decrease in emergency repair calls, and a 62% increase in equipment uptime.

But while technology can help offset the labor shortage, it is not yet a cure-all. This is why savvy companies are tackling the labor issue head on. They’re creating talent pipelines by building relationships with trade schools and junior colleges; they’re opening their own upskilling programs in house; and they’re looking beyond traditional labor pools.

Trend 7: Flexible Systems for Evolving Space Use

The relatively rapid shift in building use over the past few years may be the most impactful of all the HVAC trends on our list. As office, retail, and mixed‑use properties are reconfigured into coworking, medical, lab, residential, and “flex” spaces, HVAC is under pressure to serve more diverse loads within the same shell.

In this environment, the most effective HVAC systems are those that can adapt to different occupancies and tenant types. Heat recovery and hybrid VRF systems meet this demand for flexibility. Both types of system provide independent control of multiple zones and can deliver simultaneous heating and cooling, which is valuable when one tenant needs cooling while another in the same building needs heat instead. Hybrid VRF has the added advantage of limiting refrigerant in occupied spaces by using water on the distribution side.

Another technological breakthrough that increases flexibility is the modular HVAC system. Modular HVAC architecture allows owners to add, remove, or right‑size individual modules. This enables facility managers to respond quickly as tenants change and spaces are converted from low‑load uses (like storage) to high‑load uses (like kitchens, labs, or offices).

Taken together, these HVAC strategies and technologies give facilities teams the ability to respond to changing tenant loads, variable occupancy patterns, and new use types with targeted modifications instead of major central plant overhauls. But these gains don’t happen automatically, they must be planned for.

A good time to implement change is during tenant improvements or capital planning. These disruptions represent opportunities and are an ideal time to prioritize layouts that support clear, isolatable zones, with dedicated branch piping or duct risers, scalable modular capacity, and controls that can be easily reprogrammed as suites are combined or subdivided.

Turning HVAC Trends into Actionable Plans

Adopting the HVAC trends highlighted here does not require overhauling your entire facility overnight. Here are some practical steps you can take to future-proof your buildings:

Identify Fuels and Refrigerants

Before taking any action, be sure to conduct a careful inventory. Check your building’s records or equipment nameplates to identify whether you are currently heating with gas, oil, diesel, or electricity. On the cooling side, map your refrigerant inventory through the data plate or service stickers on chillers, VRF systems, and rooftop units (RTUs). After you have identified the refrigerants that you’re using, you can measure their GWP and rank systems from highest to lowest impact.

When upgrading your HVAC systems, consider making complementary upgrades to insulation, weatherstripping, and other parts of the building envelope.

Make a Plan and Set Goals for the Future

Align your capital plans with upcoming refrigerant milestones or requirements. For example, if new legislation is making your current systems obsolete or noncompliant, your priority is clear. If your systems are in compliance, the next priority is to establish clear, measurable goals, such as fewer comfort complaints and service calls, and lower energy use. And be sure to tie plans for any future projects to clear goals as well, such as reduced emissions, lower risk from future regulation, and better operating costs over time.

Improve Operations Today

While it’s often not practical to upgrade everything at once, there are ways to improve HVAC performance without a major upgrade. For example:

  • Fix known refrigerant leaks quickly.
  • Keep accurate leak logs.
  • Ensure any current sensors, filters, or controls are calibrated and maintained as a system, not in isolation.
  • Update your sequences of operations—the written and programmed files that tell an HVAC or building system exactly how to behave under different conditions—as needed. Updates are especially important when new regulations are issued. For example, new IAQ rules might require a change in the sequence of operations to ensure the system meets higher ventilation, filtration, or monitoring requirements.

Maximize Opportunity During Equipment Change-Outs

When a boiler or furnace reaches the end of its life, that’s the perfect time to evaluate other types of systems, like heat pumps. When replacing AC equipment, consider models that use low-GWP refrigerants and are capable of advanced leak detection.

It’s also important to make upgrades and other improvements holistically. The U.S. Department of Energy states that building envelope technologies account for as much as 30 percent of the energy consumed in both residential and commercial buildings. Therefore, when upgrading HVAC systems, consider making other, complementary upgrades to insulation, weatherstripping, or windows.

Bundling envelope improvements will allow you to install smaller, more efficient HVAC equipment—saving energy and money in the long run. Smart windows, for example, darken or lighten based on temperature and light fluctuations, and can greatly increase energy efficiency.

Adopting HVAC Trends to Future-Proof Your Building

The definition of “smart” buildings is constantly evolving. Taking practical steps today, facility managers can go beyond short-term efficiency gains or basic compliance with current regulations; they can future-proof their buildings for the years ahead. This year and beyond, success will come from being willing to pivot and adopt new technology. In other words, facilities managers need to be as flexible as today’s leading-edge HVAC systems.

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This is Part Two of a two-part series on ways to enhance facility security. This blog focuses on improving IoT cybersecurity. For a concise overview of protocols and tools for maximizing physical building security, read Part One.

During the past decade, the Internet of Things (IoT) has proven to be a game changer in facilities management. But as with any technology, there are also downsides that must be addressed, especially regarding IoT cybersecurity.

The benefits of incorporating interconnected devices into operations are well known. The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) lists predictive maintenance, energy optimization, improved occupant experience, enhanced security, and streamlined asset management as the technology’s top five benefits.

But because these sensors, connected cameras, and automated systems help manage everything from access control to HVAC to lighting and elevators, a successful cyberattack can wreak havoc—disrupting operations, compromising sensitive data, and even risking physical safety.

IoT cybersecurity protocols in many facilities are too lax or outdated to effectively protect the many linked devices spread throughout the facility.

Why Are IoT Devices Targeted by Hackers?

One reason cybercriminals are increasing their attacks on IoT devices is simply because there are so many of them, and their use is expanding. There are nearly 19 billion IoT devices in use today, and that number is expected to hit 40 billion by 2030.

But it’s not just their ubiquity that makes IoT devices such popular targets. Many of these devices have weak or no security, making them a preferred doorway into corporate building systems. IoT cybersecurity protocols in many facilities are too lax or outdated to effectively protect the many linked devices spread throughout the facility. For example, a recent assessment by Building Cyber Security, a nonprofit dedicated to securing the nation’s critical infrastructure, found that 80% of commercial real estate organizations have no network security at all, and only 5% meet reasonable security requirements.

A lax attitude to cybersecurity can come with a high cost. A Verizon Business survey found that 66% of respondents who suffered a cybersecurity attack deemed the resulting impact as “major.” Of these affected businesses, 59% suffered downtime, 56% lost data, and 29% faced regulatory penalties.

And it’s not just cameras and sensors that are being attacked. Internet-connected devices as ordinary as washing machines have been compromised. Even the smart TV in the boardroom can be a security threat.

Understanding IoT Cybersecurity Threats

Most companies have robust security systems in place to shield their computer networks and protect sensitive data. But this cyber-diligence doesn’t always extend to the devices that are part of the company’s buildings. A high percentage of the IoT devices in use today are susceptible to a wide range of cyberattacks due to weak authentication, outdated firmware, and insecure network configurations. Attackers target these devices not only for direct exploitation but also as entry points to broader networks.

7 Common Types of IoT Cyberattacks

There are several types of cyberattacks that can be employed against IoT devices. These are the most common:

  1. Botnet and DDoS Attacks – IoT devices such as routers and smart cameras are frequently hijacked and added to botnets, which are then used for large-scale distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks.
  2. Exploitation of Default Credentials and Outdated Firmware – According to Fortinet’s 2025 Global Threat Landscape Report, attackers routinely exploit default passwords and unpatched vulnerabilities in routers and cameras. Around 20% of global exploitation attempts in 2025 targeted IoT devices.
  3. Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) and Eavesdropping Attacks – Attackers can intercept communications between IoT devices and servers, enabling them to monitor or alter transmitted data. These MitM attacks are particularly effective in poorly encrypted or insecure network environments.
  4. Brute-Force Password Attacks – Many IoT devices still rely on highly guessable credentials. Hackers using automated programs can try thousands of passwords in a short amount of time, using this brute-force technique to gain unauthorized access to a single device that then gives them access to an entire corporate network.
  5. Privilege Escalation and Remote Code Execution – Exploiting software vulnerabilities in IoT operating systems allows attackers to gain higher-level permissions or execute malicious code remotely. Once inside, they can manipulate firmware, reconfigure devices, or pivot laterally into enterprise networks.
  6. Physical Tampering and Data Theft – IoT devices deployed in public or industrial settings—such as lobbies, hallways, or kiosks—face risks of direct tampering. Attackers can physically access interfaces or ports to install malware or extract sensitive data.
  7. Ransomware and Supply Chain Attacks – According to cybersecurity firm DeepStrike, ransomware attacks targeting IoT and operational technology (OT) environments increased by 46% in 2025 over the previous year.

Because IoT devices are becoming so common, and because most of them are only weakly secured, they are an appealing target for cybercriminals. Common vulnerabilities like poor authentication, misconfiguration, and lack of patching continue to drive a wide range of cyberattacks.

IoT Cybersecurity Threats to Commercial Buildings

Building control and management technologies used to operate in silos. But today’s smart buildings are integrated into multi-use, internet-based networks. A comprehensive building automated control system (BACS) can include any number of interoperable IoT elements, including:

  • Building and energy management systems (BMS/EMS)
  • Lighting control systems
  • Security systems (such as CCTV) and automated access control systems
  • Vertical transportation systems, such as passenger/goods lifts and escalators
  • Automated parking systems
  • Wayfinding systems
  • IT infrastructure hardware and devices

A cyberattack can allow a threat actor to take control of a critical system and gain the ability to change settings, turn off components, or make equipment operate outside of normal parameters.

Even seemingly harmless devices pose risks, as a North American casino discovered when it installed an internet-enabled fish tank. The tank’s connectivity allowed facilities personnel to automate feedings and remotely adjust temperature and salinity. But that same connectivity let hackers use the tank as an opening to steal and transmit 10 gigabytes of data.

How to Improve IoT Cybersecurity

A close-up of a fish tank in the hallway of an office building
Even a fish tank can be used to steal data, if it’s connected to a network.

Updating and maintaining your IoT cybersecurity is an ongoing process. Recommendations from cybersecurity experts vary, but almost all include the following steps.

Update Building Software Systems

Your facility’s software systems should be regularly updated and patched. Start this process by taking inventory of all your digital components: building management systems, surveillance systems, fire controls, and others. Make sure each system has the latest firmware or software installed and set up a schedule to check for and install upgrades. If your system is so old that it no longer receives patches, it’s time to replace it.

Secure Your IoT Devices and Building Equipment

Every IoT device is a tiny computer that can be hacked if not secured. Even something as ordinary as a smart thermostat can be a doorway into your company’s network. Hackers know the factory default settings and passwords of thousands of devices from dozens of manufacturers. For this reason, whenever an internet-enabled device is installed, part of the installation process should be to change the default password to a strong, unique password.

Strengthen Access Control and Authentication

More than one-third of network breaches involve stolen credentials. To reduce this risk, be sure to require strong and unique passwords and multifactor authentication. Limit permissions to those personnel who truly need access to the system and train all employees in how to spot phishing attacks. Physically secure spaces with sensitive data via keycards or biometrics; and promptly revoke access when staff or vendors leave.

Segment Networks

Consider putting IoT devices on a separate network, so that even if a device is compromised, the hackers can’t jump to your company’s primary data network. And be sure to monitor IoT devices for unusual behavior. Many hacks involve marshalling hundreds of devices into a botnet to stage a denial-of-service attack. If a normally quiet sensor starts sending out large amounts of data, it could be a sign that it’s been compromised.

By separating your building systems network from your corporate and tenant networks, you don’t just protect access to the main network. You also prevent attacks from that network, such as from an infected laptop, that could compromise building operations.

Finally, the firewall and intrusion detection protocols that are applied to your IoT cybersecurity should be just as robust as the cybersecurity protocols used to protect the company network. A strong intrusion detection system can alert you if someone on a guest network, for example, is trying to ping your elevator control. And if vendors need to access the building management system remotely, require them to go through a secure VPN into that network, so that even if an attacker compromises the vendor’s credentials, they won’t be able to easily access your systems.

Protect Tenant and Sensitive Data

Many facilities are the custodians of a wide range of tenant data. In these cases, even a single security breach can be devastating to the facility’s reputation—and its bottom line. In 2023, the average cost of a data breach was an attention-grabbing $4.45 million.

To protect proprietary data, use HTTPS/SSL for web portals or online services, so that data is encrypted as it moves over the network. In addition, be sure to regularly back up and encrypt sensitive data. And impose strong access controls so only staff who absolutely need access to tenant information have it.

Train Your Team and Tenants on Security Measures

According to IBM, 95% of cybersecurity breaches are due to human error, such as clicking on a malicious email link or using a weak password. That’s why IoT cybersecurity training is a must for everyone.

Start by incorporating general cybersecurity awareness training for all employees and contractors who access your systems. Teach employees to:

  • Spot phishing attempts, like emails sent from spoofed sender addresses or urgent money requests. You might use phishing simulations—sending fake emails to employees to see if they click—as a teaching tool, followed by guidance on red flags they missed.
  • Handle passwords safely. Teach employees not to share passwords or write them on sticky notes. Make it clear that no IT staff will ask for someone’s password over the phone.
  • Report suspicious activity immediately. Send a message to employees that all such reports are appreciated, even those that turn out to be false alarms.

Finally, educate staff and tenants about the simple steps they can take to protect your company’s physical and cyber systems. Prohibit tailgating, a practice in which someone follows a worker through a secure door without badging in. Restrict access to sensitive areas to essential, known personnel. And make sure that visitors are accompanied by company personnel at all times.

Manage and Vet Third-Party Vendors

Vendors are an integral part of building operations, but each third-party relationship is another avenue for risk, especially as these workers have physical access to your IoT devices. In fact, a 2024 survey found that 61% of companies experienced a data breach through a vendor.

Therefore, it’s important to vet vendors before and during the relationship. Ask about their cybersecurity policies. What kind of security certifications do they have? Do they conduct employee background checks and security training? Include security requirements in your contracts and limit a vendor’s access to the minimum needed to perform their work.

Assess each vendor periodically to see if there have been any security incidents; confirm that their privileges are still appropriate for the work they are doing. And encourage vendors to let you know when a staff member has left the company to allow you to promptly revoke their credentials.

Implement Continuous Monitoring and Incident Response Plans

On average, it takes companies 204 days to identify a breach, and another 73 days to contain it. But this time can be shortened considerably through vigilance. Facility managers should deploy tools that scan for unusual activity 24/7, and they should have a comprehensive response plan in place. With continuous monitoring, you can significantly reduce the time that attackers are able to lurk unnoticed. And with a rehearsed incident response plan, you ensure that if there is an intrusion, you can quickly retake control of your systems and act decisively to mitigate damage. It’s like having smoke detectors and a fire mitigation plan in place, but for cybersecurity incidents.

Integrate Physical Security with IoT Cybersecurity

Anything in your building that’s smart or connected can be leveraged in an attack, and not all attacks come through a network. An intruder posing as a delivery person, for example, could slip into a restricted area and insert a malware-laden USB stick into a server or a device. Both cyber and physical security must be top notch.

This is why the most secure companies have chosen to break down the silos between their building and IT security teams. Working together, these two groups are able to devise security protocols that combat both physical and cyber intrusions.

Having IT experts team up with security personnel increases security for server rooms, security control centers, and other sensitive spaces. Working with IT also helps building personnel ensure that IoT devices like cameras, badge readers, and alarm panels are secured with passwords, updates, and network segmentation.

Integrating security efforts helps close the gap in the gray area between physical and IoT cybersecurity. It ensures that personnel don’t overlook the wi-fi security of the network port in the lobby or the smart lighting panel in the conference room.

IoT Cybersecurity in Action

The cybersecurity risks posed by IoT devices are increasing. Now more than ever, it’s important to fold IoT devices into your company’s security efforts. FM and IT personnel, working together, are the ideal team to tackle this security issue. And to get the most from these efforts, security experts recommend a five-step process:

  • Gather information. Determine whether specific responsibilities are already assigned, identify all assets and their configurations, review your existing security policies and procedures, and examine records of any past incidents or breaches at your facility.
  • Assess your position. Identify potential risks and evaluate your current security posture. You may need to bring in a specialist to provide additional expertise.
  • Make a plan. Set clear security objectives, perform a gap analysis, outline corrective measures, and assign ownership for each action.
  • Take action. Implement the necessary improvements and create mechanisms to track emerging developments and new technologies.
  • Review. Revisit and update your risk assessment, audit your current environment, and monitor industry trends, incidents, and evolving threats.
The ideal IoT cybersecurity team includes both FM and IT personnel.

Finally, remember that maintaining IoT cybersecurity is a never-ending process. Hacking techniques evolve constantly, and so must your defenses. For facility managers, the first step is simple: Treat every connected device as both a valuable tool and a potential target.

Secure Facilities Management

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This is Part One of a two-part series on ways to enhance facility security. This blog focuses on building security as regards physical infrastructure. For an overview of protocols and digital tools for securing the IoT devices within facilities, read Part Two.

Physical security is a basic human need. In our personal lives, we lock our doors, check expiration dates, and make sure our children are secure in their car seats. The same need for security exists at our workplaces. We want to protect against intrusion, theft, vandalism, and workplace violence. Fortunately, there is a wide range of building security tools available for today’s facilities managers.

Experts group security tactics into five areas, often referred to as the five D’s—deter, detect, delay, deny, and defend. The most secure buildings have tools in place to perform each of these functions:

Not every facility needs a Fort Knox level of security, but all facilities require a multilayered security system that reduces the chance of unauthorized access.

  • Deter. Bright lights, signage announcing the use of security cameras, and similar tactics can discourage potential threats.
  • Detect. Alarm systems allow security staff to quickly respond to a breach.
  • Delay. Physical barriers and access control mechanisms can impede intruders and provide additional time for security or law enforcement personnel to respond to incidents.
  • Deny. Passcodes and biometric access control can prevent intruders from gaining access to sensitive areas or valuable assets.
  • Defend. Comprehensive training programs can prepare facility staff to respond effectively and quickly before law enforcement arrives.

Every facility is unique, and its building security needs are as well. Here’s a look at some important factors to consider when seeking to make your facility more secure.

Perimeter Security

When devising a plan to improve building security, one of the first areas to focus on is your facility’s perimeter. A well-designed perimeter can keep unwanted visitors from gaining access to your facility in the first place, which is why it’s important to consider security goals when planning or redesigning the exterior of your buildings.

For example, if your facility has outdoor storage or equipment areas, electrified security fences can be effective in preventing theft and vandalism.

Of course, it doesn’t make sense to erect electrical fencing around office, medical, and many other types of buildings. But that doesn’t mean they can’t be fortified through the design choices you make. Architectural and landscape design that factors in security concerns will maximize visibility, remove potential hiding places, and establish designated entry points that can be easily monitored. Security-based designs also call for uniform lighting to illuminate walkways and entry points.

Building Security Upgrades

Upgrading existing facilities can require a different approach. If your facility has large ground-level windows, for example, you may want to add security bollards to prevent vehicles from gaining entry by ramming through windows. Fortunately, today’s bollards come in a variety of styles and sizes; and whether a metal pole or a concrete structure, many bollards can serve a dual purpose—as a decorative planter, for example. This allows you to add security without sacrificing aesthetics.

Even smaller windows can make a commercial building vulnerable, if they’re easily broken and large enough for an intruder to slip through. One easy and fairly inexpensive way to protect these windows is to add security bars or grilles. These deterrents can be customized and are highly effective at keeping intruders out.

The side of a glass office building with well-trimmed landscaping and lots of exterior lights
Discourage intruders with well-lit exterior areas and landscaping that provides clear visibility.

But grillwork has its disadvantages, and perhaps the primary one is simply that these additions can be unattractive and make buildings look less inviting to visitors. Bars and grilles can also prevent firefighters from accessing a building—a serious safety issue. They also don’t work well on historic buildings.

For these reasons, facilities managers are turning to more aesthetically pleasing solutions, like window security film. Nearly invisible to the naked eye, this film is typically applied to the inside of a window, and serves two important security functions. It can help prevent flying glass shards from forced entry, vandalism, and even explosions. Window film can also delay intruders, helping to protect occupants (and assets) and giving police and security personnel additional response time.

Doors that Enhance Building Security

The type of doors used in your facility can also have a big impact on safety. Fortunately, there are even more safety options with doors than with windows. Security doors are available in wood, metal, and even reinforced glass. And all of these materials are available with different levels of strength. So, for example, you can choose metal-core doors for exterior purposes, and stick with plain wood for interior doors. There are specialized doors that can resist fire or gunshots, and some doors can shield against radiation—making them ideal for laboratories, data centers, and other sensitive areas.

Compared to reinforced security doors, traditional glass doors provide significantly less protection. Nevertheless, glass can be an appropriate material for low-security applications such as lockable office doors, where appearance is the biggest concern.

But even with glass doors, electric or magnetic strike locks are a must to achieve a reasonable level of security. In addition, doors and locks should be combined with access control systems, security cameras, sensors, and alarms to fully protect a facility.

Lighting and Environmental Design

Lighting and environmental design determine how your buildings look from the street. In many ways, they are your facility’s aesthetic. But these two elements also play an important role in building security.

Lighting is particularly important from a security standpoint. In a randomized controlled study of 80 public housing developments with elevated crime levels in New York, about half received new, temporary street lights and half did not. The study’s authors found that developments that received the new lights experienced crime rates significantly lower than predicted by past history.

Proper outdoor lighting not only deters antisocial behavior, it also makes your cameras and physical security more effective and provides an additional element of protection that helps secure every corner of your property. And these improved security results can be obtained without keeping the lights on 24/7. Motion sensors ensure that lights come on only when needed, saving energy—and even taking a potential intruder by surprise.

High-resolution security cameras provide clear images and video footage under a variety of lighting conditions.

Well-planned exterior lighting is such an effective security tool that it’s included as a key component of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED, often pronounced “sep-ted”). CPTED is a multi-disciplinary approach to building security that leverages architectural design along with careful management of built and natural environments to achieve high levels of security at a reasonable price. The basic principles of CPTED include:

  • Natural Surveillance – using good lighting and trimmed landscaping to increase visibility.
  • Natural Access Control – directing people and vehicles through designated areas.
  • Territorial Reinforcement – personalizing areas with gardens or artwork to signal ownership.
  • Regular Maintenance – keeping spaces well-maintained in order to signal constant occupancy and vigilance.

Technology Plays a Key Role in Building Security

Doors, locks, and other physical barriers are the elementary building blocks of building security. But for higher-level security you need to incorporate technology-based systems—for surveillance, access control, and intrusion alarms—to provide truly comprehensive security. As with all things technological, these systems have grown more sophisticated in recent years.

Surveillance Systems

Surveillance cameras are everywhere. Video doorbells and dash cams can be found all around the world, in major urban areas like London and New York, in suburban areas across the country, and even in rural towns. And this is especially true for commercial buildings.

Offices and other business facilities were among the first places to get surveillance technology. For commercial facilities managers, these tools—and the high-quality images they capture—are essential. Surveillance cameras help building personnel keep tabs on entrances, high-traffic areas, storage spaces, and other key locations, simply by monitoring a video feed in an office.

This is why security experts recommend utilizing high-resolution cameras that provide clear images and video footage in a variety of lighting conditions, and work well with systems that allow for remote monitoring. Camera systems today can also be enhanced with advanced analytics software, allowing them to detect specific objects and types of potential physical threats, so they can alert security personnel before the threat is obvious.

Before installing surveillance systems in and around your facility, however, it’s essential to be familiar with state and federal laws governing workplace surveillance. Generally, employers have the right to monitor workplace activities to ensure security, but there are limits. Certain spaces, such as break rooms and restrooms, are almost universally off limits. Employers must also notify employees about the presence of surveillance technology and the extent of the surveillance.

Access Control Systems

Access control systems manage access to buildings and sensitive areas through smartphone apps, physical credentials like keycards and ID badges, or even (in particularly sensitive areas) through biometrics such as fingerprints, iris patterns, and facial features.

These systems are not restricted to doors. They can also be used to manage access to elevators, gates, lockers, and even printers. Besides preventing unauthorized people from entering your building or certain designated areas inside, the systems can also help manage visitors by setting access schedules and limits for specific groups, such as full-time employees, contractors, and vendors.

Intrusion Detection Systems

As with fire safety systems, a vital part of comprehensive building security is ensuring that any unauthorized access is detected and triggers an alarm. This serves as a deterrent to potential intruders and immediately warns facility staff, a security monitoring center, or law enforcement that there’s an intruder. Sensors can detect if doors are opened, windows are broken, or motion is detected in a particular area. Alarms can be set to silently alert security personnel, or ring loudly, alerting everyone in the vicinity of the intrusion.

A newer type of security, known as thermal perimeter detection, leverages state-of-the-art thermal imaging technology and intelligent analytics to protect facilities from intrusion, theft, and even exterior vandalism—a growing concern for some businesses.

Preventing Vandalism

Even if intruders don’t enter your facility, they can still cause extensive damage through vandalism. The Houston Chronicle reports that a single incident of vandalism costs small businesses an average of over $3,300. And organizations of all sizes are currently coping with an epidemic of copper theft from wiring and pipes. Given the high price of copper, it’s likely this metal will remain a popular target for quite some time.

How can facilities managers deal with this exterior threat?

Among steps that can be taken to prevent vandalism are installing surveillance cameras in parking lots and outdoor storage areas, ensuring that your lighting system covers these areas, and using anti-graffiti coatings on walls and other structures. Protective security patrols can also help.

Maintenance also plays a key role. Security experts warn that vandalism must be repaired quickly, as criminals look for easy opportunities, and signs of graffiti and other types of vandalism can encourage further attacks.

Improving Your Building Security

With any major project, knowing your facility’s existing condition is an essential first step. Before embarking on a building security upgrade, it’s important to conduct a comprehensive audit to identify vulnerabilities, evaluate the existing system, and uncover areas that need improvement.

Key elements of an audit include:

  • Environmental components. The facility’s location and terrain can help or hinder security. Could your existing landscaping and external design features serve as hiding places or means of access?
  • Physical barriers and access points. If the property has gates, are they secure and working properly? Can all access points—doors, windows, and turnstiles—be locked and secured? Be sure to also evaluate bollards, reinforced glass, doors, and hinges.
  • Lighting. Is everything working properly and providing adequate light? Do you have back-up lighting in case of a power failure?
  • Surveillance and intrusion detection. Do you have video cameras monitoring entrances, exits, stairwells, and other access points? Is the footage continually monitored? Do you have ID readers and sensors at all access points to detect forced entry, and are all alarms working properly and tested regularly?
  • Procedures and training. Do you have documented procedures for your program as a whole and for individual, key sectors? Do you have an ongoing training program for security staff? And do your employees understand the need for the security systems, as well as their own security obligations?
  • Emergencies. Do you have procedures in place to respond to natural disasters like fires, floods, and earthquakes, or incidents of workplace violence? In the event of an emergency, will your security personnel be immediately notified? Is there a training protocol in place to conduct regular drills and ensure that all staff know their evacuation routes, roll call practices, and emergency contacts?

An audit should provide information about the state of the systems you have in place and where security may be lacking. To optimize your audit, you may want to consult with external security experts as part of the review process.

Conducting a yearly assessment ensures that your security systems and protocols are effectively safeguarding your facility, people, and assets. Such a review might reveal a need to change safety or maintenance protocols, or invest in new technology. Keep in mind that while installing and maintaining high-quality security systems can be expensive, the cost of not doing so can be even higher.

21st Century Building Security

Unfortunately, building security threats are constantly evolving. To keep up, facility professionals must remain vigilant and be prepared to incorporate new defense protocols and technologies. Not every facility requires a Fort Knox level of security, but all facilities require a multilayered security system that reduces the likelihood of unauthorized access to the facility as a whole, as well as additional security in the interior for particularly sensitive areas.

Of course, in the 21st century, physical security is only half the battle. As every aspect of our lives becomes more intertwined with IoT technology, building cybersecurity has become just as important as physical building security—which is why it’s the topic of Part Two of this series.  

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If you need to upgrade your facility’s infrastructure, PRIDE Industries can help. We bring decades of expertise in maintenance, engineering services, and facilities management to every customer we serve. Our comprehensive programs, combined with solutions-oriented management, enable us to deliver exceptional results every day to over 140 million square feet of facilities, from commercial and government buildings to medical centers and manufacturing plants. Contact us to learn what we can do for you.
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Fire is a growing risk nationally, making building fire safety a top priority for facilities managers.

Over the past decade, nonresidential fires have increased by 19%, with fire-related deaths up 70%. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, there were an estimated 110,000 nonresidential fires nationwide in 2023 alone, resulting in 130 deaths, 1,200 injuries, and losses of more than $3 billion.

Numbers like these are a big reason why fire safety is top of mind for many facilities managers. Fortunately, new technologies are making it easier to enhance any facility’s building fire safety.

Prevention and Suppression Systems for Building Fire Safety

For maximum building fire safety, structures should include both active detection and alarm systems—which can automatically trigger countermeasures like sprinklers—and passive systems that are part of the building’s structure.

In today’s modern commercial facility, the same smart technology that optimizes a building’s energy use and access security can help improve building fire safety.

Detection and Alarm Systems

Commercial fire alarm systems include detection devices for smoke, heat, and flames, a control panel, and notification devices such as sirens and strobes. There are two primary types of commercial fire alarm systems: conventional and addressable.

Conventional systems have long been the industry standard. They use wired analog signals to link initiating devices (like smoke detectors) to the control panel and allow responders to determine the general location of the fire. These systems are reliable and affordable, but there is a tendency for false alarms.

Addressable systems are digital. Each device in this system has its own unique address, which enables building personnel to pinpoint a fire’s location within a building. In addition, because addressable systems use a single cabling loop, it’s easy to integrate new devices into the system, which makes addressable systems much more scalable and customizable than conventional ones. This is a big reason why, despite their higher cost, managers of large buildings prefer them over conventional fire detection and alarm systems.

Wireless systems use radio frequency or other wireless communication methods, rather than physical wiring, to transmit signals between initiating devices and the control panel. This type of system can be either addressable or conventional, and is typically easier to install than a conventional system. Because wireless technology eliminates the need for extensive wiring, this type of system is ideal for historic buildings and other structures where it’s difficult to run new wiring.

Initiating Devices

Whether a fire detection system is conventional or addressable, it relies on sensitive detection technology to initiate a response. These initiating devices include:

  • Smoke detectors that detect smoke particles in the air
  • Heat detectors that respond to changes in temperature
  • Flame detectors that use infrared or ultraviolet sensors to detect flames
  • Gas detectors that pick up on harmful gases which could indicate a fire or other health hazard
  • Duct detectors that are designed to detect smoke or heat within HVAC systems

The oldest initiating device is the manual pull system, which is still an essential part of any fire safety system.

Passive Systems Improve Building Fire Safety

In addition to using technology to detect a fire and alert first responders, today’s facilities are also built to mitigate the impact of a fire when it does occur, using passive systems that can contain and slow down the spread of fire and smoke within a building. The following passive safety measures are required by modern building codes, but if the buildings you manage were built before these codes went into effect, you may want to retrofit to include these improvements:

  • Dampers to prevent the fire and smoke from spreading through ducts and wall openings
  • Fire Doors that can withstand high temperatures and contain a fire’s spread
  • Fire-Resistant Glass Partitions that can withstand high temperatures for an extended period
  • Smoke and Fire Curtains made of flexible fire-resistant fabric that automatically deploy when a fire is detected, sealing off elevators, stairwells, and other openings

Fire Suppression Systems that Support Building Fire Safety

Once a fire has been detected, the next step is to put it out. Fortunately, there are several types of commercial fire suppression systems, each with its own distinct benefits.

The wet pipe sprinkler system is the workhorse of fire suppression systems. The system relies on a network of pipes that are filled with pressurized water, ready for immediate discharge. Each sprinkler head contains a heat-sensitive element—either a glass bulb filled with liquid or a fusible link. When a fire starts, the heat causes the temperature around the sprinkler head to rise. Once the temperature exceeds the rated threshold (around 155°F/68°C), the glass bulb bursts or the fusible link melts, opening the sprinkler head.

A triangular graphic showing the three elements required for a fire to burn—heat, fuel, and oxygen
To prevent or extinguish a fire, you need to remove one or more of the elements of the fire triangle.

Because the system’s pipes are already full, water is released immediately through the activated sprinkler head and directed onto the fire. Only the sprinkler heads exposed to sufficient heat will activate, ensuring that water is delivered directly to the fire’s location rather than the entire building. The water is sprayed in a specific pattern, controlled by the sprinkler head’s deflector, to cool the flames, reduce heat, and limit the spread of fire. The wet pipe sprinkler system is extremely reliable, and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends it as the go-to system for most buildings.

But in areas where temperatures drop below freezing, dry pipe systems are preferred. Dry pipe systems operate much like wet pipe systems, except that instead of being filled with pressurized water, the system’s pipes are filled with pressurized air or nitrogen. Once a sprinkler head is triggered, the pressurized gas escapes and a valve opens, allowing water from insulated pipes to flow.

Pre-action sprinkler systems add an extra layer of activation to dry pipe systems. Instead of relying only on heat to trigger the sprinkler head, a secondary initiating device, like a smoke detector, must confirm that there is a fire before the suppression system can deploy. This precautionary approach prevents accidental water discharge, making pre-action sprinkler systems ideal for environments where water damage would be especially costly or disruptive, such as data centers, museums, libraries, archival vaults, and freezer warehouses.

While water is the most common fire suppressant used in fire safety systems, it’s not ideal for certain types of structures. Water is highly destructive to electronics, paper documents, and sensitive artifacts, which is why some museums and factories rely on chemical non-liquid systems that use inert gases like argon, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide to snuff out flames through oxygen starvation, minimizing collateral damage. These gases also leave no residue and so make post-fire cleanup easier.

Similarly, areas with flammable liquids or chemicals may need to look at foam water systems, where water is mixed with foam concentrate to smother the fire.

Portable Fire Suppression

In addition to building-wide, automated fire suppression systems, hand-held fire extinguishers provide another layer of defense against fire. Regulations in most states require that fire extinguishers be mounted within 75 feet of any area within a building. This proximity can allow building occupants to begin fighting a fire even before the automated systems kick in.

There are four different types of fire extinguishers:

  • Class A extinguishers use water-based agents for standard combustible materials like paper and wood.
  • Class B models use chemical agents to smother commercial grease, motor oil, and gasoline fires.
  • Class C varieties use non-conductive agents to fight electrical fires.
  • Class K extinguishers use wet chemical agents to extinguish the cooking oil and grease fires that can occur in restaurants and other commercial kitchens.

Extinguishers should be inspected monthly and replaced every five to 15 years.

Smart Technology Enhances Building Fire Safety

As with most aspects of operating a modern commercial facility, fire prevention and suppression is benefiting from new technologies. The same smart building technology that optimizes a building’s energy use can help improve building fire safety.

Smart fire alarms can be integrated with HVAC and access-control systems to provide a unified emergency response. Smart systems deliver real-time notifications, including the nature and location of the emergency, to smartphones. These systems can automatically initiate defensive actions, like shutting down elevators and unlocking doors for evacuation. Smart systems can also improve proactive maintenance by analyzing data from sensors to predict when problems are likely to occur.

The spread of the internet of things (IoT) is one of the developments that has brought fire safety into a new era. For example, smart smoke detectors can differentiate between harmless smoke and a real fire, reducing false alarms. And if there is a fire, these devices can catch it sooner. Using thermal imaging cameras, these systems can quickly identify unusual temperature increases, even in low-visibility conditions—enabling fire alarms to sound earlier and suppression systems to deploy sooner.

Smart signage and wayfinding systems are two more developments that are making buildings safer. In the event of a fire, these systems provide occupants with clear and swift evacuation routes, and can even modify routes as conditions change, making evacuations safer. 

And fire safety technology continues to evolve. Experts see several new developments on the horizon—using AI for predictive maintenance and risk analysis, employing virtual reality in emergency scenario responses, and adding 5G connectivity for faster speeds and more efficient communication.

Maintenance and Continuous Improvement

Installing the most up-to-date fire safety equipment is only effective if the equipment is properly maintained and your response teams are fully prepared. This is why proper recordkeeping and regular inspections are so critical to building fire safety.

Routine Inspections and Training to Enhance Building Fire Safety

A well-defined inspection and maintenance schedule that follows national and local standards is critical for ensuring the safety of your facilities. Trained personnel should conduct regular visual inspections to check for obvious signs of wear and tear, note any obstructions to fire protection system components, and check for changes to furniture layouts or other structural matters that could affect system performance.

The wet pipe sprinkler system is the most common fire suppression system found in commercial buildings.

Facilities staff should also regularly test alarm systems and emergency lights, ensure emergency exits and pathways remain unobstructed, and conduct spot checks on high-risk equipment.

Smoke detectors should be tested monthly. Heat detectors should be inspected every six months or so for signs of dust or debris that might affect performance. And both these types of initiating devices need to be replaced after 10 years, as their reliability diminishes over time.

Manual pull stations should be cleaned and tested annually by a professional technician. In addition, fire extinguishers should be checked for any signs of tampering and to ensure optimal pressure. Any problems discovered should be addressed immediately to maintain compliance and safety.

Recordkeeping and Documentation

Fire safety recordkeeping isn’t just essential for maintaining your fire detection and suppression systems, it’s required by law. Regardless of size, every business must maintain an organized, up-to-date log of all fire protection systems, inspections, and maintenance. Doing so is essential for proving compliance with fire safety regulations and preparing your facility for inspections. 

The types of records that should be maintained include:

  • Fire Drill Logs that record the timing and results of scheduled fire drills, ensuring that employees know how to evacuate the building safely in the event of a fire
  • Equipment Maintenance Logs that track the servicing, repairs, and inspections of fire protection systems
  • Inspection Reports that must be kept up to date and stored in an accessible format, whether inspections are conducted by internal teams or third-party fire safety companies

Here again, smart technologies can help. A Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS), for example, makes it simple to maintain fire drill logs and fire safety equipment maintenance records by automating, centralizing, and streamlining critical safety tasks. A CMMS system is also ideal for automating scheduling and issuing reminders. The system can both assign tasks and track their completion, providing managers with real-time alerts and updates.

A New Era in Building Fire Safety

In 2023, fires in commercial facilities led to almost $3.2 billion in commercial property and other losses. As this figure makes clear, building fire safety is a crucial element of any business’ asset management strategy. Fortunately, new technology is making fire risk mitigation easier than ever. Today’s smart building technologies help facilities managers respond faster, meet compliance requirements more easily, and optimize operational efficiency—using a proactive, layered approach to fire safety that protects people, property, and operations.

Your Partner for Optimal Efficiency and Safety

Looking to bring greater automation to your facilities maintenance? PRIDE Industries can help. With more than 35 years of facilities management experience, and expertise in the latest safety and maintenance technologies, we can help you minimize energy consumption, reduce fire risk, and optimize the value of all your facility’s assets.
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