However one chooses to describe the goal of emissions reduction, sustainability efforts and net zero targets, at its core, it’s about reimagining the way we construct today’s buildings to design for a more efficient tomorrow. While there’s no one-size-fits-all formula or instruction manual to achieving it, we do know that progress depends on collaboration and strategic partnerships.

This much was clear from insights gathered from Xylem’s new industry report, Blueprint for Net Zero: Innovations Driving Decarbonization in the Built Environment, featuring expert industry voices weighing in on what’s needed to help guide the commercial building sector to a net-zero and decarbonization reality. With nearly two-thirds of today’s buildings expected to be in operation in 2050, retrofitting is essential to meet climate targets. Doing so begins with recognizing existing buildings not as obstacles but as opportunities for significant emissions reductions. Read more . . .

ASID’s 2025 Economic Outlook: Tariffs, costs and construction labor constraints shape recovery



The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) has released its 2025 Economic Outlook report, offering a strategic analysis of how today’s uncertain economic environment is reshaping demand for interior design services. Despite moderate growth in consumer spending and employment, the report offers an uneven growth forecast, driven by high interest rates, rising material costs, and widespread tariffs. Labor shortages, paused infrastructure funding, and high housing prices add further complexity, underscoring the need for designers to stay agile, cost-conscious, and attuned to new areas of opportunity — from adaptive reuse projects to aging-in-place design solutions.

The 2025 report also includes sector-specific outlooks for education, entertainment, multifamily housing and senior housing. While the baseline forecast avoids a full recession, the probability of slower growth remains high, with tariff-driven inflation, labor costs, and interest rates weighing on construction activity and capital investment.

Read more . . .

When it comes to maintaining and enhancing your facilities, you need a painting partner you can count on, day or night. With 2,500 certified crews operating nationwide, Arch Painting specializes in high-quality, professional painting services tailored to a variety of spaces and industries, including:

• Interior & Exterior Commercial Painting

• Unit Turns

• EIFS & Stucco Repairs

• Graffiti Coatings & Removal

• Epoxy & Concrete Floor Finishes

• Wood Replacement

• Pressure Washing

• Wallcoverings

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• Nationwide Expertise • Unmatched Quality • Tailored Solutions • Tech-Enabled Efficiency

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Sponsored by Arch Painting

Mohawk Group's Medella homogeneous resilient sheet flooring sets a new standard for performance and safety in demanding commercial environments like healthcare and education. The collection features M-Force Xtreme technology, which delivers exceptional resistance to scratches, stains and scuffs, ensuring long-term durability and aesthetic appeal in high-traffic areas. This robust performance is backed by a 20-year warranty, along with a 20-year underbed warranty when installed with approved adhesives.

Prioritizing safety, Medella achieves an R10 slip resistance rating and NFSI High Traction certification, rigorously tested for real-world wet conditions to prevent costly slip-and-fall incidents. It also meets ISO Class 3 Cleanroom standards, making it ideal for controlled environments. The collection offers a versatile range of solutions with three distinct styles — Medella Fleck, Medella Hues, and a PVC-free option, Medella Well — all of which can be heat-welded for seamless, sanitary installations. Medella delivers durability, safety and sustainability, ensuring long-term value and peace of mind.

Sponsored by Mohawk Group

Originally published in FMJ — The modern edifice, bristling with sensors, cameras and the intricate web of building management systems, has ushered in an era of unprecedented data generation. This digital deluge is poised to expand exponentially, offering FMs a formidable challenge: transforming this raw information into actionable intelligence. While traditional building management systems (BMS) capably report on metrics like temperature and energy consumption, they often leave unanswered the fundamental questions of why.

• Why the sudden surge in energy use?
• Why the escalating maintenance requests for a particular piece of equipment?
• Why the persistent vacancy of a seemingly functional space?

The answers, it appears, lie beyond the confines of singular data streams, demanding a more integrated and contextually aware approach. Enter multimodal AI, a technology poised to reshape the FM landscape, moving beyond incremental improvements to offer a transformative lens through which to understand the built environment.

Read more . . .

At CERSAIE 2025, the International Exhibition of Ceramic Tile and Bathroom Furnishings, FMs and architecture and design professionals will discover the beauty and practicality of ceramic and porcelain tile for use in commercial facilities. Taking place September 22-26, 2025, in Bologna, Italy, the heart of the Italian ceramics industry, Cersaie 2025 features acclaimed speakers, over 600 exhibitors displaying thousands of products, and professional installation demonstrations.

The Building, Dwelling, Thinking series is Cersaie’s cultural program dedicated to architecture and design. Each year, Cersaie invites famous architects from all over the world, including Pritzker Prize winners, to discuss their projects and their visions of contemporary architecture. Register here to receive a free ticket. Read more . . .

Sponsored by Cersaie

AHF Products announces the redesigned Armstrong Flooring Safety Zone Tile Slip-Retardant Flooring, now visually aligned with the popular Standard Excelon Imperial Texture line. This update allows designers to maintain aesthetic consistency while adding safety in moisture-prone areas. The tile features a proprietary embossed surface with embedded particles, providing twice the slip resistance of standard VCT in wet conditions (based on internal testing).

The collection offers 20 color-matched neutrals, each paired with an Imperial Texture SKU, enabling seamless integration of slip-retardant zones into commercial interiors. "This coordination supports environments like healthcare, education, and retail, where both safety and design matter," said Yon Hinkle, VP-Resilient. Julie Williams of Larson & Darby Group adds, “With expanded color options, Safety Zone can now enhance both ‘front’ and ‘back of the house’ areas.”

Durability is ensured through a through-pattern wear layer, precise manufacturing, and the FastStart Factory Finish, which simplifies installation and reduces maintenance. Routine care involves sweeping and damp mopping, with polishing as needed. Made in the USA with up to 85% North American limestone, the tile is FloorScore certified and supports sustainability through recycled content and long life. Armstrong Flooring Safety Zone Tile Slip-Retardant Flooring comes with a 10-Year Warranty, extendable to 20 years with StrongSystem installation.

Sponsored by AHF Products

As part of its goal of becoming the greenest airport in the world and to be energy independent, Denver International Airport (DEN) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to study the feasibility of building a small modular (nuclear) reactor (SMR) on the DEN campus. The study is part of DEN’s overall efforts to meet future clean energy demands.

Small modular reactors are gaining traction as a clean energy source for their potential to offer a safe, more scalable and potentially cost-effective approach to generating nuclear power. Because nuclear reactors operate 24/7, proponents suggest they can complement the intermittent nature of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind and could help meet growing energy demand while reducing carbon emissions. Read more . . .

Whether you are an architect, construction manager, facilities manager (FM) or other specifier, BNi Costbooks at FMLink Books enable precise cost estimation for your building or renovation project.

Access precise details for thousands of items, from paving to finish carpentry. Unit of measure, material cost, labor cost, and equipment cost per unit are provided for each item. Real-world cost models cover a diverse range of building types, from civic to commercial to residential projects. Data is based on the highly regarded BNi Data cost database. Detailed square foot costs are broken down by CSI Division and supported by a detailed narrative.

This collection of peer-reviewed books has been curated by the editorial team at FMLink to provide facilities, engineering and A&D professionals with access to relevant Costbooks.