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Unlocking AI in FM – Key to Efficiency, Cost Savings and Competitive Advantage
Research shows AI-optimised facilities outperform traditional operations by 20-30% in key metrics, highlighting the clear benefits of AI integration.
Facilities management professionals are under increasing pressure to enhance efficiency, ensure compliance, and reduce costs amid challenges such as staff shortages and skill gaps. Traditional methods may no longer be enough to fully meet these demands.
Artificial intelligence is emerging as a vital tool in this transformation, offering solutions that not only address operational challenges but also provide a competitive advantage in a market with tightening margins and regulations.
Mike Talbot, Chief Technology Officer at SFG20, the industry standard for building maintenance specification, explains that AI is crucial for improving efficiency, moving away from costly, unpredictable reactive maintenance, and allowing teams to focus on strategic decisions to maintain a competitive edge.
A growing necessity for efficiency, reducing costs, and compliance
SFG20’s ‘State of FM Report 2025’ revealed that digital transformation is a key priority in the FM industry, with 53% of respondents considering it a "highly important" strategic focus to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance compliance.
Some stakeholders may be reluctant to adopt AI in FM, often due to concerns that technology will replace human expertise. However, industry professionals recognise that AI is intended to enhance, not replace, existing roles.
When implemented effectively, AI can optimise maintenance costs, reduce unplanned downtime, and enhance energy consumption.
By automating repetitive tasks and streamlining manual processes, AI enhances operational efficiency and helps standardise data. This allows teams to focus more on high-value, strategic decisions. Failing to adopt AI in today’s fast-evolving landscape risks missing key opportunities to stay competitive.
Transforming data analysis and predictive maintenance
AI in FM streamlines data processing by collecting, analysing, and simplifying maintenance information, including problem diagnosis. By analysing real-time sensor data, it reduces human error, enables evidence-based decisions, predicts maintenance needs, and improves accuracy over time. This allows facilities managers to make more informed decisions, mitigating costly errors and enhancing overall operational performance.
AI also enhances asset management by predicting failures and optimising maintenance schedules, preventing both over- and under-maintenance, which can lead to unnecessary costs or equipment failure.
Building a strong foundation for AI implementation
To implement AI in FM, define clear objectives aligned with business goals, such as cost reduction and improved efficiency. Organise data from sources like IoT sensors, BMS, and maintenance logs to train AI models and support proactive maintenance.
Integrating historical and real-time data enhances asset health insights, while Large Language Models simplify complex data into actionable insights.
AI should continuously generate insights to inform decision-making and be monitored for ongoing refinement, ensuring its long-term effectiveness and helping facilities managers stay competitive.
Mike Talbot, Chief Technology Officer at SFG20, says:
“AI in FM is not just a passing trend; it is a powerful tool that can help address the growing challenges of compliance, cost control, and operational efficiency.
“By integrating AI thoughtfully into their operations, facilities managers can unlock new levels of productivity and optimise maintenance practices for better results.
“To get started, organisations must lay the groundwork by defining clear goals, organising their data, and embracing a culture of continuous improvement. With these steps in place, AI can become an indispensable asset, helping teams stay competitive and ahead of the curve in an increasingly demanding industry.”
For more information on this topic, as well as how SFG20 is applying AI to solve one of the sector’s toughest challenges, join SFG20's upcoming webinar, Using AI in FM: What It Can Achieve and What’s Best to Leave, on Tuesday, 21st October 2025, or access the recording after.
SFG20's Succesful G Cloud Public Sector Tender
SFG20 has been named as a supplier on Crown Commercial Service’s G Cloud 13 framework. This framework helps public sector buyers procure software and services from a list of pre-approved suppliers.
The online framework is operated by Crown Commercial Service (CCS) which is an agency of the Cabinet Office set up to help the public sector achieve maximum commercial value when procuring specific goods and services. It helped specifiers achieve commercial benefits equal to £2.8 billion in 2021/22.
The G-Cloud means any public sector procurer can buy cloud-based software and services faster than if they set up individual contracts. It also gives them access to the latest cloud technology and innovation from pre-approved suppliers, with agreed terms and conditions and legal protections already in place.
“More than 80% of the value of a building is realised during its operating life, which is why strategic and targeted facilities maintenance is such an important consideration for any asset manager,” said SFG20 Managing Director, Kirsty Cogan.
“Being accepted onto G-Cloud 13 means it will now be easier and quicker for public sector procurers to gain access to this valuable tool along with the quality data needed to help them meet all of their FM goals.”
Find out more about the benefits of procuring SFG20 via G Cloud 13 ...
NHS Auditor Saves NHS £2 Million Using SFG20
Following significant oversights in maintenance coverage, a former NHS auditor used SFG20 - the industry standard maintenance scheduling tool - to meticulously audit and reissue a maintenance contract worth £11 million.
By identifying and rectifying missing planned preventative maintenance (PPM) tasks, he compelled the service provider to cost and include these essential items. This raised awareness around the importance of maintenance, as many contractors had been performing only minimal upkeep.
Built-in, enforceable penalties for underperformance further strengthened contract compliance. As a result, this proactive approach using SFG20 saved the NHS more than £2 million. Importantly, the tool provided an evidential backbone, enabling facility managers, particularly those new to the role, to substantiate requirements confidently and hold maintenance providers to account. The case underscores how adopting structured, standardised frameworks like SFG20 delivers both operational control and substantial financial returns. Learn more ...
NHS Blood and Transplant adopts SFG20 to enhance national maintenance programmes
NHS Blood and Transplant has adopted SFG20 software to help ensure that its maintenance and service programmes adhere to a range of legislation and strict safety requirements.
Mark Walsh, National Estates and Facilities Technical Manager at NHS Blood and Transplant, says: “I was very impressed with SFG20. Adopting the system has been the right thing to do as it helps to ensure that our maintenance procedures and tasks are always up-to-date with legal compliance across our whole estate.” Learn more ...
The Industry Standard for Planned Maintenance
Completely unique, SFG20 is the essential tool for facilities managers, building owners, contractors and consultants, enabling you to stay compliant - saving time, energy and money.
SFG20 is the ideal solution for facilities managers, building owners, contractors and consultants who want to remain compliant while saving time, energy and money.
The industry standard for planned and preventative maintenance, SFG20 is unique in the industry. An online, dynamic service, SFG20 provides access to a growing library of over 1500 maintenance schedules, which are dynamically updated as legislation changes.
SFG20 facilitates the identification of maintainable assets, providing the benchmark for optimum maintenance to avoid over or under maintaining. With options to customise schedules and create service booklets, optimising your maintenance with SFG20 couldn’t be easier.
How to Access the SFG20 Standard
SFG20 provides the industry standard in maintenance compliance, which empowers you to reduce risk, enhance efficiency, and safeguard building safety.
Failure to comply with maintenance regulations can result in costly penalties, legal exposure, and serious safety breaches. Our expert-led, fully customisable guidance – delivered through intuitive software – helps building owners, FM consultants, contractors, and facilities managers mitigate these risks and meet their compliance obligations with confidence.
The only way to access the SFG20 standard is through Facilities-iQ, their powerful digital platform that:
- Gives you instant access to a comprehensive library of industry-standard maintenance schedules
- Supports alignment with UK regulations and sector-specific best practice
- Connects seamlessly with leading CMMS, CAFM and IWMS systems
SFG20 is the smarter, safer way to manage your maintenance strategy. With built-in compliance updates, automation, and integration, Facilities-iQ puts control, clarity, and peace of mind at your fingertips.
Features & Benefits
- 1500+ customisable schedules
- 700+ annual schedule updates
- AI-powered asset mapping
- AI-powered search & smart filtering
- Seamless FM system integration
- Audit-ready compliance tracking
SFG20’s team of technical experts can support your business, industry or sector in achieving a tailor-made maintenance solution to achieve standardisation and effective maintenance compliance.
