Event Schedule

What you will learn: This course provides an introductory-level primer on planning and management of physical space. The course includes basic space planning and management vocabulary and concepts, and details the fundamental policies, processes, practices, analytical tools, and database management concepts involved in developing and implementing a space management plan for corporate, university, and government organizations.

Who should attend: This course is open to all facility planners and designers, operations management, space planners, facility managers, resource and space analysis managers, financial planners, real estate portfolio/campus managers, architects and engineers, consultants, and software, furniture and casework providers.

Space is limited and enrollment is subject to approval.

Cost:
$1,300 Fundamentals Course only
$1,100 with registration to the two-day conference immediately following
(Fees include course materials, continental breakfast, refreshment breaks, lunch)

A hosted beer and wine bar along with light snacks will be served.

Attendees may sign-in and pick up their registration materials here, or the next morning at the conference ballroom foyer.

Guests welcome.

See the full list of participating exhibitors and event hosts.

The workplace is going to need to work harder to earn the trust and respect of employees!  As we continue to battle to get people back to the office, new workplace experiences will be required to “earn the commute” of employees. Technology will be the foundation of these new experiences, making the workplace more informative, intelligent and collaborative. In this session Mark Miller reports on Cisco’s efforts to transform their 16M square foot real estate portfolio to address the challenges, and opportunities, of hybrid work. He illustrates the critical role space design, technology and culture plays in creating innovative workplace environments, and experiences that are “earning the commute” of employees every day.

This case study illustrates the space utilization and employee engagement results that can be achieved through creation of a centralized space utilization model, and the organizational and culture changes required to get there. Julie Kelly-Smith and Katie Roberson profile the mission of Sandia National Labs’ Integrated Space Solutions team, including better aligning space use with programmatic needs. They deliver valuable lessons learned on pitfalls to avoid, the effects on employee satisfaction, team restructuring, final plan rollout, change management processes, and continuous improvement.

The research workplace is in flux. Uncertainty, new technology, and hybrid work have all exposed a crucial need for data-driven insights in strategic planning and programming for scientific work environments. Through a case study of The Sherwin-Williams Company “Building Our Future” project, presenters demonstrate a combination of lean process improvement, Gemba walks, and dialog focused on impactful organizational change to optimize a 600,000 square foot facility. They relate what was learned on hybrid workplace environment, staff and equipment utilization, and challenges to conventional laboratory metrics, how the data was evaluated for efficiency, safety, and operational impacts, and the resulting transformations in process, governance, and projected outcomes.

By leveraging data-driven approaches and emerging best practices, organizations can optimize their real estate portfolios to align with evolving workforce preferences and operational needs. That’s the model that presenters will demonstrate through a comparative analysis of office utilization patterns, global client challenges, and a deep dive into the nuanced dynamics of the modern workplace. The promised results include solutions for the underutilized real estate problem, environments that foster talent retention and productivity, and optimized real estate investment strategies. Participants will leave equipped with key discussion points for evaluating employee work/life balance, the rebirth of urban centers, and organizational operational needs.

Reimagined spaces, human connections, and technology are converging to redefine work tools, locations, and methods, threatening organizational relevance for those who fail to adapt. Kay Sargent illustrates what industry leaders are doing to tackle the physical, social, and technological challenges of tomorrow. She examines the impacts of AI, IoT, and other innovations on architecture and design, the built environment, and how people interact with spaces. The delivers strategies for navigating the dynamic and fluid nature of work, empowering future-ready facility leadership, and ensuring spaces support organizational goals and employee well-being in an ever-changing world.

Future Forum reports that 81 percent of global desk-based workers want location flexibility, and 93 percent want schedule flexibility. For many organizations, employees are in the office two to three days a week with the balance spent at home or another location. How can organizations support worker physical wellbeing when not onsite? Carolyn Cirillo delivers data-based insights on how physical work environments can improve employee wellbeing, happiness, and productivity in any setting. She illustrates how homes can better support employee work processes, and what can be done regarding comfort, safety, natural light, indoor air quality, and plants to create a more enjoyable work experience. 

Unlock next-level facility utilization and operating efficiency targets for your organization by combining the latest technology innovations. Brian Haines illustrates how systems leveraging AI and machine learning are being used as the “glue” to connect digital twins, sensor technology, and Building Automation Systems (BAS) in support of utilization intent, providing deeper facility insights, and streamlining operations. He examines the kind of generated data and analytics now possible, and the leveraging of real-time and predicted space and occupancy data for optimizing HVAC systems and reducing costs.

AI is not only reshaping industries but also redefining how we conceptualize and construct spaces. From AI-powered design tools optimizing workflows to future projections of AI-driven building automation systems, the impact is profound. Jason Rosenblatt explores what AI will do to revolutionize office design and alter spatial layouts and furniture requirements to accommodate evolving work styles and needs. He provides insights for how to prepare for AI's imminent impact in the architecture and commercial real estate industries, and on the next generation of architectural designers. He examines previous technology shifts in the workspace context and tries his hand at future-casting how AI may carry that evolution forward.

(Guests welcome)

Courtesy of Tradeline

Construction and operating costs for research space continue to skyrocket as does institutional demand for these spaces. The time is now to refine (or implement) research space management models, enable program expansion in a cost-constrained environment, stay competitive, and elevate facility return on investment. Session leaders illustrate the translation of data-driven insights into new space metrics and implementation plans for Arizona State University’s award-winning research building portfolio. They profile the evolving relationship between research funding and the facility ecosystem, today’s metrics for productivity, how space management programs are finding support through alignment with institutional priorities, pitfalls to avoid, and lessons learned.

Improved space management, relevant success metrics, actionable reporting, and cost savings: These are the capabilities organizations look for in technology solutions, but often struggle to find. This session examines software implementations from commercial, state, government, and higher education sectors, and what to expect in the way of key project drivers, unique challenges, and common management hurdles. Participants will walk away better informed on space management software applications, and the results that facility owners and stakeholders are getting -- facility and real estate problems solved, and organizational performance enhancements.

Now is the time for higher ed to capture post-pandemic space consolidation opportunities and respond to unprecedented cost pressures. At Tufts University, flex work modes and occupancy patterns have created densification options that address deferred maintenance, and lease, operational, and capital expense challenges to free up funds and space for needed program growth. Sara Smith and Courtney King detail the utilization analysis and consolidation target selection process, occupancy guidelines, and financial results across administrative and academic groups. They examine software selection and data set generation critical to facilitate new occupancy models, work culture and master plan implications, and lessons learned to-date.

The research workplace has experienced many of the same work model changes as other industries, with additional complexity from the need to support constantly rotating research programs and diverse stakeholder groups. Attend this session to see the data collected on how scientific work and space use patterns have changed post-pandemic, facility/program gaps that have emerged, the features now critical for workplace engagement, and operational adjustments that must be made. They demonstrate data collection methods including IoT sensors and time lapse video to calculate occupancy rates, and how post-occupancy evaluations are being used to inform future space plans and the occupant experience.

Unlock next-level facility utilization and operating efficiency targets for your organization by combining the latest technology innovations. Brian Haines illustrates how systems leveraging AI and machine learning are being used as the “glue” to connect digital twins, sensor technology, and Building Automation Systems (BAS) in support of utilization intent, providing deeper facility insights, and streamlining operations. He examines the kind of generated data and analytics now possible, and the leveraging of real-time and predicted space and occupancy data for optimizing HVAC systems and reducing costs.

Until recently, the impact of the built environment on cognitive functioning has been largely speculative - identified and reported through surveys and other qualitative feedback methods or invasive biological assessments and controlled studies. Now scanning and sensing technologies are delivering insights into how our minds work with real-time accuracy - how we receive, process, store, and retrieve information. Kelly Bacon translates these insights into design solutions to create environments that maximize our cognitive performance. She explores how environmental factors of hybrid work settings are impacting performance and wellbeing, and strategies to optimize workplace design for improved cognitive support across various work environments.

This session examines the role of occupancy analytics in revolutionizing operational excellence across real estate and facilities management, and the resulting cost reductions, adaptability improvement, and energy efficiencies. Session leaders deliver a case study of integrating occupancy data and Building Automation Systems (BAS) at Nova Southeastern University and the opportunities that were created for data-driven space discussions and the improved management of hybrid workplaces. They illustrate the transformational potential of predictive analytics in development of operational strategies, foreseeing trends, and adapting resources rapidly.