Why Facilities Managers Hold the Hidden Lever to Net Zero Success

Every real estate portfolio today is racing toward sustainability targets. But while the headlines focus on carbon neutrality and climate pledges, one inconvenient truth often goes unspoken: You can’t hit net-zero if your maintenance model is stuck in the past.  

Facilities management is one of the biggest levers for real estate sustainability—and yet, most buildings still rely on outdated, reactive models that waste energy, materials, and time. The most competitive facilities are implementing Predictive FM models to stay ahead and reach net zero targets. 

Missed opportunities in current FM models 

Traditional FM strategies—whether reactive or time-based—don’t just cost money. They cost emissions.  

• Preventive maintenance often means fixing systems that aren’t broken, leading to unnecessary servicing and material waste.  

• Reactive maintenance lets equipment fail first, often after days or weeks of energy inefficiency and increased output.  

• Condition-based models offer some improvement but still miss the underlying behavioural patterns that lead to degradation.  

In every case, FM teams are responding to symptoms, not preventing problems—and sustainability suffers.  

Where the opportunity is: Is Predictive FM the missing link to net-zero? 

Predictive FM flips the model.  

Instead of reacting to faults, AI anticipates them. Instead of guessing maintenance windows, it recommends them. And instead of measuring performance after the fact, it manages it in real time.  

With predictive FM:  

• Assets are monitored continuously for performance anomalies  

• AI models forecast degradation before it becomes waste  

• Repairs happen before emissions peak—or energy is wasted  

This is energy optimization at the source.  

Key takeaways from Facilities Managers truly enabling Net Zero 

Cloud worked alongside a UK-based provider of Casinos and Bingo Outlets and Global FM Provider to implement Mindsett and enable Predictive FM. 

Project scope:  

40 locations with around 13,000 assets being monitored in real time.  

Tech implementation:  

Mindsett used machine learning to baseline each asset’s electrical harmonics—the unique signature that defines how well a system is running. Here is how it works: 

1. As equipment drifts from “good behaviour,” Mindsett detects anomalies early  
2. These anomalies are linked to a global Fault Library, helping identify what’s happening and why  
3. Over time, this builds predictive models that become increasingly accurate across different building types, climates, and asset classes  

 
Mindsett didn’t just flag issues—it understood them. This made it possible to intervene before energy use spikes, asset efficiency drops, or performance failures.  

Key findings and results: 

Mindset enabled a 13.5% reduction in energy consumption across the estate.  Understanding and monitoring Power Factor and Harmonic Distortion focused maintenance attention and capital replacement projects for lighting and chillers. 

“Straightforward energy management and granular detail as to equipment energy usage. The dashboards are very clear and allow a drill down to effectively understand exactly how energy is being utilised and the subsequent cost of this”.
– Senior Director of Engineering and Technical Solutions (Global FM Company) 

Recap: Three ways in which Smart FM will drive sustainability 

1. Extended Asset Life = Reduced Carbon Waste  

One of the hidden contributors to carbon emissions in real estate is asset turnover.  

• When equipment is replaced too early, you generate Scope 3 emissions from manufacturing, transport, installation, and disposal.  

• When it’s replaced too late, you’ve already lost months of energy efficiency—and probably dealt with a service disruption.  

Predictive FM enables precise lifecycle planning. It maximizes asset longevity and performance, and minimizes unnecessary replacements—lowering the embodied carbon of your building operations.  

       2. Auditable Sustainability 

Compliance frameworks like CSRD, GRESB, and LEED O+M demand detailed tracking of:  

• Energy use (Scope 1 & 2)  

• Maintenance activity  

• Equipment efficiency  

• Asset lifecycle data (Scope 3)  

Predictive FM automatically generates and logs this data, making ESG reporting faster, more accurate, and verifiable.  

No more backdating spreadsheets or aggregating disconnected dashboards — Mindsett makes sustainability auditable.  

       3. Sustainable + Cost-Effective Management   

Sustainability doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, predictive FM reduces operating costs while delivering environmental value:  

• Less downtime = lower emergency response costs  

• Targeted repairs = less material waste  

• Energy optimization = smaller utility bills  

• Smarter CapEx planning = longer asset life, fewer surprises  

  
Predictive FM aligns sustainability and cost efficiency—not as tradeoffs, but as mutually reinforcing outcomes.  

FM Is No Longer Just Operational—It’s Strategic  

The real estate industry needs to stop thinking of FM as a back-office function. It’s the front line of sustainability delivery.  

Predictive FM:  

• Empowers FM teams to lead climate performance  

• Provides real-time insight into building health  

• Supports organization-wide ESG and financial objectives  

If Your FM Strategy Isn’t Predictive, It’s Not Sustainable  

The path to net zero is paved with smarter operations. Predictive FM ensures that your assets perform better, longer—and that your team stays ahead of both risk and regulation.  

Now is the time to:  

• Rethink maintenance as a tool for climate impact  

• Equip your FM team with AI-powered insight  
• Turn every asset into an intelligent, efficient contributor to your sustainability goals 

Interested in leveraging Predictive FM? Connect with the Cloud team: http://cloudfmgroup-20005040.hs-sites.com/proptech-connect-2025