Country music legend Willie Nelson’s iconic song “On the Road Again” was part of the soundtrack in my head last month while traveling to the desert for two industry events.
Last month I attended the Honeywell Users Group 2025 event in Phoenix and the National Fire Protection Association’s annual conference in Las Vegas. Both shows provided opportunities to chat with end users, product managers and industry leaders about the trends in facility management.
Technologies like Zoom and Teams have allowed the world to connect more easily than ever before by never leaving your workstation or office, but there’s still no better way to learn more about the facilities industry than attending live events.
You will read more about the results of those productive conversations and thought-provoking education sessions in the pages of this magazine and on FacilitiesNet over the next months. However, as I begin to sift through the pages of notes and the interviews for takeaways from the shows, one conversation keeps coming back to me.
I was talking with Greg Turner, Honeywell’s VP & chief solutions engineering officer, about building automation systems when he described them as a “check building light” to indicate when something critical needs to be addressed.
As someone who recently dealt with his car’s check engine light, the comparison resonated with me. Facility executives are pulled in so many directions that a little help with doing their jobs can’t hurt. Building automation systems are a win not only for executives who can use the information collected to make important financial decisions, but they also allow technicians to more easily diagnose problems.
Though vehicle owners may detest seeing their check engine light turn on, like its counterpart in facilities, building automation systems are a vital aspect of your facilities operations. When it tells you something is off, it’s best to address the issue before something bad happens.
Dave Lubach is the executive editor for the facilities market. He has 10 years of experience writing about facility management and maintenance issues.
