Forever Forward - Facilities Management, Asset Operations, Maintenance and Beyond!

In this episode, host Sid sits down with Founder & CEO Umesh Bhutoria to explore the current state of solar operations and maintenance (O&M). As solar capacity continues to grow, many companies face significant revenue losses due to equipment underperformance and operational inefficiencies. Together, they discuss why solar assets often fail to perform at optimal levels, highlighting the im...

In this episode, we dive into the evolving landscape of Asset Lifecycle Management (ALM), focusing on the critical Operations and Maintenance (O&M) phase. As the longest and most influential stage, O&M directly impacts asset lifespan, reliability, and costs. Join us as we explore the challenges faced by O&M teams today compared to the past, and how modern strategies and technology are...

This episode is close to our hearts and our vision for a more inclusive, connected, and rewarding future for the engineering and blue-collar workforce. Hosts Umesh (Founder & CEO, Xempla) and Sid (Marketing, Xempla) dive into the hard-hitting realities facing the Smart Energy Transition such as the growing knowledge and skills gap, shortage of newcomers into the workforce, and its financial im...

In this episode of the Forever Forward Podcast, Umesh (Founder & CEO, Xempla) and Sid (Marketing, Xempla) talk about ‘Decarbonization in Healthcare’, touching upon the role of Operations & Maintenance in driving low-carbon facilities and outcomes like net zero. Starting off, they explore the positive strides the industry is making towards sustainability, and how O&M can be a powerful t...

Welcome to yet another episode of the Forever Forward Podcast! In this episode, we explore the transformative power of process automation for enterprise facility management companies. For FMs who haven’t considered automation yet, hosts Sid and Umesh discuss ample reasons why they should be looking to use it to their advantage. Learn how to identify the most impactful processes to automate, reduci...

The FM industry is on the cusp of a paradigm shift with the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation technologies. For decades, FM professionals have relied on manual and reactive processes to run building operations and maintenance.  Now, AI has already started to automate repetitive and mundane maintenance tasks, freeing up time and effort that can be redirected toward more strategic,...

Welcome to yet another episode of the Forever Forward Podcast! This time, we're diving into a pressing issue that plagues many O&M teams: maintenance backlogs. Backlogs have become a nearly universal problem for teams running planned or scheduled maintenance, and their costs are staggering. For instance, the 2022 NHS Digital ERIC report reveals that the maintenance backlog cost across NHS...

This episode dives into the critical, but often overlooked, topic of Data Quality in Asset Operations & Maintenance. Hosts Siddharth and Umesh explore why data quality hasn't been a priority in the traditional "business as usual" approach. However, with the shift towards Data-Driven O&M, reliable and accurate data becomes essential. In a nutshell, this episode explores: Why d...

As we witness a marked shift towards data-led operations and maintenance strategies, Umesh and Siddharth sit down to dissect what this shift is all about and whether the FM technology stack is ready to deliver everything it promises. In this rapid-fire episode, they quickly cover the difference between conventional planned / reactive maintenance and the elements of modern data-led maintenance, dis...

Welcome to the 5th and final installment of the What's Smarter Now Series on the Forever Forward Podcast powered by Xempla, ft. guest speakers Giovanna Jagger (IWBI Global Market Development EMEA) and Sandra Gritti (Director, Leesman Futures), and host Justin Kirby (Chair, Digital Buildings Council). This episode dives deep into the current state and the future of the workplace. Smash the misc...

Welcome to the 4th installment of the What's Smarter Now Series on the Forever Forward Podcast powered by Xempla, ft. guest speakers Elizabeth Nelson and Nicholas White from Smart Building Collective, and hosts Justin Kirby (Chair, Digital Buildings Council) and Umesh Bhutoria (Founder & CEO, Xempla). This episode explores the journey of getting certified as a smart and sustainable buildin...

Welcome to the 3rd episode of the What's Smarter Now Series on the Forever Forward Podcast powered by Xempla, ft. guest speakers Anna Foden (Head of Sustainability, ISG) and Katie Whipp (Global Head of Partnerships @re:sustain) with host Justin Kirby (Chair, Digital Buildings Council). This episode explores the world's much-needed transition to smarter and more sustainable net zero-carbon...

Welcome to the 2nd installment of the What's Smarter Now Series on the Forever Forward Podcast powered by Xempla, ft. guest speakers Charlotte Langthaler (CBRE) and Renata Hartle (Colliers), and hosts Justin Kirby (Chair, Digital Buildings Council) and Umesh Bhutoria (Founder & CEO, Xempla). This episode focuses on the journey towards a smart and sustainable built environment as envisioned...

Welcome to the inaugural episode of our 'What's Smarter Now' series, brought to you by Justin Kirby and Umesh Bhutoria. With Justin's expertise in human-centered design and Umesh's work in the FM & Maintenance software space, this series is dedicated to exploring the interplay of smart building technology, processes, and outcomes. Stakeholders often find themselves uncertai...

In this episode titled "What's Driving Enterprise Software Demand Across the Built Environment?", we welcome guest speaker Alex Chan, Program Leader, Customer Success at Schneider Electric. Alex is a trusted expert in digitalization, resilience, and sustainability with tons of experience in customer-facing roles and makes for the perfect match for this episode. Umesh (host) and Alex...

In this episode, host Umesh Bhutoria teams up with David Clark , Director at Positive Zero, an independent consultancy that helps the property sector transition to a fully sustainable future. A leader in sustainable design with a particular focus on Zero Carbon strategies and solutions, David brings his vast experience to help you figure out where to start, what data, resources, and skill sets are...

Welcome to the world of smart buildings and retrofits in our latest episode titled 'State of Smart Buildings and Retrofits in 2023'. This time, Umesh hosts Stefan Schmidt, building sustainability expert and Director of Smart Buildings Technology at Wiredscore, to unravel the trends shaping the present and future of this industry. With Wiredscore's extensive work in the certification of...

Welcome to yet another episode of the Forever Forward podcast! This time, host Umesh (Founder & CEO, Xempla ) invites Robert Philbrook, Management Consultant at RPC Ltd. to discuss the state of Hard FM services, zeroing down on the UK's healthcare sector. Robert carries decades of experience in facilities management, maintenance, and sustainability, including stints at companies like Skans...

Welcome to a solo episode by Founder & CEO Umesh Bhutoria on the State of Facilities Management in the UAE - as of 2023. This episode brings you six predictions for the future of the industry, based on Umesh's interactions with leaders, experts, and customers in this up-and-coming Middle East country. As the sequel to our episode " State of Facilities Management in the Middle East &qu...

In this episode, Umesh welcomes Hamza Zinedine B. , Inside Sales, Marketing, and Strategic Partnerships at Jacobs GTO to examine the role of mid-level management in enabling digital transformation at facility management companies.  In the facilities management space, a key leverage point in digital transformation that is out of sync is mid-level management. While senior management is aware of nove...

Hey FM leaders! Are you 'being digital' or 'doing digital'? What's the difference?  Inspired by a recent Mckinsey Inside the Strategy Room podcast episode , Umesh speaks about how most FM organizations are missing the digital agenda if they're just looking to tick use-case boxes without focusing on the larger outcomes.  Umesh explains how being digital means imbibing it in...

In this episode, Umesh welcomes Marco Bonelli, Digital Lead at VINCI Construction UK to explore new developments in Building Information Modelling (BIM), digital twins for enhanced O&M, and everything that can move the needle beyond the construction phase.  With 10 years of experience in the construction industry, Marco takes us through his journey of helping improve workflows and efficie...

This episode with Kritika Kumar, Product Ops & Innovation at CLP Smart Energy Connect is a departure from the conventional conversations around energy service providers. Simply because of the fact that it's uncommon to see their drive for innovation, especially when it comes to managing energy consumption in commercial buildings, facilities, and beyond.  Umesh and Kritika look into what k...

In this episode, Umesh welcomes Zul Azhan Abu Bakar, Co-Founder & CEO at Infinity Wave and a hugely popular figure across Asset Operations, Maintenance, and Facilities Management to discuss the state of technology adoption, drivers of change, and recent developments within the built environment space in Malaysia. As the world moves towards data-driven maintenance and asset management, Zul and...

This episode with special guest Justin Kirby is a fresh and perhaps the only sensible take on smart buildings and retrofit opportunities in brownfield projects!  With an academic background in human-centered design , Justin has worn a number of hats throughout his career, spanning cross-cutting areas like technology, sustainability, design, and marketing communications. He speaks with Umesh a...