Why Data is Your Greatest Asset: The Executive Case for Facility Managers

Facility leaders today face a paradox: never before have we had so much building and operations data—yet so little of it makes its way into the decisions that matter most.
A staggering ~95% of construction and engineering data goes unused for decision-making, while the operations phase often accounts for 60–80% of a building’s total life cycle costs. That means every incremental improvement in how facility data is collected and applied—from work orders to energy meters—can deliver outsized returns across decades of asset life.

Howard Shotz, Vice President of Global Smart Infrastructure explains “Most organizations have a lot of data, but they don’t have actionable information. The real value comes when you align Facilities, Real Estate, IT, Finance and HR on the same metrics and focus on the broad business imperatives using KPIs that matter most. That’s when data starts driving measurable results.”

Why do so many organizations fail to turn data into dollars? Because they lack a concise, cross-departmental approach to translating raw data into measurable business outcomes. Without it, facilities fall into four persistent traps:

• Fragmented Decision-Making: Facilities, Real Estate, IT, Finance and HR operate in silos with unclear ownership of processes, data, and results.
• Slow Execution: Workflow bottlenecks, unclear authority, and excessive handoffs delay both routine and strategic projects.
• Data Overload vs. Gaps: Leaders either drown in reports or lack agreement on the small set of critical data elements that truly drive outcomes.
• Lack of Executive Translation: Operational improvements fail to connect to top-level goals like growth, agility, and ROI.

“These issues aren’t solved by technology alone,” Shotz emphasizes. “They require a governance model, a common data dictionary, and a focus on a small set of high-value KPIs—like the Facility Condition Index (FCI) or Energy Use Intensity (EUI)—that the C-suite can act on.” 

Impact to Insight Cycle

The solution is not collecting more data—it’s turning existing data into business intelligence. Howard’s framework, the Insight-to-Impact Cycle, outlines how to move from information to results:

This simple but powerful process ensures the data facility teams track actually drive executive-level decisions. Instead of endless reporting, the focus shifts to a closed-loop system where data informs metrics, metrics create KPIs, KPIs shape decisions, and decisions trigger measurable action.

The Four Domains That Matter Most

While every facility is unique, research shows that four domains consistently drive the majority of costs, risks, and performance outcomes:

• Space Management – Underutilized or misaligned square footage drains budgets and lowers productivity. With real-time occupancy and utilization metrics, organizations can consolidate space, reduce leasing costs, and improve the workplace experience. (Density (Q1 2025); Colliers Insight (Jan 2025); Placer.ai / Business Insider (July 2025)
• Energy Management – Energy is the widely considered the second-highest controllable cost in facilities after Operations and Maintenance (O&M) labor. It often accounts for 20–30% of an organization’s operating costs, depending on the facility type. Monitoring Energy Use Intensity (EUI) creates a benchmark for efficiency. Many portfolios can capture 10–30% energy savings through proven measures—translating directly into bottom-line impact while advancing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) commitments, helping leaders slash utility costs while meeting ESG commitments.
• Safety Management – OSHA and the National Safety Council estimate workplace incidents cost U.S. employers over $167 billion annually. By shifting from lagging indicators to proactive safety KPIs, facility teams can cut risk, avoid fines, and protect employees.
• Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) – With most costs tied up in operations, lifecycle asset data is critical. Every $1 of maintenance deferred today can create roughly $4–$5 in future capital liability, so using Facility Condition Index (FCI) and similar metrics to prioritize repairs and capital projects helps avoid emergencies and optimize total cost of ownership.

The Value for Executives

When facility leaders focus their data strategies on these domains, the results ripple across the enterprise:

• Financial Clarity – Normalized CAPEX and OPEX metrics allow leaders to compare sites, prioritize funding, and eliminate hidden spend.
• Risk Governance – Deferred maintenance and safety incidents turn into leading indicators, reducing exposure and surprises.
• Performance Acceleration – Closed-loop reporting ties operational KPIs directly to measurable ROI.
• Stakeholder Alignment – Facilities, Real Estate, Finance, IT, HR and ESG teams finally work from the same “data dictionary,” eliminating silos and accelerating decisions.

The Executive Imperative

Facility data isn’t just a technical challenge—it’s an executive imperative. By focusing on the right KPIs in the domains that matter most, leaders can cut costs, mitigate risks, and build facilities that deliver long-term value to the business.

The organizations that thrive will be those that build their own executive playbook, rooted in the Insight-to-Impact Cycle and aligned across all stakeholders.

This article is the first in our Digital Executive Playbook Series, where we’ll release a set of practical guides, tools, and insights designed to help facility executives transform data into measurable outcomes.

Stay tuned for the next item in this series, a hands-on start-up guide and workbook designed to help facility managers identify their biggest pain points and begin mapping their own data playbook. Sign up for our newsletter here!