A Defining Year for Facilities Management
What 2025 taught us about public estates, technology adoption and building a more resilient FM sector.
Introduction
2025 has been a defining year for the facilities management (FM) sector. Long-standing challenges around public sector estates, sustainability, digital maturity and workforce resilience have moved firmly into the spotlight, forcing organisations to rethink how buildings are managed, maintained and optimised.
From increased government scrutiny of public assets to growing momentum behind data-driven decision-making and automation, the industry has reached a point where incremental change is no longer enough. Across healthcare, education and the wider public sector, estates teams are being asked to do more, with better insight, greater accountability and fewer resources.
This year in review explores the key FM themes that shaped 2025 and considers how a more connected, technology-enabled approach to facilities management is beginning to redefine what good looks like, now and in the years ahead.
Public Sector Estates Under Pressure – and Opportunity
Public Sector Buildings in the Spotlight
The year began with renewed scrutiny of government-owned buildings following a National Audit Office report into property maintenance performance. The report revealed an estimated £49 million maintenance backlog, with NHS hospitals, schools and Ministry of Defence sites accounting for around 88 per cent of the total.
Outdated, incomplete and inconsistent data was identified as a key contributor. This is a familiar challenge for many estates teams still reliant on fragmented BMS and CAFM systems that limit visibility and strategic decision-making.
Government Investment Signals a Shift in Approach
At the same time, the Department of Health & Social Care revised its New Hospital Programme (NHP). Originally launched with the ambition of delivering 40 new hospitals by 2030, the programme has now moved towards a more phased and standardised approach, prioritising full rebuilds and major refurbishments over short-term fixes.
Together, these developments highlight a clear shift: while historic underinvestment has created significant risk, there is now growing recognition that modern, efficient and sustainable estates require long-term thinking supported by robust data.
How DMA Group Is Responding to Public Sector Change
Against this backdrop, DMA Group has continued to operate firmly against the grain of reactive maintenance culture.
In March, we were appointed to Fusion21’s £700 million Workplace and Facilities Management Framework, recognising DMA’s reputation for data-driven, technology-led solutions that strengthen the resilience of public sector estates.
Later in the year, our Executive Chairman Steve McGregor spoke at EMEX London, the UK’s leading energy management and smart buildings expo. Drawing on our work at Rye Memorial Hospital, he demonstrated how achieving net zero in NHS buildings can go hand in hand with cost savings and improved patient services.
Data, Sustainability and Education Estates
Sustainability Becomes Statutory in Education
September marked another pivotal moment with the introduction of the Academy Trust Handbook 2025. For the first time, sustainability was made a statutory priority, placing formal responsibility on estates teams to monitor, report and reduce environmental impact.
This change significantly raises the bar for data accuracy, transparency and reporting, making real-time visibility and digestible performance dashboards essential rather than optional.
BiO® in Practice: Transforming Estates Management at Scale
Through our multi-award winning proprietary platform BiO®, DMA Group has helped Leigh Academies Trust (LAT) centralise and digitise estates management across 32 sites supporting more than 20,000 students.
Today, over 6,400 assets are tracked in real time, with live dashboards providing estates teams with transparent, actionable insight. This capability has become a critical enabler for sustainability reporting, compliance and long-term planning.
FM Technology: Progress, Resistance and Reality
Why FM’s Technology Adoption Still Lags Behind
Technology adoption remained a key talking point throughout 2025. Despite widespread discussion of automation and AI, progress across the sector has been slow.
The SFG20 State of Facilities Management Report 2025 revealed that just over 10 per cent of organisations are currently using AI-driven analytics, while more than 80 per cent still rely on traditional CAFM systems. Although over half of respondents recognised AI as a strategic priority, many remain hesitant to commit.
What’s Holding AI Adoption Back in Facilities Management?
DMA’s own whitepaper, Harnessing AI in FM: A 2025 Outlook, published earlier in the year, shed further light on the barriers to adoption. Despite 66 per cent of respondents budgeting for AI in 2025, several challenges persist:
- Lack of technical expertise
- Cultural resistance and fear of job displacement
- Unclear return on investment
- Funding constraints for technology and training
- Ongoing data security concerns
BiO® and the Shift Towards Service as a Software
While the sector grapples with these challenges, BiO® continued to demonstrate what is possible when automation is implemented with purpose. In 2025, the platform received Highly Commended recognition at the i-FM Technology in FM Awards.
We also established a Group Supervisory Board, overseeing maintenance, projects and a new Service as a Software (SaaS) division, as BiO® progresses towards its standalone market launch in 2026 – a significant next step in its evolution.
Workforce Pressures and the Role of Automation
Skills Shortages and an Ageing FM Workforce
Workforce pressure remains one of FM’s most pressing issues. SFG20 reported that 80 per cent of FM teams are understaffed, while NHS England data revealed that only four per cent of estates staff are under 25.
With too few young people entering the sector to replace those nearing retirement, organisations are increasingly stretched.
Using AI to Reinvest Time Back into People
Throughout the year, DMA have continued to argue that AI can be part of the solution. DMA’s executive Chairman Steve McGregor spoke at the Building Services Forum. He explained how BiO® has already saved more than 14,000 hours of labour, doubling operational efficiency and allowing DMA to reinvest time into training, development and human connection.
Rather than replacing people, automation is enabling teams to focus on the skills and relationships that matter most.
Apprenticeships, Policy Change and Future Talent
Apprenticeships in FM: A Changing Landscape
Several policy developments in 2025 signalled renewed support for apprenticeships:
- New DfE guidelines aimed at creating 10,000 additional apprenticeship opportunities annually
- Full funding for SME-led schemes supporting under-25s in the 2025 Budget
- In August, the minimum duration for many schemes dropped from twelve to eight months
For FM, this presents a valuable opportunity to widen access to the profession.
DMA’s Perspective on Skills, Standards and Inclusion
DMA Group’s Chief Operating Officer for Maintenance, Wendy Bennett, has welcomed efforts to improve access, while cautioning that core competencies must not be diluted. Strong English and maths skills remain essential for safety, communication and technical accuracy.
Meanwhile, Chief Customer Officer Valerie Miller continued to champion youth recruitment and female empowerment, speaking at FMJ’s Facilities & Estates Management Live event. She argued that FM must better communicate its breadth of opportunity and actively support women through visible role models and structured progression routes.
Looking Ahead: What 2026 Holds for Facilities Management
As we turn our attention to 2026, several themes are set to gain momentum:
- Modernised public sector FM, driven by digital-first approaches
- Growing confidence in AI, as benefits and returns become clearer
- Renewed focus on skills and apprenticeships, balancing access with standards
With the upcoming BiO® SaaS launch, DMA Group remains focused on helping organisations move from reactive maintenance to intelligent, data-led estate strategies.
Building Momentum into 2026
From national policy shifts to technological acceleration and workforce reform, 2025 has been a year of change for facilities management. DMA Group’s award wins, innovation and continued growth reflect our commitment to leading that change, and of course, to making buildings work better.
Navigating change in facilities management requires more than reactive solutions.
If you’re rethinking how data, sustainability and technology can better support your estates strategy, we’d welcome a conversation.
Talk to us about smarter, data-led facilities management.
