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The Next Frontier of FM: Inside IFMA’s Data Center Facilities Working Group
Date/Time
Date(s) - 11/20/2026
9:20 AM - 10:10 AM
Location
Anaheim Convention Center
Categories
Tags
IFMA World Workplace
Join this panel discussion hosted by industry experts at World Workplace in Anaheim, CA
Data centers are among the most complex and mission-critical facilities in the built environment. This session introduces IFMA’s new Data Center Facilities Management Working Group and its seven best-practice pillars designed to support FM professionals entering or advancing within this rapidly expanding sector. Attendees will learn how IFMA is strengthening guidance, education, and community collaboration around data center FM—and how they can participate in shaping this emerging field.
This session will introduce the purpose, vision, and early outputs of the working group, outlining how it aims to bridge the gap between established FM competencies and the emerging operational realities of modern data centers. Attendees will gain insight into the group’s seven best-practice pillars—Safety & Security; Resiliency & Operations; Sustainability & Energy; Regulatory & Compliance; Technology & Innovation; Workforce & Education; and Community & Industry Engagement—and learn how this framework supports FM professionals across the full lifecycle of data center facilities.
The presentation will highlight the working group’s roadmap for producing best-practice guidelines, white papers, knowledge-sharing forums, and thought-leadership content that address critical industry challenges such as uptime reliability, AI-driven compute demands, talent shortages, energy optimization, regulatory pressures, and the integration of next-generation technologies. Participants will also see how the working group will serve as a career-development pathway for FM professionals seeking to enter or advance within mission-critical operations.
