FMLink

The employment figures for January were better than expected, with the addition of 130,000 jobs. Healthcare was the sector of note, adding 86,000 jobs, nearly two-thirds of the total, according to the Center for Economic and Policy Research. Following ambulatory care, hospitals added 18,300 jobs, and nursing and residential care facilities saw 13,300 new positions.

FMs will need to manage operating costs, budget constraints, workplace safety, operational reliability and resilience, as medical jobs increase headcount. Stabilizing the job market and recording a slightly lower unemployment rate inspires healthcare institutions to fill positions. There are indications that the built environment has openings from technical/mechanical to executive positions in facility management. The FMLink Career Center is showing over 1,600 opportunities. Visit the FMLink Job Board at the link below.
https://jobs.fmlink.com/

If you’re a regular reader of Sara Marberry’s blog, you’ll know that she loves looking at the past to inform the future. She believes a thorough thoughtful review of iconic hospital projects of the past gives us a lot to think about as we consider the evolution of healthcare design over the decades.

In this article, Sara writes about “10 Projects that Changed Healthcare Design,” as selected by members the American College of Healthcare Architects (ACHA). Jennifer Aliber and Bryan Langlands sent a survey asking the ACHA members to list three healthcare projects that significantly influenced them and why. Then, they selected 10 projects that received multiple mentions and then reviewed the available literature and data, looked at architectural photography, and interviewed the project architects and consultants.

The resulting list includes the influential projects as well as many of the projects that were influenced by them. Check out this list of projects at the link below.
https://www.fmlink.com/marberry-10-projects-that-changed-healthcare-design/


Photo: Palomar Medical Center, designed by CO Architects. Image courtesy of Sara Marberry

CF Stinson is excited to share color trends for 2026 — this year from three unique design perspectives. The design studios of Stinson, Anzea Textiles, and Arc-Com Fabrics have curated top color trends to spark creativity and help elevate designs.

Taking cues from trends in fashion and industrial design, Stinson’s 2026 colors to watch provide the perfect foundation to create fresh, inspired palettes for any environment including commercial interiors, workplace environments, hospitality spaces and institutional design.

As the design community looks ahead to the next wave of color influence, 2026 promises to be a year defined by emotional richness, warmer sensibilities, and purposeful color choices that support both functionality and aesthetic depth. From warm neutrals and jewel tones to nature-inspired greens and expressive yellows, 2026 color is less about fleeting fashion and more about creating intentional emotional experiences.

Explore the Stinson Color Trends 2026 in more detail at the link below.
https://www.fmlink.com/stinson-anzea-arc-com-studios-introduce-their-2026-color-trends/

From AI-powered design intelligence to radical adaptive reuse, Gensler’s 2026 Design Forecast reveals six forces transforming real estate value and urban resilience in an era of accelerating change.

Global architecture and design firm Gensler recently unveiled its 2026 Design Forecast, an annual report that identifies the top trends shaping the future of the built environment. This year’s forecast explores a tipping point for design — where AI meets imagination, agility fuels resilience, and the built environment transforms possibility into action.

For the first time, the 2026 Design Forecast introduces country- and region-specific insights, showing how global design forces take shape through local priorities — from Europe’s cultural vibrancy and people-centered livability, to Asia’s innovation in dense, fast-growing cities, to the Middle East’s focus on quality of life and resilience. The expanded digital edition features interactive visualizations, data from Gensler’s City Pulse research, and actionable findings across the firm’s 33 practice areas. Read more about Gensler’s 2026 Design Forecast and learn how to obtain a copy at the link below.
https://www.fmlink.com/genslers-2026-design-forecast-ai-agility-and-adaptation-redefine-the-future-of-the-urban-built-environment/


Image: Baghdad Sustainable Forests, Baghdad, Iraq. Image courtesy of Gensler

Facility managers seeking a more immersive, hands-on learning experience that supports their leadership growth look forward to IFMA’s Facility Fusion. Set for April 7-9, 2026 in San Francisco, Facility Fusion is designed for facility professionals who want more than surface-level learning and quick introductions.

The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) known for larger conferences like World Workplace, intentionally built Facility Fusion on a smaller scale. As a more intimate, interactive event, Facility Fusion fosters deeper connections and targeted learning. The high-impact experience gives attendees more access to peers, speakers, and solution providers.
Read all about what the show has to offer facility managers at the below.
https://www.fmlink.com/april-7-9-ifmas-facility-fusion-2026-delivers-a-high-impact-immersive-experience/

StarRez, Inc., a global provider of on-and-off-campus student housing software, has released a new report revealing what is changing in today’s college housing landscape, and providing an essential guide to the trends, data and strategies shaping the future of the resident experience. The 2025 State of the Student Housing Industry Report revealed a critical paradox: while enrollment rebounded, resident satisfaction dropped nearly 7% from 2024. This disconnect signals that operational models of the past aren’t withstanding the expectations of the modern student experience.

The student housing landscape is shifting fast. Rising expectations from students, stretched staff capacity, and expanding off-campus strategies are reshaping how institutions deliver housing. The 2025 State of the Student Housing Industry Report uncovers what’s changing, why it matters, and how the most forward-thinking college and university teams are adapting. Learn more at the link below.
https://www.fmlink.com/student-housing-satisfaction-dropped-in-2025-learn-how-top-colleges-are-making-a-digital-shift-to-meet-rising-expectations-in-this-report-from-starrez/


Image courtesy of StarRez.

The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) has just released its 2026 Trends Outlook report, sponsored by Sherwin-Williams, offering a comprehensive analysis of the forces shaping the interior design profession amid rapid social, technological and economic change.

The annual report examines shifts in lifestyle, wellness, technology, the workforce and the economy, and outlines how these dynamics are redefining expectations for the built environment. Drawing from a cross-sector lens — from sustainability and adaptive living to artificial intelligence and design — the report provides critical context to help interior designers anticipate change and make informed decisions in the year ahead.

Read about the report’s key findings and learn how to obtain a copy of the 2026 ASID Trends Outlook at the link below.
https://www.fmlink.com/asids-2026-trends-outlook-examines-how-shifts-in-wellness-tech-workforce-and-economy-are-impacting-built-environment-design/


Photo: Elizabeth Von Lehe’s Turf Design Experience Center Office. Image courtesy of Novità.

The January job surge surprised government officials, economists, employers and employees alike. While it was released five days later than usual due to the partial government shutdown, it was worth the wait. Stabilizing the job market and recording a slightly lower unemployment rate inspires companies to consider filling positions where current employees are stretched and doing more than their share.

So, this may be a good time to explore the FMLink Career Center and the over 1,500 facility manager and related building professional positions currently showing on the FMLink Job Board. See the link below.
https://www.fmlink.com/position-postings-are-up-on-job-board-following-januarys-uptick/

Marking a significant advancement in promoting the use of sustainably sourced wood, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced a determination on wood certification systems in the LEED v5 green building rating system. The goal of this determination is to spur demand for more certified wood products worldwide.

The new alignment in LEED v5 allows wood sourced from multiple credible standards to count toward LEED points. This includes wood sourced from the three most recognized chain-of-custody standards: Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), and PEFC International. While each of these wood certification programs has differences in its approach and requirements, USGBC determined that all of the standards offer solid protection against deforestation and promote sustainable forestry.
Learn more at the link below.
Photo Credit: @ CoStar. Image courtesy of USGBC
https://www.fmlink.com/usgbc-aligns-leed-v5-certifications-to-promote-use-of-sustainable-wood/