14 June 202610 min readUpdated 1 September 2026
Reactive vs Planned Maintenance Explained
Reactive vs planned maintenance explained: what reactive maintenance means, examples, the true cost of each, and how to run both in one regime.
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Insights on AI, facilities management, and building operations technology from the PM Assist team.
18 February 202612 min readUpdated 1 September 2026
Best AI Tools for Facilities Management (2026)
A practical guide to the AI tools FM teams are actually using in 2026 — covering document search, predictive maintenance, BMS analytics, fault diagnosis and PPM generation. Includes what to look for, what to avoid, and how each tool category earns its place in a real FM stack.
Read article26 June 20268 min readUpdated 22 July 2026
10 Building Compliance Documents Every FM Needs
The ten compliance documents every facilities manager must be able to locate instantly — from fire risk assessments to EICRs — and why fast access matters.
Read article22 June 20268 min readUpdated 22 July 2026
How to Prepare for a Building Compliance Audit
Preparing for a building compliance audit — what auditors look for, how to organise your evidence, and the most common findings to avoid.
Read article18 June 20267 min readUpdated 22 July 2026
The True Cost of Poor O&M Documentation
Poor O&M documentation costs more than wasted time. We break down the hidden costs — slower repairs, compliance risk, lost knowledge — and how to recover them.
Read article8 March 202610 min readUpdated 22 July 2026
How AI Can Transform Facilities Management
Explore how artificial intelligence is changing facilities management operations across document management, predictive maintenance, energy optimisation, and compliance.
Read article5 March 20269 min readUpdated 22 July 2026
How to Digitise O&M Manuals: A Complete Guide
A step-by-step guide to digitising O&M manuals. Learn how to scan, process with OCR, index, and make your building documentation searchable with AI.
Read article1 March 20268 min readUpdated 22 July 2026
How to Search O&M Manuals with AI
A practical guide to using artificial intelligence to search operations and maintenance manuals. Learn how AI-powered document search transforms how FM teams access building information.
Read article28 February 20267 min readUpdated 22 July 2026
Why Building Engineers Waste Hours Searching Documentation
The hidden cost of poor document access in facilities management. How much time engineers spend searching for information and how AI search solves the problem.
Read article25 February 20267 min readUpdated 22 July 2026
The Problem with Traditional O&M Packs
Why traditional O&M documentation fails facilities management teams and how modern technology is solving the accessibility gap in building documentation.
Read article21 February 202610 min readUpdated 22 July 2026
The Future of Facilities Management Technology
Emerging technologies transforming FM operations — AI, IoT, digital twins, and smart buildings. What the next decade holds for facilities management teams.
Read article10 February 20268 min readUpdated 22 July 2026
Digital Transformation in Facilities Management
How digital technology is reshaping facilities management operations. From paper-based processes to AI-powered building intelligence.
Read article3 February 20268 min readUpdated 22 July 2026
AI for Building Operations: A Practical Guide
How building operations teams can use AI to improve maintenance planning, fault-finding, and knowledge management across their building portfolio.
Read articleFrequently asked questions
What is AI-powered document search for facilities management?
AI-powered document search uses artificial intelligence to index and search building documentation — O&M manuals, drawings, certificates, and procedures. Instead of manually searching PDFs, FM teams can ask questions in plain English and receive source-cited answers in seconds.
How can AI help building engineers find information faster?
AI search tools like PM Assist can index entire O&M documentation libraries, understand technical terminology across different manufacturers, and return relevant answers even when the exact keywords don't match. This eliminates the hours engineers typically spend manually searching through PDF documents.
What types of building documents can be searched with AI?
AI document search works with O&M manuals, as-built drawings, compliance certificates, maintenance schedules, commissioning records, equipment specifications, warranty documents, fire safety documents, and any other PDF-based building documentation.