“They are looking at what they have, and they’re asking, ‘What can we do differently to make this work better for us and our organization's goals?’” said Nick Bryan, ASID affiliate and Director of Communications for the Gensler Research Institute. “We are seeing some people fix it by incorporating more flexible layouts, adding light wells to get more light into it—which goes back to wellness, too, and really just providing amenities that make people want to be there.”
Interior Design Moves Up in Planning
Bryan added how interior design is doing the heavy lifting, with designers entering conversations earlier on in the planning process to discuss risks, tradeoffs, and long-term implications for each design decision. With the goal to future-proof spaces, interior designers are helping to make spaces multifunctional to meet the needs of today and tomorrow.
For facilities teams, this trend reinforces the importance of proactive energy planning, system coordination, and load modeling well before upgrades or renovations are implemented.
Managing Risk in Volatile Environment
The report also highlights continued volatility across the global risk environment. Climate extremes, geopolitical instability, and supply chain disruptions are contributing to pricing fluctuations and procurement challenges. In response, long-term facility strategies are increasingly focused on durability, flexibility, and transparent sourcing—reducing exposure to future cost shocks and operational downtime.
Urban transformation presents additional challenges. As remote work reshapes occupancy patterns and adaptive reuse accelerates, buildings must support changing functions without requiring full-scale reinvestment. Systems and interiors that can be reconfigured, upgraded, or repurposed over time are becoming essential tools for asset preservation and value retention.
From energy management to procurement strategy, the ASID 2026 Trends Outlook reinforces a central theme for facilities leaders: decisions made today must anticipate tomorrow’s demands. By aligning design, technology, and operations through a long-term lens, building owners and managers can better navigate uncertainty—while creating safer, more efficient, and more resilient environments.
