2026 Sustainability Trends Every Facility Manager Needs to Know

Discover the top 5 sustainability trends facility managers need to know in 2026—from performance standards to IAQ, refrigerants, and more.

Ava Montini

Jan 20, 2026

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A new year, new pressures

For facility and energy managers, 2026 is not just another lap around the operations cycle. The stakes are rising across the built environment: carbon targets are evolving from voluntary goals to enforceable standards, utility grids are growing more dynamic, and your systems are being asked to deliver more than comfort—they’re being asked to demonstrate climate performance.

This change comes at a moment when global energy demand is accelerating. In 2024, energy demand rose 2.2% globally (faster than the decade-long average), while electricity demand jumped 4.3%, driven by electrification, extreme weather, and digital growth. IEA In the buildings sector alone, electricity use increased by over 600 TWh (5%), accounting for nearly 60% of total growth in global electricity use. IEA Blob Storage And forecasts suggest this upward trend will continue: the U.S. Energy Information Administration projects that global energy consumption will grow through 2050, outpacing efficiency gains unless stronger policies intervene. EIA

The challenge is that these changes don’t arrive all at once or in obvious ways. They show up gradually—through updated codes, shifting tariffs, new equipment standards, and increasing expectations from tenants and investors. The upside is that facility and energy managers, once working mostly behind the scenes, are now central to turning sustainability commitments into measurable results.

Here are five sustainability trends shaping 2026, and why each matters for the decisions you’ll make in your mechanical rooms, dashboards, and boardrooms.

1. Building Performance Standards Move from Paper to Practice

A decade ago, sustainability reporting was a quarterly or annual exercise filed internally or sent to corporate. Today, Building Performance Standards (BPS) are shifting that paradigm: they tie a building’s actual energy use and emissions to regulatory thresholds, making performance more than just a nice-to-have.

Across the U.S., BPS and similar mandates now exist in nine localities and three states, with penalties or compliance mechanisms for underperforming buildings. (ACEEE) In Canada, cities like Vancouver have already adopted performance standards, and other municipalities are actively exploring similar rules. (Efficiency Canada) Natural Resources Canada also recognizes that BPS policies enable jurisdictions to regulate energy or emissions in existing buildings. (Natural Resources Canada)

Europe is several steps ahead. Through the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, member states are required to set minimum energy performance standards for existing buildings and align them with long-term decarbonization goals. That trajectory suggests North America is likely to follow a similar path, with more cities and provinces phasing in binding performance requirements over the next decade.

For facility teams, this is a shift in mindset: hitting a design target isn’t enough. What matters now is day-to-day performance. Keeping HVAC systems tuned, filters low-pressure, ventilation right-sized, and carbon data tracked continuously.

Treat compliance not as a one-off capital project, but as a persistent operations program. Teams that build strong discipline in data, trending, and low-cost O&M measures (filter swaps, economizer tuning, drift checks) will free up budget (and carbon headroom) to take on higher-stakes retrofits later.

2. Grid-interactive buildings become the norm

The grid you’re tied into is no longer a fixed backdrop. It’s dynamic. As renewables rise, carbon intensity swings hour by hour. In many regions, the grid’s carbon intensity can vary by over 1,000 g CO₂/kWh between low and high hours. EnergyTag

This variability is why hourly accounting, not annual averages, is becoming the standard: studies find that relying solely on yearly emission factors can bias carbon inventories by as much as 35 %, especially in areas with high grid variability. itspubs.ucdavis.edu

For facility managers, your job isn’t just to reduce consumption, but rather to shift it. Running air handlers or pushing large loads at 3 p.m. on a carbon-intensive grid can erase much of the value of your efficiency gains. But shifting that same load to cleaner hours can multiply your CO₂e savings.

Buildings that provide demand flexibility (the ability to curtail, shift, or modulate loads) not only ease grid stress but also help integrate renewables and reduce emissions. ScienceDirect The U.S. DOE’s Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings (GEB) initiative explicitly frames buildings as potential distributed energy resources (DERs) that can respond to grid signals. The Department of Energy's Energy

Facilities that align their systems with grid conditions will capture more carbon value, reduce costs, and position themselves for utility incentives and grid services.

3. Indoor Air Quality and Energy Are No Longer Trade-Offs

The pandemic showed that “just add more outside air” is not a sustainable strategy. It drove home the fact that healthier air doesn’t have to mean higher energy bills. In 2023, ASHRAE Standard 241 introduced the concept of Equivalent Clean Airflow (ECAi): a performance-based framework that lets you meet air quality targets with the right combination of ventilation, filtration, and air cleaning instead of defaulting to maximum outdoor air. (ASHRAE)

This matters even more in 2026 because the carbon penalty of over-ventilation is steep. Conditioning excess outside air can account for a significant share of building energy use, especially in regions with temperature or humidity extremes. U.S. EPA modelling has shown that raising outdoor air rates from 5 to 20 cfm per person can sharply increase HVAC energy costs, depending on the climate and system type. (EPA)

The opportunity is to deliver the same (or better) air quality at a lower energy cost. Low-pressure, high-efficiency filtration plays a central role here. Studies show that filter design, not just MERV rating, dictates pressure drop and energy impact. Well-engineered filters with optimized media and geometry can deliver higher capture efficiency at lower resistance than standard pleated filters, reducing fan energy while still supporting ASHRAE 241 clean-air goals. (ScienceDirect)

The play in 2026: pair low-pressure filtration with calibrated demand-controlled ventilation (DCV) and proven air cleaning technologies. Together, they provide safe indoor air with the lowest possible energy penalty. IAQ and carbon goals don’t have to compete. They can reinforce each other when filtration efficiency and system pressure are managed by design.

4. Refrigerant rules shift the replacement playbook

If you’re spec’ing new HVAC or refrigeration equipment in 2026, refrigerant selection matters just as much as capacity. Under the U.S. AIM Act, the EPA is phasing down production and consumption of high-GWP HFCs—aiming to cut them to just 15% of historic baseline levels by mid-2030s. US EPA That transition is pushing the market toward A2L (mildly flammable, low-GWP) alternatives like R-32 and R-454B. Energy Codes

For facility teams, two priorities stand out:

(1) Safety, training & codes readiness

A2L refrigerants bring new safety nuances. Contractors and service teams must be trained, and local codes (leak detection, ventilation, charge limits) must be understood and enforced. Manufacturers are already shifting product lines to A2Ls to align with the 2025 compliance timelines. Energy Codes

(2) Leak management as carbon strategy

Refrigerant emissions are Scope 1 emissions—direct, onsite greenhouse gas releases that come from leaks, servicing losses, or disposal. ASHE Because many HFCs have very high global warming potentials (GWP) (often hundreds to thousands of times higher than CO₂)a pound of refrigerant lost can translate into a large carbon penalty. GHG Protocol

Legacy systems may lose 20–30% of their refrigerant charge over time without an obvious performance impact. U.S. General Services Administration These silent leaks are hidden carbon drains, often overlooked in efficiency planning.

5. From Projects to Performance

Retrofitting systems may win attention, but the real win in 2026 is locking in performance over time. Field studies and commissioning guides show that, without sustained monitoring and correction, buildings can lose 10–30 % of their efficiency gains within a few years, due to drift, sensor faults, coil fouling, or control logic degradation.

Enter Monitoring-Based Commissioning (MBCx) and Fault Detection & Diagnostics (FDD). These aren’t big capital projects—they’re everyday practices that keep systems efficient. Research from ASME shows that automated fault detection in RTUs and HVAC systems can cut significant energy waste.

In one office building study, trend analytics flagged simultaneous heating and cooling, broken economizers, and poor control sequencing. Once fixed, the building’s energy use dropped by 10%. The takeaway is simple: continuous monitoring finds waste fast, and fixing it pays off immediately.

What this means for facility leaders in 2026:

Move away from treating projects as one-and-done.
Build dashboards that track energy, ventilation, fan motor indices, and carbon in parallel.
Use automated alerts to flag deviations in real time.
Make MBCx + FDD the standard part of your operations budget—not a side project.

Utility bills stay low, carbon footprints shrink, and your buildings stay compliant and efficient—without waiting for the next big retrofit.

2026 rewards operators

In 2026, sustainability progress will come from strong day-to-day operations. Facility and energy managers who focus on performance standards, grid-smart scheduling, healthy air, refrigerant planning, and continuous monitoring will find they already have the tools to deliver real results.

The equipment in your building doesn’t need to change overnight. What matters is how it’s managed. Every optimized filter, tuned control, and well-timed ventilation cycle adds up, lowering carbon, controlling costs, and building resilience.

This is the year where facility operations show their true strength: turning routine decisions into measurable sustainability gains.

5 Easy Air Quality Tips Teachers and Staff Can Implement for a Healthy Classroom This Year

Ava Montini
Sep 4, 2024
7 min read

As schools reopen for a new academic year, one often overlooked factor that plays a crucial role in students' health, performance, and overall well-being is the air they breathe. Indoor air quality (IAQ) in classrooms impacts more than just comfort—it can directly influence student absenteeism, concentration, and cognitive function. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), poor indoor air quality can lead to serious respiratory issues, with children being especially vulnerable due to their developing lungs and higher breathing rates. In colder months, when natural ventilation is limited, maintaining clean air becomes even more challenging.

This year, as schools continue to prioritize health and safety in light of lingering viral concerns, teachers and staff are on the front lines of managing classroom environments. While upgrading HVAC systems and installing air purification technology may be on the long-term agenda, there are immediate, simple steps that can have a significant impact on classroom air quality. By adopting these easy, actionable strategies, educators can ensure that their students learn and grow in a healthy space all year long—especially when colder weather forces more time indoors.

Here are five practical tips that teachers and school staff can easily implement to improve air quality and create a healthier learning environment.

1. Open Windows for Fresh Air (Even in Short Bursts)

As temperatures drop, it’s common for classrooms to be closed up tightly, reducing the flow of fresh air. However, fresh outdoor air is vital to diluting indoor pollutants, like carbon dioxide (CO2), dust, and allergens, all of which can build up quickly in a crowded space. Even a few minutes of ventilation can refresh the air and improve the room’s overall air quality.

Tip: Try cracking windows open during class breaks, lunchtime, or after school for 5–10 minutes. When paired with your classroom’s HVAC system, this can help flush out stagnant air and introduce fresh oxygen into the room without losing too much heat.
Why it matters: According to the EPA, classrooms with good ventilation see reduced incidences of headaches, fatigue, and respiratory issues. Regular air exchange also helps remove viruses and allergens, making it especially important during cold and flu season when illnesses spread rapidly through schools.

While many schools are upgrading their HVAC systems to increase ventilation, teachers can make a difference by using windows strategically to complement these systems.

2. Move Classes Outdoors When Possible

A classroom isn’t always defined by four walls. Outdoor learning not only provides students with a change of scenery but also drastically improves their exposure to fresh air and sunlight—two natural defenses against poor indoor air quality. Outdoor lessons are especially beneficial during the fall and early winter before temperatures become too harsh.

Tip: Plan outdoor activities such as reading time, group discussions, or even art projects. Outdoor spaces like courtyards, playgrounds, and gardens can serve as temporary classrooms for a variety of lessons.
Why it matters: Research published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives shows that outdoor air is generally much cleaner than indoor air, particularly in urban environments. Being outside also reduces exposure to indoor allergens, VOCs, and carbon dioxide buildup that can accumulate in closed spaces over time.

Furthermore, studies have shown that outdoor learning helps increase engagement and can have cognitive benefits, improving focus and creativity among students.

3. Declutter Classrooms to Minimize Dust and Allergens

Dust mites, mold spores, and other allergens thrive in cluttered environments, which is why maintaining an organized, tidy classroom is crucial for good IAQ. When books, papers, and materials pile up, they can trap dust and prevent proper air circulation, creating a breeding ground for allergens that affect students with respiratory issues or allergies.

Tip: Regularly clean and declutter shelves, window sills, and desks. Encourage students to help by keeping their personal areas tidy, and store rarely used items in sealed containers to limit dust accumulation.
Why it matters: Clean, well-organized classrooms reduce the number of airborne particles and allergens, which can significantly improve students' breathing comfort. According to the American Lung Association, minimizing exposure to dust and mold is especially important for children with asthma, which affects about 6 million children in the U.S.

A clean space not only helps with IAQ but also promotes better concentration and productivity, creating an overall more efficient learning environment.

4. Use Portable Air Purifiers in Key Areas

Not every classroom is equipped with state-of-the-art air filtration systems, but portable air purifiers provide a simple and effective way to ensure cleaner air. Modern air purifiers with HEPA filters are designed to capture 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns, including dust, pollen, pet dander, and even airborne viruses. For older classrooms with limited ventilation or those in high-traffic areas, air purifiers can make a noticeable difference.

Tip: Place a portable air purifier in the classroom's busiest areas—like near the door or at the center of the room. Look for purifiers with HEPA filters, which are particularly effective at removing particles that could otherwise circulate for hours.
Why it matters: According to the ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers), using air purifiers is a proven method of improving air quality in enclosed spaces, especially during times when HVAC systems may not be sufficient to remove all contaminants.

Even a single purifier can help keep the air cleaner and healthier, especially during the colder months when windows remain closed and natural airflow is limited.

5. Promote Hygiene and Clean Air Practices

Good air quality goes hand in hand with classroom cleanliness. Encouraging students to practice proper hygiene is one of the easiest and most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs and reduce airborne contaminants.

Tip: Place hand sanitizers and tissues in convenient areas around the classroom and encourage students to cover their mouths when coughing or sneezing. Additionally, consider teaching students about the importance of IAQ and how simple actions like keeping their desks clean can help maintain it.
Why it matters: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) emphasizes the link between proper hygiene and reduced airborne viral transmission. In a classroom setting, where students are often in close contact, maintaining good hygiene helps protect both air quality and overall health.

By teaching students the value of these practices, educators can create a cleaner, healthier classroom environment that benefits everyone.

Embracing Cleaner Air for Better Learning

The importance of indoor air quality (IAQ) in classrooms cannot be overstated. As students spend an average of 1,000 hours per year in school, the quality of the air they breathe can significantly impact their health, cognitive abilities, and overall well-being. Poor IAQ has been linked to a range of health issues, including asthma, respiratory infections, and allergies—conditions that can lead to increased absenteeism and lower academic performance. Research from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that poor indoor air quality, particularly high levels of CO2, can negatively affect cognitive function and decision-making abilities, which are critical for learning and concentration.

As we head into the colder months, when windows are often sealed and ventilation is reduced, maintaining clean, healthy air in classrooms becomes more challenging yet more important. Studies show that indoor air can be up to five times more polluted than outdoor air, with contaminants like dust, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), mold spores, and even airborne viruses accumulating in closed spaces. This makes it essential for schools to adopt strategies that ensure good air quality even when natural ventilation is limited.

The Connection Between Air Quality and Academic Performance

Air quality in classrooms has a direct impact on student performance. Research published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives indicates that improved IAQ can enhance cognitive functions related to problem-solving, memory, and concentration. In schools with better ventilation, students have been shown to score 5-10% higher on standardized tests. Additionally, a study by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that improving IAQ could reduce absenteeism by as much as 2-3%, which is particularly important during cold and flu season when respiratory illnesses are more common.

Ventilation plays a critical role in reducing the concentration of indoor pollutants, especially during colder months. Stale air leads to a buildup of CO2 and other harmful substances, which not only affect health but also contribute to fatigue and inattentiveness in students. According to the EPA, classrooms with high CO2 levels above 1,000 parts per million (ppm) experience a significant drop in attention span and decision-making capacity among students. This makes it crucial to refresh the air through simple steps like opening windows or using air purifiers, even for short bursts of time.

Reducing Airborne Illnesses with Better IAQ

Indoor air quality also influences the spread of airborne illnesses, such as the flu, colds, and other respiratory viruses, including COVID-19. During colder months, when students and staff spend more time indoors in close quarters, the likelihood of transmission increases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) emphasizes that proper ventilation is a key preventive measure against airborne transmission of viruses. By ensuring a constant flow of fresh air and using high-efficiency filters like HEPA, schools can significantly reduce the spread of airborne pathogens.

Long-Term Benefits of Decluttering and Hygienic Practices

Maintaining a clean, clutter-free classroom is more than just an aesthetic choice—it directly impacts IAQ. Dust, dander, and mold spores accumulate on surfaces and in corners, leading to poor air quality that can trigger allergic reactions or asthma attacks in students. Regular cleaning and organization help reduce these pollutants, contributing to better air circulation and fewer airborne irritants. According to the American Lung Association, children with asthma are particularly vulnerable to poor indoor air quality, and classrooms with excessive dust and allergens can exacerbate their condition, leading to more frequent asthma attacks and hospital visits.

Promoting hygiene, such as encouraging handwashing, covering coughs, and keeping surfaces sanitized, also plays a crucial role in maintaining clean air. Hygienic practices help reduce the spread of germs and contaminants that can become airborne. A 2013 study published in the journal Pediatrics found that improved hygiene and handwashing practices in schools led to a 31% reduction in respiratory illnesses among students, highlighting the connection between hygiene and air quality.

A Sustainable Approach to Healthier Classrooms

By taking simple steps—opening windows, decluttering, using air purifiers, and promoting good hygiene—teachers and staff can have a substantial impact on indoor air quality. These efforts are not just short-term fixes; they lay the groundwork for long-term health benefits for students and staff alike. Healthier students are more engaged, more focused, and less likely to miss school due to illness, leading to better academic outcomes over time.

Additionally, improving IAQ aligns with broader sustainability goals. Reducing the use of chemical cleaners and VOC-emitting materials in classrooms and opting for greener alternatives can reduce overall pollution levels and promote a more sustainable learning environment. Schools that prioritize IAQ are investing not only in the health of their students but also in the future of education, creating environments where students can thrive both academically and physically.

Ultimately, cleaner air means better learning, healthier students, and a brighter future.

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