Facility Chat With Trenton Patterson

Facility managers juggle constant pressure, unpredictable failures, and competing priorities—often with limited resources and little room for error. FM Operations Director Trenton Patterson shares some of the stressors, surprises, and strategies that define modern FM work and what it really takes to stay resilient.

Jack: What part of your role creates the most stress or anxiety — and why?

Trent: The biggest stressor is balancing competing priorities with limited resources. In facilities, everything feels urgent — a failed HVAC unit, a surprise inspection, and leadership asking for cost-savings all at once. Missing one critical item can ripple across the business, affecting workflow, compliance, and tenant satisfaction.

I’ve seen delayed preventive maintenance cause failures during peak season, impacting comfort and occupancy. The mental load comes from constantly thinking, “What’s next?” while trying to keep the property stable, safe, and within budget. That’s why proactive planning and constant communication with leadership are essential. When FM is treated as strategic rather than reactive, everyone focuses more on long-term value and fewer costly disruptions.

Jack: When equipment moves, adds, or changes happen, what’s the hardest part?

Trent: Coordination. A move isn’t just relocation — it includes electrical needs, IT, safety, and structural limits.

Replacing rooftop units, verifying equipment, scheduling contractors, crane lifts, electricians, and safety teams while keeping downtime minimal isn’t easy. One miscommunication with the crane operator can mean serious delay and added costs.

Even simple upgrades can spiral. A lighting retrofit stalled when emergency circuits weren’t code-compliant, adding two weeks and unplanned labor. And storm recovery is a whole challenge of its own — after a Category 4 event, we dealt with destroyed roofs, units, panels, and fire systems while scrambling for vendors, parts, and insurance documentation. Every hour mattered.

You can’t stop surprises, but you can build resilience. Preparation, contingency plans, communication, and strong vendor relationships separate reactive teams from proactive ones.

Jack: What situations make you feel most unprepared or reactive?

Trent: Unplanned equipment failures — especially during peak operations. Even with solid preventive maintenance, things still break, usually at the worst time.

A sudden power outage is one of the toughest. I’ve had facilities lose power from grid failures, shutting down critical systems within minutes. The pressure to restore operations while coordinating utilities, vendors, safety, and leadership communication is intense. Moments like these prove that emergencies are unavoidable, but chaos isn’t. Calm execution and strong contingency plans turn crises into opportunities to show leadership.

Jack: What’s the single hardest thing to keep up with?

Trent: Documentation and compliance. Preventive maintenance is scheduled — busy, but manageable. Documentation never stops. Every repair, inspection, and upgrade must be logged, and compliance rules keep changing. Miss one update and you risk fines or safety issues.

Another ongoing challenge is leadership buy-in. Predictive and preventive programs often look expensive up front, so facility managers must clearly explain the risks of staying reactive — unexpected failures, higher repair costs, and safety hazards — versus the long-term value of proactive planning.

FM success comes down to discipline and foresight. Documentation and compliance form the backbone, supported by proactive maintenance and clear communication. When we position these efforts as long-term investments, FM shifts from a cost center to a driver of reliability, safety, and organizational resilience.