Urban areas are facing increasingly complex challenges driven by rapid population growth, economic development, and mounting environmental pressures. With the global urban population projected to reach approximately 70% by 2050 (United Nations, 2018), housing and infrastructure systems are under significant strain. Many countries continue to grapple with poor infrastructure conditions, overcrowded facilities, and limited capacity, capabilities, and financial resources (Thusi and Mlambo, 2023). In this context, sustainable urban facilities management can help to address these challenges and ensure that cities, as they expand and evolve, are equipped to meet future needs (Prabowo et al., 2021) and leverage technology to navigate complex systems and shape resilient, inclusive, and sustainable urban environments. However, the challenge lies in translating insights into scalable, practical solutions that respond to diverse urban realities. This editorial synthesises such solutions emerging from research and positions them as the future trajectory of sustainable urban facility management (FM).
Emerging research across regions such as Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia reflect a shift from traditional, maintenance-focused practices towards integrated, data-driven, and human-centric approaches. This evolving body of work highlights a holistic sustainability framework encompassing three interrelated thematic lenses: technological and data-driven innovations, socio-behavioural and institutional dimensions, and infrastructure, policy, and environmental systems shaping sustainable urban futures.
The first theme (technological and data-driven innovations in urban FM) underscores the growing role of digital transformation in enhancing sustainability outcomes. Advances in smart facilities management systems, artificial intelligence, and predictive infrastructure modelling demonstrate how data-driven approaches can improve efficiency, optimise resource use, and support proactive asset management. These innovations offer significant potential for smarter urban operations; however, their adoption remains uneven. In the first paper, drawing on the diffusion of innovation theory, Agorsor et al. (2026) investigated the key factors influencing its adoption using a quantitative survey of facility managers in Accra, Ghana and found that relative advantage and observability were the most significant drivers of smart FM adoption. The study highlights the need for supportive policies, infrastructure development, and specialised training to enhance adoption of smart FM. Hassaan (2026), the second paper, examined factors influencing elderly users’ intention to use green smart home appliances in urban Pakistan based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology framework. The study found that environmental knowledge has an effect on adoption and behavioural intention predicts actual usage among the sampled group. Barriers such as limited infrastructure, digital literacy gaps, and socio-economic constraints will shape the pace and scale of implementation, particularly in developing urban contexts.
Equally critical is the recognition of human, behavioural and institutional dimensions geared towards user engagement and sustainability goals. In line with this, the second theme highlights the socio-behavioural and institutional dimensions of FM sustainability, emphasising that facilities are inherently socio-technical systems. Research focusing on gender inclusion in facilities management, user acceptance of green technologies among elderly populations, and workplace practices in institutional settings reveals the critical role of human factors in sustainability performance. Issah et al. (2026), the third paper, examined the impact of women’s leadership in sustainable organisational outcomes such as financial performance, competitive advantage, operational efficiency, employee engagement and satisfaction and workplace productivity. The study highlighted the role of gender diversity in better decision-making in FM organisations. Additionally, studies within healthcare (Alqaydi et al., 2026; Simpeh et al., 2026) and educational facilities (Fayomi et al., 2026) reveal that while efforts to promote sustainable practices, such as effective waste management and resource optimisation, are evident, persistent gaps in translating sustainability policies into practice remain. Alqaydi et al. (2026), the fourth study, examined healthcare workers’ knowledge, attitude and practices towards medical waste management in the UAE, while Simpeh et al. (2026), the fifth paper, examined sustainable FM practices in public hospitals in Ghana and found that material and resource management, and training and organisational culture were critical in promoting the adoption of sustainable measures. The sixth paper, Fayomi et al. (2026), assessed the adoption of sustainable FM practices in tertiary institutions in a Nigerian state. Their findings stress the importance of organisational culture, governance structures, staff knowledge and capacity, and stakeholder engagement in driving meaningful and sustained change. Facilities are not merely technical systems; they are socio-technical environments where user engagement, workforce diversity, and knowledge levels significantly shape sustainability performance.
Beyond individual buildings and institutional facilities, attention is increasingly directed towards urban infrastructure systems and spatial planning, which are addressed within the third theme (infrastructure, policy, and environmental systems in urban sustainability). Alnaqbi et al.’s (2026) contribution on pavement management (the seventh in this collection) tested a Genetic Algorithm-optimised Support Vector Regression machine learning model to predict transverse cracking in Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement. With its high predictive accuracy (mean root mean square error = 4.37 and R2 = 0.921) and real-world applicability, the model advances proactive urban asset management by bridging technological innovation and user-focused outcomes. Moreover, its framework is transferable across infrastructure systems, offering a scalable pathway for smart city applications. The eighth study (Jamhawi et al., 2026) on urban sprawl mitigation in three neighbourhoods in Jordan combining densification strategies with urban form analysis and planning. These contributions illustrate the need for life cycle-oriented and data-informed infrastructure planning to sustainable infrastructure development and maintenance. When urban FM regards functional community assets, a paradigm shift towards environmentally embedded and community-oriented facilities management gains traction.
At the strategic level, value-based decision-making and policy frameworks emerge as essential tools for aligning stakeholder priorities, enhancing long-term planning, and achieving sustainability goals. Incorporating smart growth principles, urban audits, and GIS-based spatial monitoring within urban policy frameworks can achieve effective containment of sprawl, resulting in increased accessibility to mixed land uses and labour markets, vibrant local economies and travel time savings (Jamhawi et al., 2026). These contributions emphasise that sustainable urban mobility and controlled urban growth are integral to the broader facilities management agenda. Furthermore, strategic and policy-oriented perspectives reinforce the importance of value-based decision-making frameworks in achieving sustainability outcomes. Ali et al. (2026), the ninth study, focused on value management critical success factors in achieving overall sustainability success, defined as the comprehensive attainment of sustainability goals, including environmental, social and economic aspects. The study argues that factors such as leadership resources and collaboration influence sustainability achievements and efforts to meet citizens’ requirements and support urban FM in the steel sector. The integration of value management principles into industrial and urban systems demonstrates how critical success factors – such as stakeholder alignment, long-term planning, and performance measurement – can drive meaningful sustainability gains. In addition, the incorporation of urban green infrastructure as functional community facilities, the focus of the last study in this collection by Ngarakana et al. (2026), represents a paradigm shift in how facilities are conceptualised. Green corridors, parks, and ecological systems are increasingly recognised not only for their environmental benefits but also as essential components of urban service delivery, requiring structured stewardship and community engagement.
Taken together, these themes point towards a holistic and interconnected model of urban facilities management – integrating technological innovation, human and institutional dynamics, strategic governance, and environmental stewardship. Advancing sustainability in urban FM will require moving beyond siloed approaches towards interdisciplinary, context-sensitive frameworks that bridge the gap between knowledge and practice.
