By Jeff Wardon, Jr., Assistant Editor

The National Facilities Management & Technology (NFMT) Conference & Expo returns this year to Baltimore in March. Running from March 12 to 14, 2024, in the Baltimore Convention Center, this year’s show has a wealth of experiences in store for attendees.  

Main events and activities  

Central to the entire show is the Expo Hall, a place to uncover and try out the latest technologies and products from a variety of companies. This year, there will be 2,000 different facilities management products on display from 300 companies. These products come from various industries, including HVAC, energy, access control and lighting.  

Hosted on the show floor, Learning Labs are 20-minute educational opportunities offering exploration into cutting-edge advances and insights into real-world applications across many building types and fields. There are 30 sessions in total, ranging from water management to building automation. The sessions are free to all attendees, and they run on Wednesday, March 13 and on Thursday, March 14.  

Also on the show floor, there are also chances to win some goodies with the Passport to Prizes, which occurs every day of the show. Entrants can take a trip through the Expo Hall and get their passports stamped by participating exhibitors for a chance to win prizes each day. Passports are given out at registration. Once an attendee has acquired all stamps, they will need to drop off their passport in the ballot box at the NFMT Main Stage. Prize drawings will be held 10 minutes before the Expo Hall closes.   

Networking  

NFMT presents a prime opportunity to network with other professionals in facilities management and adjacent industries. Aside from the Expo Hall, where customers and companies can also meet, there are two networking events open to all attendees. First off is the Icebreaker Networking Lunch at the NFMT Cafe on Tuesday, March 12 from 11:55 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Then there is the Networking Party at the Pratt Street Lobby on Tuesday, March 12 from 5:15 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.   

In addition, there is the Women in FM Panel and Reception, running on Wednesday, March 13, from 3:10 p.m. to 6 p.m. All Pro and Elite level attendees are welcome to come and bring their perspectives to this conversation. There is a reception afterwards with drinks and appetizers from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.  

After all the sessions on Wednesday, March 13, attendees are welcome to grab a drink and chat with their peers in the Solutions Roundtables from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Additionally, when all is said and done with the main show, attendees are invited to join their peers and the NFMT crew for a farewell gathering at NFMT’s After Party on Thursday, March 14 from 3:45 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. at the NFMT Beer Garden. There may even be a few surprises from the NFMT crew!  

Education sessions  

This year’s keynote session “Facilitopia - A Brighter Vision for the Facility Industry” will be presented by John Rimer, CFM, president of FM360 and Building Operating Management Facility Influencer, on Tuesday, March 12 from 1:15 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. Open to all attendees, Rimer will discuss his utopian view for facilities that he calls “Facilitopia.” The concept is to recognize the value facility managers bring to the organization and allow them to do their job with increased resources and a seat at the c-suite table.  

In addition, NFMT offers a wide variety of conference sessions available to Pro and Elite attendees. These are 60-minute sessions that explore different areas of facilities management, such as technology, space management, maintenance and operations. Some popular sessions include “Fire Safety: Keeping Occupants Safe,” “Navigating the Sustainability Landscape: Net Zero and ESG,” and “Facility Management Operations During Crisis.”  

There are also the Huddles which again are available to Pro and Elite attendees. These are more casual than the conference sessions and are 60 minutes focused on a particular trend in facilities management. They are meant to engage attendees in an interactive and close environment to foster collaboration and answer attendee questions. Every huddle is staffed with a knowledgeable moderator who will help steer the conversation.  

Registration levels and perks  

There are three tiers to registration at NFMT: Expo Level (free), Pro Level ($49) and Elite Level ($99). Expo Level enables access to the Expo Hall, Learning Labs, the General Session and both Networking events. Pro Level unlocks the other NFMT sessions, continuing education units and a $10 lunch coupon. Lastly, the Elite Level gives access to all the available perks, with some unique ones being access to CBC sessions, an annual fnPrime membership and access to the NFMT Video Library.  

For attendees with an Elite registration and/or a fnPrime membership, there is also the fnPrime Lounge which offers a complimentary soda and member-to-member networking. Attendees of the lounge can meet NFMT staff and learn more about their fnPrime memberships.  

Co-located at the Baltimore Convention Center with NFMT is the Clean Buildings Conference (CBC). It is the inaugural exclusive education event for cleaning industry professionals. Top vendors from the cleaning industry will be showcasing their latest cleaning products.   

The CBC Expo Hall is open to all NFMT registration levels.  

Register for NFMT 2024 in Baltimore here.  

Jeff Wardon, Jr. is the assistant editor for the facilities market.