COVID & FM, A Six-Year Reflection | Facilities Unfiltered Episode 14

Six years after COVID was declared a national emergency, Josh Lowe and Nic Guedenet look back on how the pandemic reshaped facilities management—overnight. From the split reality of “essential worker” life versus remote work improvisation, they unpack what it felt like to keep buildings safe and operational while guidance, supply chains, and expectations shifted almost daily. This reflection digs into the real FM lessons that stuck (and the ones that faded): the scramble for cleaning products, the rise of “cleaning theater,” and the rapid push to upgrade HVAC performance—sometimes with unintended consequences like overtaxed equipment, burned-out motors, and growing deferred maintenance. They also talk candidly about the human side: burnout, retention, leadership support (or lack of it), and how hybrid work has permanently changed building loads, energy strategies, and the need for better data. If you manage—or simply occupy—buildings, this episode offers a grounded take on what COVID revealed about preparedness, trust, and knowing what you’re responsible for. Chapters (00:00:05) - The Covid Crisis: Six Years Later(00:05:33) - Overnight Essential Workers: What Went Right(00:09:20) - Custodial Experience under Covid(00:16:02) - MRV13 and the HVAC Standards(00:22:38) - The Covid Effect on Employee Relations(00:28:51) - Six years on, are we back to the same old habits?(00:30:35) - COVID: A Positive Experience(00:32:29) - Cleaning Your Building