Plan for the Sunset: Lifecycle Strategies to Prevent Building Tech Surprises

Many building teams treat technology refreshes as an afterthought until something fails. In this episode Alex Morgan interviews Michael Harrington about practical lifecycle planning for low-voltage and building systems: how to inventory assets, forecast end-of-life, stage replacements, and budget without disrupting tenants or operations. We dissect the root causes of unexpected obsolescence, explore tradeoffs between maintaining legacy gear versus phased refreshes, and surface the operational patterns that turn planned upgrades into crises. Michael shares real, vendor-neutral examples of capital planning decisions, spare-parts strategies, handover gaps and the coordination steps that keep doors, networks, and HVAC reliable through multiple technology cycles. Listeners will leave with concrete actions: build a refresh calendar, set reserve budgets, document runbooks, and create procurement patterns that reduce downtime and surprise costs. This episode is aimed at owners, facilities leaders, and IT/ops teams responsible for long-term building reliability.