7 Best-Selling Facility Management Books Millions Trust

Experts Bernard T. Lewis, Eric Teicholz, and Stormy Friday share their top picks for best-selling Facility Management books that deliver real-world value.

Updated on June 24, 2025
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There's something special about books that both critics and crowds love — especially in a field as vital as facility management. Managing complex buildings and spaces efficiently isn’t just a skill, it’s a necessity for businesses aiming to thrive. Facility management books that have stood the test of time provide practical frameworks and proven methods that countless professionals rely on every day.

Bernard T. Lewis, with decades of engineering and facility management experience from the Navy and NASA, champions maintenance and operations through his well-regarded handbooks. Meanwhile, Eric Teicholz brings a global perspective on integrating technology and sustainability in facility design. Their insights have shaped many facility managers’ approaches, blending hands-on tactics with strategic vision.

While these popular books provide proven frameworks, readers seeking content tailored to their specific Facility Management needs might consider creating a personalized Facility Management book that combines these validated approaches. This way, you get expert-backed strategies tailored exactly to your challenges and goals.

Best for enhancing service quality
Unlike many facility management books that overload you with theory, this one offers down-to-earth guidance on building quality into your operation. Drawing on their deep backgrounds, Stormy Friday and David G. Cotts address common concerns—like how to apply quality without costly Total Quality Management programs—by focusing on straightforward, proven principles. Their step-by-step approach, backed by real-world examples and checklists, unpacks how to exceed customer expectations, measure key operations, and market your facility services effectively. Whether you manage a large corporate site or a small public facility, this book shows how to enhance your department’s value through quality-focused leadership and continuous improvement.
1994·240 pages·Facility Management, Quality Management, Customer Service, Marketing, Continuous Improvement

Stormy Friday and David G. Cotts bring decades of facility management expertise together to tackle the challenge of integrating quality into everyday operations without overwhelming resources. They focus on practical, commonsense principles often lost in the complexity of Total Quality Management, guiding you through the five essential elements of quality facility management with clear examples and checklists. You’ll learn how to put customers at the center, measure what matters, market your services effectively, and lead continuous improvement efforts tailored to your specific environment. This book suits facility managers in both public and private sectors who want to enhance service quality and organizational support without adopting a full-scale TQM program.

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Best for hands-on condition assessments
Facility Inspection Field Manual stands as a trusted resource for anyone tasked with managing building infrastructure efficiently. This guide distills essential practices for conducting detailed facility condition assessments, helping you gather critical data that informs maintenance priorities and prevents costly downtime. Its practical approach is reflected in the clear checklists and actionable insights that make complex inspections manageable. For facility managers aiming to stretch every maintenance dollar while ensuring system reliability, this manual provides a valuable framework to keep operations smooth and costs controlled.
2000·352 pages·Facility Management, Maintenance, Inspection, Condition Assessment, Building Systems

Bernard T. Lewis and Richard Payant bring decades of facility management expertise to this manual, focused on maximizing the lifespan and reliability of building systems. You learn how to conduct thorough facility condition assessments that flag potential issues before they escalate, with practical tools to evaluate every system and component. The book’s value lies in its detailed inspection checklists and methodologies, enabling you to make informed maintenance decisions that minimize downtime and optimize budgets. If you oversee facility operations and need a solid, hands-on reference to improve infrastructure management, this guide fits that role precisely.

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Best for tailored facility plans
This AI-created book on facility management is tailored to your specific challenges and goals. By sharing your background and areas of interest, you receive a custom book that focuses on what matters most to you in managing facilities. This personalized approach makes learning more relevant and efficient, allowing you to explore proven methods alongside insights that match your experience and objectives. It’s a practical way to gain facility management knowledge designed just for you.
2025·50-300 pages·Facility Management, Maintenance Planning, Space Optimization, Operations Management, Sustainability

This tailored book explores facility management by focusing directly on your unique challenges and goals. It combines widely validated knowledge with your specific interests to create a learning experience that truly resonates. The content covers foundational principles like maintenance, operations, and space planning, while also examining advanced topics such as sustainability integration and technology use, matching your background and desires. By addressing your individual objectives, the book reveals how facility management methods come alive when applied in ways that matter to you. This personalized approach empowers you to deepen your understanding efficiently, making complex concepts accessible and relevant.

Personalized For You
Facility Efficiency
3,000+ Books Created
Best for integrating tech and sustainability
Facility Design and Management Handbook by Eric Teicholz offers a thorough resource for professionals seeking to bring state-of-the-art solutions to their facilities. Drawing on diverse case studies from government, healthcare, retail, and academic sectors, it delivers actionable insights on integrating technology, sustainability, and efficient management practices. The book’s extensive coverage of topics like energy management, financial planning, and smart building design addresses core challenges facility managers face today. Its practical tools and frameworks make it a valuable guide for anyone looking to enhance productivity and cost-effectiveness in facility operations.
2001·752 pages·Facility Management, Sustainability, Technology Integration, Project Management, Financial Forecasting

Eric Teicholz brings his extensive expertise to this handbook, offering a detailed look at cutting-edge facility design and management practices. You’ll explore practical strategies drawn from global case studies across sectors like healthcare, finance, and manufacturing, learning how to integrate technologies for smarter, more sustainable buildings. Chapters cover critical topics such as energy management, disaster recovery, and financial forecasting, helping you make informed decisions that balance cost and efficiency. This book suits facility managers and design professionals aiming to modernize operations with proven tools and innovative approaches.

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Best for aligning facilities with strategy
Facility Management by Edmond P. Rondeau, Robert Kevin Brown, and Paul D. Lapides has earned its place as a trusted reference for professionals aiming to create work environments that truly support business objectives. The book’s approach, blending operational details with strategic foresight, helps you navigate the evolving demands of facility oversight. It covers the full spectrum from design considerations to long-term maintenance planning, offering guidance that benefits facility managers, designers, and service providers alike. This 2nd edition from Wiley reflects the ongoing transformation in the profession, making it a valuable tool for anyone committed to effective workplace management.
Facility Management book cover

by Edmond P. Rondeau, Robert Kevin Brown, Paul D. Lapides·You?

2006·624 pages·Facility Management, Workplace Strategy, Space Planning, Maintenance Management, Service Providers

The methods Edmond P. Rondeau, Robert Kevin Brown, and Paul D. Lapides developed while shaping facility management standards offer you a detailed blueprint to align workplace environments with corporate objectives. This book dives into balancing immediate operational needs with long-term strategic goals, covering everything from space planning to maintenance protocols. You’ll find thorough explanations of evolving facility roles and how to leverage service providers effectively. It’s particularly suited for facility professionals aiming to stay current with industry shifts and design experts focused on creating productive workspaces that support business success.

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Best for optimizing maintenance operations
Bernard T. Lewis brings an impressive career from the Navy and NASA to this handbook, blending engineering rigor with practical facility management expertise. His experience teaching engineering management and consulting worldwide informs this guide's depth, making it a trusted resource for those responsible for complex facility operations. The book's focus on updated procedures and comprehensive coverage reflects Lewis's commitment to preparing facility managers for the evolving demands of their roles.
Facility Manager's Maintenance Handbook book cover

by Bernard T. Lewis, Richard Payant··You?

2007·672 pages·Facility Management, Operations, Maintenance, Equipment Operations, Emergency Preparedness

Drawing from Bernard T. Lewis's extensive background as a Navy industrial engineer and NASA project engineer, this handbook offers practical insights for managing complex facility operations. You learn how to design and execute maintenance procedures that reduce costs and extend asset life, including managing emergency responses and capital budgets. The updated chapters on fire protection and hazardous materials handling provide critical operational know-how. This book suits facility managers aiming to streamline processes and prepare for certifications like IFMA's CFM, offering clear guidance on both daily operations and strategic planning.

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Best for rapid facility fixes
This AI-created book on facility management is tailored to your skill level and specific interests in rapid, step-by-step improvements. By sharing your background and goals, you get a focused resource that helps you tackle facility challenges quickly and efficiently. This personalized approach ensures you spend time on what matters most to your situation, rather than sifting through generic advice. It makes facility management practical and achievable in a way that fits your unique needs.
2025·50-300 pages·Facility Management, Maintenance Planning, Operational Efficiency, Risk Mitigation, Resource Allocation

This personalized book explores stepwise, fast-track tactics for facility management designed to create real-world impact within 90 days. It focuses on delivering tailored, actionable guidance that matches your background and interests, pinpointing facility management improvements that you can implement quickly. The content covers essential aspects such as maintenance prioritization, operational efficiency, risk mitigation, and resource allocation, all adapted to your specific goals. Through this tailored approach, the book reveals practical steps and critical insights that reflect widely validated human knowledge, making complex facility challenges more approachable and manageable. Readers gain a focused learning experience that emphasizes measurable progress in a short timeframe.

Tailored Guide
Rapid Improvement Tactics
3,000+ Books Created
Best for mastering complex building systems
Facilities Engineering and Management Handbook offers a thorough desktop reference for tackling the multifaceted challenges of managing commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings. Its life-cycle approach guides you through evaluating cost, durability, safety, and operability across architectural, mechanical, electrical, and control systems. With extensive illustrations and detailed coverage of codes, standards, and emerging technologies like smart buildings, this handbook equips you to make coordinated, farsighted decisions. Whether managing airports, malls, or government complexes, this resource addresses the full spectrum of facility systems integration and operation, making it a foundational tool for professionals in facility management.
Facilities Engineering and Management Handbook: Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional Buildings book cover

by Anand K. Seth, Paul R. Smith, Roger P. Wessel, Mark M. Neitlich, William L. Porter, David L. Stymiest·You?

2000·1200 pages·Facility Management, Engineering, Maintenance, Safety, Economics

The research was clear: traditional facility engineering approaches weren't addressing the growing complexity of commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings. Authors Anand K. Seth, Paul R. Smith, and their co-authors developed this handbook to provide a life-cycle framework that integrates engineering, maintenance, safety, and economic considerations. You learn how to coordinate systems—from HVAC to control instrumentation—while addressing modern challenges like smart buildings and telecommunications networks. The text delivers hundreds of illustrations and covers codes and standards, enabling you to make well-rounded facility decisions suited for diverse settings such as airports or government installations. This book suits facility managers, engineers, and architects seeking a deep, systems-oriented understanding of managing complex buildings.

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Best for sports venue risk mitigation
Sport Facility Management offers a practical and theoretical framework tailored to the unique demands of managing sports venues and events. This book has become a go-to resource for those seeking to understand how to organize sporting events while effectively mitigating risks, addressing the growing need in the sport management field for trained professionals. Covering every phase from initial briefings through cleanup, it delivers actionable insights into the operational and safety challenges inherent in sports facility management. If your work revolves around sports event operations or facility oversight, this book provides a solid foundation to navigate the complexities of this specialized arena.
Sport Facility Management: Organizing Events and Mitigating Risks (Sport Management Library) book cover

by Rob Ammon, David A. Blair, Richard M. Southall·You?

2003·228 pages·Facility Management, Event Management, Risk Management, Sports Industry, Operations

This book takes a focused look at the complex world of sport facility management, diving into the practical and theoretical aspects that set it apart from general management texts. Authored by Rob Ammon, David A. Blair, and Richard M. Southall, it reflects their combined expertise in sports event organization and risk mitigation. You’ll find detailed chapters covering everything from pre-event planning to post-event teardown, with a clear emphasis on managing risks specific to sports venues. It’s particularly useful if you’re involved in sports event coordination or facility operations, offering insights that go beyond basics to address challenges unique to this fast-growing industry.

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Proven Facility Management Methods, Personalized

Get expert-backed Facility Management strategies tailored to your exact needs and challenges.

Customized learning paths
Targeted practical advice
Efficient skill building

Trusted by thousands of Facility Management professionals worldwide

Facility Mastery Blueprint
90-Day Facility Fix System
Strategic Facility Foundations
Facility Success Code

Conclusion

This collection of seven best-selling Facility Management books highlights a few clear themes: the importance of blending practical maintenance with strategic planning, the value of integrating new technologies and sustainability, and the need to address unique environments like sports venues. Each book offers frameworks that have helped professionals reduce downtime, optimize budgets, and align facilities with broader business goals.

If you prefer proven methods, start with Bernard T. Lewis's Maintenance Handbook for operational efficiency. For validated approaches embracing technology and sustainability, Eric Teicholz’s Facility Design and Management Handbook is invaluable. Combining insights from Quality Facility Management and Facility Inspection Field Manual offers a strong foundation in service and condition assessment.

Alternatively, you can create a personalized Facility Management book to combine proven methods with your unique needs. These widely-adopted approaches have helped many readers succeed in navigating the complex world of facility management.

Frequently Asked Questions

I'm overwhelmed by choice – which book should I start with?

Start with "Facility Management" by Rondeau, Brown, and Lapides. It offers a solid strategic overview and operational guidance, perfect for understanding the core of facility management before diving into specialized topics.

Are these books too advanced for someone new to Facility Management?

Not at all. Many, like "Quality Facility Management," provide clear, practical advice suitable for newcomers, while others offer deeper dives for experienced professionals. You can pick based on your current needs.

Should I read these books in any particular order?

It's best to begin with foundational texts like "Facility Management" and then explore specialized areas such as maintenance, design, or sports facilities, depending on your role and interests.

Do these books focus more on theory or practical application?

Most balance both, but books like "Facility Inspection Field Manual" and "Facility Manager's Maintenance Handbook" emphasize hands-on techniques, while others also cover strategic and design considerations.

Are any of these books outdated given the fast changes in Facility Management?

While some were published a while ago, their core principles remain relevant. Authors like Eric Teicholz include modern topics such as sustainability and technology integration, keeping the content current.

How can I get Facility Management insights tailored to my specific needs?

Great question! These expert books provide solid frameworks, but you can also create a personalized Facility Management book that blends proven strategies with your unique goals and challenges for focused learning.

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