Facilities Management has long been framed as a cost conversation.

In this episode of Green Minds, Fahad Mohamed challenges that thinking, unpacking how FM directly shapes trust, risk, asset value, and organisational resilience.

From governing multi-billion-dirham assets to leading thousands of personnel across complex operations, this discussion explores why governance, data, leadership clarity, and long-term thinking are redefining the role of FM in today’s built environment.

Subscribe for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of Facilities Management and sustainable operations.

#facilitiesmanagement  #sustainability  #esg  #assetmanagement  #greenmindlife  #builtenvironment #operationalexcellence

Technology promises a major shift in FM across the GCC, but the real story is what happens on the ground. This episode breaks down why adoption remains slow, where the gaps come from, and what clients, service providers, and tech companies must do to move forward.

In this episode of Green Minds, Tarek Nizameddin, General Manager of Elegancia Group, joins host Walewein Lichtenauer to share a grounded, experience-led perspective on how technology can support people, assets, and long-term value across the region.

• Why technology should support the workforce, not replace it
• The real barriers to tech adoption in FM across the GCC
• Proof of concept, localisation, and client mindset
• Asset lifecycle thinking as a driver of sustainability
• What a true “green mind” means for future generations

Watch the full episode to understand where the industry is heading and what a genuinely future-ready FM operation looks like.

Technology promises a major shift in FM across the GCC, but the real story is what happens on the ground. This episode breaks down why adoption remains slow, where the gaps come from, and what clients, service providers, and tech companies must do to move forward.

In this episode of Green Minds, Tarek Nizameddin, General Manager of Elegancia Group, joins host Walewein Lichtenauer to share a grounded, experience-led perspective on how technology can support people, assets, and long-term value across the region.

• Why technology should support the workforce, not replace it
• The real barriers to tech adoption in FM across the GCC
• Proof of concept, localisation, and client mindset
• Asset lifecycle thinking as a driver of sustainability
• What a true “green mind” means for future generations

Watch the full episode to understand where the industry is heading and what a genuinely future-ready FM operation looks like.

Highlights from this episode

*  Certifications that matter: How LEED and other standards shape FM priorities and keep long-term performance on track.

* Proven results: ~20% energy reduction since 2019, 418 kWp solar capacity installed, and sites exporting up to 40% power back to the grid.

* Smart tech: Upgrading BMS with IoT sensors, predictive maintenance, and AI to cut costs and extend asset life.

* Healthy environments: Why cognitive performance can be 26% higher in green-certified buildings, and how FM directly supports staff and customer wellbeing.

* Water & waste: Practical steps to reduce water use, engage staff, and divert waste away from landfill.

* Future-ready tools: The role of digital twins in simulating scenarios and guiding investment decisions before implementation.

👉 Like what you hear? Subscribe now for more conversations on the future of facilities management and sustainability.

In this episode, Walewein Lichtenauer, founder of FCLT-E, speaks with Fadi Alshakhshir, one of the region’s leading voices in facilities management and energy strategy. He’s the author of the “AI-Driven Energy Centered Maintenance” book, and a lecturer shaping the next generation of engineers.

Fadi breaks down how AI, machine learning, and IoT are changing the way buildings are managed—from routine maintenance to long-term sustainability goals. How predictive maintenance works, what it takes to build energy-efficient systems, and how facilities teams can move beyond compliance to real innovation.

If you're in FM, real estate, engineering, or sustainability, this is an episode you shouldn’t miss.

Chapters include:

What is energy-centred maintenance?
Why predictive maintenance matters
AI, IoT, and smarter operations
Lessons from implementing across the UAE
What the world can learn from the Middle East

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, or right here on YouTube.

🎙 Hosted by Walewein Lichtenauer, founder of FCLT-E.

In this episode of Green Minds, we sit down with Tatjana Ahmed, Director of Housekeeping at Grand Hyatt Dubai, to explore how innovation, strategy, and leadership are transforming the way hospitality works—behind the scenes.

With over 700 rooms under her care, Tatjana shares how she’s helping lead the industry shift toward healthier, greener operations—without compromising quality or luxury.

🎯 What you'll learn in this episode
- How Grand Hyatt eliminated 80% of single-use plastics in guest rooms
- Why cleaning now means removing pathogens, not just dust
- The shift to robotic scrubbers and AI-powered washroom tech
- Why biodegradable amenities are replacing plastic kits
- Colour-coded waste segregation systems that ensure real recycling
- How sustainability can reduce costs—not raise them
- Why “clean” in 2025 is about health, impact, and long-term strategy

Whether you're in hospitality, operations, or sustainability leadership—this episode is packed with actionable insights.

🎙 Hosted by Walewein Lichtenauer, founder of FCLT-E.

What if your building could boost your health instead of harming it?

In this episode of Green Minds, Tekha Selim, Executive Vice President at Delos and Head of MENA for the International WELL Building Institute, explains the real impact of buildings on human health and what it takes to design for wellbeing from the inside out.

Here’s what we cover:

Why air quality kills 7 million people every year
The deadly misconception: “If it smells clean, it is clean”
How cleaning products are silently polluting your home
The truth about PM2.5, and why most people have never heard of it
Why tech that acts is the future, not just tech that monitors
How lighting, air, sound, and water affect your sleep and brain

This episode will shift how you think about buildings, business, and your everyday environment.

#healthy #greenmindspodcast #well  #airquality  #sustainability  #smartbuildings  #wellnessdesign  #dubaiinnovation  #futureofwork  #facilitymanagement

Robots on the concourse, AI in the control room and IoT sensors on every asset: this week Walewein sits down with Tarek Al Assil, Chief Executive of Integrated Facilities Management (IFM), to explore how one of the UAE’s largest FM engines keeps 5,500 properties running around the clock. With 1,400 staff on the payroll, Tarek is turning decades of in-house know-how into a tech-first, sustainability-ready operation.

🎙️ In this episode

– Building an in-house AI platform
– Retrofitting legacy BMSs at 40 % of the usual capex, backed by real ROI
– How e-auction tendering squeezes margins and stifles innovation
– Flood lessons from April 2024: IoT locks for manholes and sewage protection
– When will AI replace people in FM

Enjoyed the conversation?

Subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss a deep dive on green tech in FM. Listen on the go via Spotify, and share your questions below.

#facilitiesmanagement  #smartbuildings  #sustainability  #ai  #iot  #greenmindspodcast

In this episode of the Green Minds Podcast, Walewein Lichtenauer welcomes Abdullatif Albitawi (BSc, MSc, MEI, SFIIRSM, PA-CEMP), CEO of the Emirates Green Building Council and one of Jordan’s first qualified energy engineers.

With over 22 years’ leadership in pharmaceuticals, chemical manufacturing and sustainability, Abdullatif shares how an organic, stakeholder-led approach—beyond mere regulation—can reshape our built environment.

We dive deep into:
– The UAE’s multi-billion-dollar clean-energy investments on the path to net zero by 2050
– Why regulation alone won’t drive real change
– Retrofitting existing buildings: overcoming challenges and unlocking ROI through sustainable upgrades
– Advanced process technology, energy management and risk-based safety transforming green building practices

Whether you’re an FM professional, developer, or sustainability advocate, this conversation offers actionable strategies for championing clean energy, retrofitting, and net-zero ambitions across the Middle East.

Can hospitals put patients, profits and the planet on the same prescription? Dr Talal Muhammad explains why sustainable procurement is no longer optional and why 2050 is the point of no return.

OUR GUEST
Dr Talal Ali Muhammad is an award-winning strategy and supply-chain executive who has transformed healthcare operations across the UAE. A visiting professor at leading universities, he researches the impact of AI, social media and sustainability on modern business and mentors the next generation of leaders.

IN THIS CONVERSATION
The harsh truth about convincing finance teams to go green
How JCI’s new sustainability chapter forces hospitals to change
Lessons COVID-19 taught supply-chain leaders about resilience
Turning suppliers into long-term stakeholders
Using AI and demand forecasting to stop stockouts
Why total cost of ownership beats short-term savings

LISTEN ON THE GO
Spotify

CONNECT WITH US
Subscribe to catch every episode of Green Minds.
Follow host Walewein Lichtenauer on LinkedIn for more insights.

#greenmindspodcast  #healthcare #supplychain  #aiinhealthcare  #dubaihealthcare #sustainablesolutions