Welcome to Elliott Affiliates, Ltd.’s Knowledge Center, where you will find information relevant to owners, occupiers, investors, and contractors in the commercial real estate space. While Elliott’s core focus in the janitorial services segment is about creating clear performance- and outcome-based contract scopes of work and guiding their delivery using a continuous improvement process that delivers exceptional results. Organizations that engage contractors have a myriad of factors to consider when engaging and managing contracted services.
Good AI Comes From Good Data: Without data discipline, even the smartest AI is bound to fail
IFMA FMJ article on why "data [is] the real AI bottleneck" regarding the adoption of AI and automation "in maintenance and asset management" (and what organizations could do "before investing in AI")
Building Operating Management (July / August 2026 Edition)
The July / August 2026 edition of the Building Operating Management magazine discusses "IAQ management" (P. 4-5), security camera upgrades for the Portland Public Schools system in Oregon (P. 6-8), usage of AI for predictive maintenance (P. 10-12), "designing for accessibility" for "neurodivergent employees" (P. 14-16), and the "rent vs. buy" decision for equipment (P. 18).
ISSA Today (July / August 2026 Edition)
The July / August edition of the ISSA Today magazine discusses "how clean air is becoming a product" (P. 4-5), "the human side of artificial intelligence" (P. 6-7), the importance of "evidence-based inclusion" of environmental services in healthcare settings (P. 18-21), "sustainability trends" in "US foodservice operations" (P. 22-25), and "continuous improvement" through "physical AI" (P. 26-27).
Contracting Profits (July / August 2026 Edition)
The July / August 2026 edition of the Contracting Profits magazine discusses "parking lot maintenance" for "maintaining a strong first impression" of a building (P. 6-7), odor control in the context of restrooms (P. 8-10), the subtle difference "between green cleaning and sustainability" (P. 20-22), and "using the time AI gives back" (P. 24).
Facility Maintenance Decisions (July 2026 Edition)
The July 2026 edition of the Facility Maintenance Decisions magazine discusses "how AI and data are redefining maintenance" (P. 4-5), outsourcing of facility management tasks such as "janitorial operations... and building systems maintenance" (P. 6-8), "smart technology in plumbing and restrooms" (P. 10-12), and "emergency preparedness" in facility management (P. 14-16).
Facility Executive (June 2026 Edition)
The June 2026 edition of the Facility Executive magazine discusses "managing safety and mitigating risk in cleaning robotics" (P. 12-14), "leveraging operational intelligence" related to smart building systems (P. 25-26), why AI integration is important in facility management (P. 27-29), "vapor intrusion" as an "emerging threat to indoor air quality" (P. 30-31), and "when restroom wear signals bigger facility problems" (P. 38-39).
AI Mistakes: The Risks, Costs, and Realities
This 19-minute ISSA interview discusses common mistakes in using AI in the cleaning industry such as naively re-using prompts, proprietary data risk, and "outsourcing... leadership role to AI"
Cleanfax (Summer 2026 Edition)
The Summer 2026 edition of the Cleanfax magazine discusses the results of the 2026 Restoration Benchmarking Survey Report (P. 4-9), how a "cleaning routine may be spreading soil [as opposed to] removing it" (P. 14-16), how "AI employees" could affect the cleaning and restoration industry (P. 18-20), "how to use a biotoxin assessment kit for microbials" in applications such as mold remediation (P. 22-24), and maintenance of carpets based on "polyester and Triexta" (P. 26-27).
Maintenance Sales News (June 2026 Edition)
The June 2026 edition of the Maintenance Sales News magazine discusses selecting the "right sanitary paper dispensing system" (P. 8-9), "practical floorcare strategies for modern facilities" (P. 10-11), mid-2026 trends in the "professional cleaning industry" (P. 12), and "infection prevention" for educational facilities (P. 14-15).
Building Operating Management (May / June 2026 Edition)
The May / June 2026 edition of the Building Operating Management magazine discusses "why resilience planning is now an operational imperative for facility executives" (P. 14-18), "incorporating AI into operations" in facility management (P. 20-22), and "flooring trends to watch" (P. 26-28).
When AI Guesses Wrong, Floors Pay the Price
This 30-minute ISSA interview discusses the potential pitfalls of using AI to "identify flooring materials and recommend proper maintenance procedures" due to existing technological limitations (and how to avoid them by utilizing the "human element")
AI Decoded: How large language models (LLMs) actually work
IFMA FMJ article on "the four stages that every major AI language model... uses to produce a response" (and their implications for AI usage in facility management)