November 11, 2026 in News
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November 20, 2025
A.G. Coombs proudly participated as a sponsor and delegate at the TEFMA 2025 Conference in Brisbane from 14–17 September, where leaders from tertiary education and industry gathered to explore the future of campus infrastructure, sustainability and facilities management.
This year’s conference theme, BRIGHTER FUTURES | Facilities for the Future – Blending People, Property, Processes and Platforms, reflected a bold vision for transforming the built environment in higher education. The program focused on empowering university communities, creating sustainable and resilient campuses, streamlining operations, and leveraging technology to build smarter, more inclusive facilities.
Insights from the Conference Floor
Jarrod Snow, Contract Manager at A.G. Coombs Service, attended the event and shared key themes that emerged across the sessions:
- Resilience and Lean Operations – strategies for maintaining robust campus operations under financial and efficiency pressures.
- Sustainability and Carbon – benchmarking embodied carbon and advancing low-impact infrastructure across diverse project scales.
- Digital and Data-Driven Assets – using data for predictive maintenance and smarter asset management.
- Financial Pressures – navigating tighter budgets and student caps while maintaining long-term planning.
- Culture and Leadership – embedding sustainability and resilience through governance and leadership.
“Events like TEFMA25 reinforce the power of collaboration and shared expertise in shaping the future of education environments,” said Jarrod.
“By embedding sustainability, embracing data-driven decision-making, and planning with custodianship at the core, the sector is laying the groundwork for smarter, safer and more inclusive campuses.”
Launch of the TEFMA 2024 Benchmark Insights Report
A highlight of the conference was the launch of the TEFMA 2024 Benchmark Insights report, a comprehensive analysis of facilities management data from 38 participating institutions. The report provides sector-wide benchmarking across key areas including sustainability, capital and operating expenditure and space utilisation.
This year’s report features a Business Partner Introduction to the Sustainability section authored by John Bourne, Leader – Sustainability at A.G. Coombs Advisory. In his contribution, John emphasises the strategic importance of sustainability in tertiary education:
“Universities are reimagining their campuses not just as places of learning, but as living laboratories for climate action, social equity and economic resilience,” John writes. “As the sector expands its focus on sustainability, a comprehensive, data-driven approach becomes essential. TEFMA’s Benchmark Insights empowers operational teams to identify outliers, uncover inefficiencies, and drive transformative change.”
John’s insights reflect A.G. Coombs’ commitment to advancing sustainability through technical leadership, collaboration and evidence-based innovation.
Looking Ahead
A.G. Coombs’ involvement in TEFMA25 underscores its ongoing partnership with the education sector and its dedication to shaping future-ready campuses.
Through active participation, thought leadership, and strategic support, the A.G. Coombs Group continues to champion progress in sustainability, digital transformation and resilient infrastructure.
As the sector moves forward, we remain committed to working alongside universities and institutions to deliver high-performing, inclusive and sustainable environments for generations to come.
