Summertime is fast approaching and the daylight is lingering a bit longer each evening. And while the work never seems to ease up for building management teams, nicer weather is a great excuse to take a quick outdoor break and crack the spine on a little summer reading.

The field of building management encompasses so many roles, responsibilities, traits and talents, so we’ve rounded up a list of books sure to inspire minds of all kinds this season: the learner, the doer, the creator, the thinker and even the tinkerer. Pick from our list below and dive into a chapter under the shade.

25 Must-Read Books for Building Management Professionals:

Building Management Books

1. The Facility Manager’s Preventative Maintenance Toolkit by AkitaBox

2. The 2019 Facility Safety and Security Plan Guide by AkitaBox

3. Five Steps to Building a Business Continuity Plan by AkitaBox

4. The Complete Guide to Facility Management by Dan Lowry

5. How Buildings Learn, What Happens After They’re Built by Stewart Brand

6. The Care and Keeping of Cultural Facilities by Angela Person-Harm and Judie Cooper

7. What is Facilities Management All About? by Steven Ee

8. The Facilities Management Handbook Fourth Edition by Kathy O. Roper and Richard P. Payant

Urban Planning Books

9. The Works: Anatomy of a City by Kate Ascher

10. Happy City: Transforming our Lives Through Urban Design by Charles Montgomery

Sustainability Books

11. The Upcycle: Beyond Sustainability–Designing for Abundance by William McDonough

12. Sustainable Construction: Green Building Design and Delivery, 4th Edition by Charles J. Kibert

Design Books

13. The Design of Everyday Things by Donald Norman

14. 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School by Matthew Frederick

15. The LEGO Architect by Tom Alphin

16. The Office Interior Design Guide: An Introduction for Facility and Design Professionals by Julie K. Rayfield

17. Mastering Autodesk Revit 2020 by Lance Kirby, Robert Yori and Marcus Kim

Decluttering and Minimalism Books

18. The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

19. Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown

20. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo

Leadership and Development Books

21. The Dichotomy of Leadership: Balancing the Challenges of Extreme Ownership to Lead and Win by Leif Babin

22. 15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management by Kevin Kruse

23. Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek

24. The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement by Eliyahu M. Goldratt

25. Making Work Visible: Exposing Time Theft to Optimize Work & Flow by Dominica Degrandis

What’s on your list?

Building management is an industry that’s all about relationships, so tell me — what other books would you recommend to our readers? Comment below with your suggestions and how you enjoyed ours. Then, check out our resources page for dozens of other free e-books on all things building management to fuel your thirst for knowledge this summer. Enjoy!