How are Smart Buildings used for Facilities Management?
The ultimate assistant. Smart buildings are a pivotal member of the facility management team.
The role of a facility manager (FM) is a complex one; they often manage multiple sites, maintain relationships and strong communication with key stakeholders, and manage multiple services, systems, and assets. Alongside this, they are targeted with reducing repair and maintenance costs.
A smart building aims to improve efficiencies and reduce the timely processes, providing actionable insights that allow FM’s to make quick, informed decisions. Accurate information is also easy to access and feedback to stakeholders.
IoT devices are an integral part of a smart building; we now have the ability to connect almost everything to the internet, whether that’s a TV, heating system or a kettle. Sensors are part of IoT, they relay data to systems and to the cloud, and they even understand external data such as changing weather conditions, security alerts, etc.
Unified control
Smart lighting and building control systems, such as SmartCore, aim to create a joined-up approach. The open architecture allows multiple building systems and devices to communicate seamlessly, converging data into one user-friendly platform. Data can be packaged and sent to the cloud for storage or to a third-party analytics system. Communication between traditional and modern systems is achieved. SmartCore can communicate with a range of lighting and building protocols, and more are getting added all of the time.
Data Insights
Sensors throughout smart buildings monitor various aspects such as temperature, occupancy, proximity, vibration, water, humidity, energy usage, air quality, light level, etc.; the list is endless! Smart buildings converge all of this sensor data into one dashboard, only showing the FM what they need to see. It will constantly monitor everything against a typical operation baseline and then flag when there is an issue, an abnormality, maintenance is due, or something needs to be actioned. This provides a clear, holistic picture of the building; the FM can then dig further to find out more details, generate reports and optimise the audit process. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are increasingly being integrated to help improve the process further. No one wants to see all of the data collected; it would be overwhelming and cumbersome - we only want to see what we’re interested in, and a truly intelligent system learns this and begins to operate autonomously, alerting the FM when human intervention is needed.
These insights can then inform things such as cleaning schedules; the data gathered can determine the optimum cleaning regime, putting the occupant’s experience and health first whilst also avoiding wasting resources.
However, smart buildings can only go so far; this new insight may indicate that occupants are regularly wasting water and energy; therefore, this could suggest that an additional educational/awareness process is needed for the occupants, which could optimise the performance of the building further.
Energy/water saving
Sensors are the backbone of smart buildings; without them, we would not have access to data that allows us to monitor services such as energy and water. These sensors can provide insight into machinery or devices that are inefficient and might need to be upgraded; they could be using more energy than a more modern bit of kit would - creating a case for investment with credible data to back this up.
Equally, simple fixes can be highlighted. You may discover that the taps installed within the toilets have a timer on them, so the water runs for longer than required; this could amount to x% of water being wasted each year.
Overall, gathering this information allows FM’s to show how their building has improved or maintained wastage. These savings contribute toward net-zero carbon targets. Cities account for more than 70% of carbon emissions (World Economic Forum 2021); therefore, if each building becomes smart and makes smarter decisions regarding energy and water usage, big collective changes can be made.
Monitoring the wellbeing of assets
Preventative maintenance is a hot topic and is vitally important. When done correctly, it can save lives. As mentioned above, sensors that monitor vibrations, temperature and energy usage of assets can highlight issues that the FM can investigate. Traditionally, this information would have been unknown. Regular tests and services would have been conducted, but they may not have been required. This could result in a lot of extra cost and wasted time. Now we have that insight, thanks to smart buildings. Action is taken when required, and constant data feedback shows the ‘health’ of each asset; based on predefined parameters and using AI and ML, the FM is alerted as soon as something falls beneath a threshold.
This dramatically improves the audit process, saves huge amounts of time and money but most importantly, minimises risk and improves the safety of the building.
Improving the wellbeing of building occupants
We all know that when building occupants have the right conditions, their health and wellbeing improve, along with productivity rates, sleep/wake cycles, and there is a reduction in the number of errors and accidents. Being able to monitor things such as light level, temperature, humidity, and air quality allow smart buildings to put users first. It can learn preferences but ultimately know what the optimum environment is for the tasks carried out. The occupants also have control over this so that they can adjust these levels themselves; this might be through a smart wall switch or an app.
Having the ability to connect all of this data with other systems allows the building to flex and adapt to occupants needs. For example, connecting this data to a room booking system allows the meeting room to be adjusted to suit the number of occupants and the task being carried out.
Furthermore, it can help with the flow of the building and optimise the user journey. Data from mobile devices can be integrated. This allows occupants to use their phone as an access pass; it also minimises touchpoints to avoid picking up bacteria and improves security as the system knows exactly who is on-site, which, in turn, saves further costs on security and staff. Access rights can be set to ensure occupants are only entering safe areas; this can also be beneficial for visitors, they can use their phone as a visitor pass, and their point of contact can be alerted when they enter the building.
Bluetooth beacons can track occupant’s location and be used for wayfinding services, e.g. the nearest lift, toilet or other facilities.
This does cross a line that some people feel uneasy about because it is the merger of personal and building data; therefore, it needs to be handled very carefully. However, much of the data gathered in a smart building is anonymous, e.g., an occupancy sensor may use infrared or motion to detect that someone is in a space; the building does not need to know who that person is.
Smart Buildings offer facility managers full visibility and control, minimising waste and providing valuable insight. They improve productivity, environmental performance and operational efficiency whilst reducing costs.
