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The number of IoT devices worldwide is forecast to almost triple from 9.7 billion in 2020 to more than 29 billion in 2030. IoT in facilities management is very common with 40% of IoT devices being used for industrial purposes. IoT technology such as smart sensors and meters collect real-time operational data which can then be analysed to provide insights into how facilities operate and how they can be optimised.
In this blog we go through the most common applications for IoT in facilities management and why they are beneficial for organisations.
Remote monitoring
The recent rise of IoT in facilities management has led to the digitalisation of buildings and facilities, enabling digital data collection via sensors and meters. This has made it possible for facilities managers to communicate, collect and analyse data without being present on site, truly advancing their capabilities with remote monitoring.
Remote has been proven more effective than in-person monitoring as it allows facilities managers to provide faster troubleshooting and prevent costly problems. Furthermore, in-person inspections have higher health and safety risks that are avoided with remote monitoring.
Improving energy efficiency
With the correct use of IoT in facilities management, managers can closely monitor energy usage in every asset. Sensors and IoT connected devices enable them to measure, analyse and benchmark energy consumption and identify where their facilities are leaking power and money.
In the Energy Bureau of our facilities management tool IREPort, facilities managers can monitor and control energy consumption, load, batteries, and AC/DC meters. These energy monitoring solutions utilise IoT devices and create a variety of cost saving and energy optimisation opportunities.
Since buildings consume a significant amount of energy, improving energy efficiency not only contributes to cost savings, but it also acts in favour of sustainability. Energy consumption in the buildings sector globally contributed to 28% of the world’s CO2 emissions in 2019, therefore, being more sustainable and efficient is beneficial for both business and the environment.
Creating a healthier and safer workplace
Having an increased visibility into work environments can help organisations further understand their employees’ working conditions. Therefore, businesses can take actions to improve their teams’ overall physical and mental health, leading to a boost in productivity.
IoT in facilities management allows managers to monitor and control various environmental factors such as air quality, lighting and temperature with the help of sensors. Ensuring those are at their optimum levels contributes to a more comfortable and safer environment for employees, which ultimately benefits productivity. Healthy workers, for example, are a lot less likely to take sick leave throughout the year.
Advancements in IoT have also benefited work safety in different ways, enabling organisations to capture essential physical metrics such as heart rate, location, temperature, movement. Sensors that can be found in wearable items such as hard hats, for example, allow managers to look out for signs of fatigue or dehydration and ensure their workers take appropriate breaks. Such smart technology enables to inform immediate decisions that essentially improve the health and safety of workers.
Predictive maintenance
Collecting IoT sensor information about assets and monitoring their performance can help facilities managers identify when an asset is likely to fail. Using predictive maintenance to do that can significantly lower facilities spend.
Predictive maintenance data is used by facilities managers to take proactive actions rather than corrective as all reactive maintenance is associated with major problems and costs. Thus, it is currently a key facilities management service because of the IoT sensors’ ability to detect issues before they become problems.
Although building predictive maintenance could be considered a hard and costly task by many, it is undoubtedly a must-have. The benefits of how it can prevent failures, improve operational lifespans and comfort for occupants outweigh any hesitations that facilities managers might have.
Final words
The most important thing in facilities management is to consider how to meet the needs of the building occupants while keeping everyone involved safe and healthy. Using IoT in facilities management enables organisations to do just that while also saving money and creating more efficient workplaces. Using the right devices, collecting the right data and making data-driven decisions guarantees facilities management success.
If you´re interested in improving your facilities management processes, contact us to hear more about our solutions.