The pandemic and what followed have further highlighted the importance of smart buildings and the need for remote management capabilities. In this context, building managers and owners need to stay updated with the latest smart technologies and innovations to remain relevant in the competitive facilities industry.
This article will explore how smart technologies, IoT, and efficiency evolution are shaping the future of building management and how facilities managers can leverage these tools to optimise their operations and enhance their ESG performance.
Facilities Management: Making Buildings Smart
In the modern era, smart technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and building automation systems (BAS) have become essential tools for facilities and building managers. With the growing demand for sustainable and efficient buildings, there is a significant push for integrating smart technology solutions to enable more efficient operations, reduce costs, and achieve environmental goals.
To focus on issues like air quality and infection control, we need to be constantly monitoring spaces and now be able to predict occupancy levels. This happens through a network of IoT-enabled smart sensors throughout a building, in every meeting room, corridor, kitchen – wherever occupants spend time, sensors can monitor the space performance and with this data, building and facilities managers can optimise space allocation, ensuring indoor air quality is optimal and limiting the spread of infection.
One example of a smart technology that focuses on both outcomes is technologies measuring and controlling occupancy. Spacewell’s smart sensors are capable of detecting everything from occupancy levels to air quality and energy usage, providing a complete picture of building performance.
In an IoT-enabled smart building, sensors are constantly checking the room for activity. Detecting none, they send word to a central, autonomous operating system, and in a blink of an eye, all possible sources of energy waste are computed. It then shuts off any unnecessary systems or keeps them in a low-burden eco mode, saving energy and costs. Spacewell’s platform can deliver baseline energy savings as well as operational efficiencies, delivering a tangible return on investment on both new and existing buildings. What’s more, it has a positive impact on employee experience, by improving the uptime and availability of critical assets.
While smart technologies can certainly provide instant efficiency gains, they can also help to inform longer-term sustainability strategies. A building platform that gathers data from the building management system and other IoT-enabled smart technologies across a building or estate is the key to helping building decision-makers understand where improvements need to be made. Spacewell’s flexible, scalable, and cloud-based platform gathers data from disparate sources across silos, stores it securely, and standardises the data – making it easy for building professionals to optimise their resources through predictive maintenance, extending the life of their equipment.
Technologies like IoT (Internet of Things), AI (Artificial Intelligence), and ML (Machine Learning) in buildings have the potential to transform the value delivered throughout its entire lifecycle – from the early stage of design, through to the procurement and construction phase. With Spacewell’s smart building solutions, organisations can align their building operations more closely with their business, mission, and culture, ensuring they deliver an elevated occupant experience while meeting both short and long-term energy efficiency and sustainability goals.
In turn, this has major benefits for the wider business, keeping shareholders, employees, customers, and regulators happy – and ensuring each and every building is having a positive impact on the planet.
While health and safety continue to be among building managers’ biggest top priorities, in just five years energy efficiency will overtake it, and in ten years’ time, sustainability and net-zero targets are expected to become number one.
Spacewell, a global software and consulting firm specialising in smart building solutions, is one of the leading providers of these technologies. Their innovative solutions help building owners and facilities managers optimise building performance and enhance the occupant experience. With a range of IoT-enabled smart tools, Spacewell’s platform provides valuable data insights that help building managers make informed decisions. Headquartered in Belgium, the multinational company offers a complete range of software and technology tools to simplify facility operations, reduce costs and energy consumption, and create intelligent buildings and workplaces.
In this sense, Spacewell’s solutions are designed to address both health and safety concerns and long-term sustainability goals.
Sustainable Facilities Management: Integrating Energy Management to IoT and Smart Technologies
Energy management is a crucial component of smart building solutions, and at Dexma (Spacewell Energy), we are a leading provider of energy management software, at the forefront of this technology. Our solution helps building managers and owners optimise energy usage, reduce costs, and improve sustainability.
As you may already know, Dexma was acquired by Spacewell in 2020, and we are proud to be part of the Spacewell family, under our new name “Spacewell Energy”, adding value and the energy dimension to their portfolio of smart building solutions.
The incorporation of the Dexma Energy Management System enables building managers to monitor and manage energy consumption in real time. By providing granular data on energy consumption and waste, in the form of easy-to-understand dashboards, building managers can make informed decisions to reduce costs and improve efficiency. This can include identifying energy savings opportunities, such as adjusting lighting and HVAC systems based on occupancy levels and weather conditions, among others.
In addition to cost savings and improved efficiency, Dexma’s (Spacewell Energy) software also helps building managers achieve their sustainability goals. By reducing energy waste and optimising resource usage, building owners and facilities managers can reduce their carbon footprint and contribute to a more sustainable future.
The integration of Dexma’s energy management software into Spacewell’s smart building solutions, allow building managers to achieve a holistic approach to building management, addressing both health and safety concerns and long-term sustainability goals. With the ability to monitor and manage energy usage in real-time, building managers can ensure that their buildings are operating at peak efficiency, delivering a positive impact on the environment and the bottom line.
Facilities Management: Unlocking Strategic Opportunities
Facilities management (FM) has traditionally been associated with the upkeep and maintenance of buildings and infrastructure. However, in recent years, the scope of FM has expanded to encompass a broader range of responsibilities that play a crucial role in driving sustainable growth for organisations.
One of the emerging areas where FM is becoming increasingly important is in the context of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) requirements. ESG is an approach to measuring an organisation’s impact on the environment, social issues, and corporate governance. In this context, FM can play a significant role in addressing the challenges and opportunities presented by such requirements.
By anticipating, adapting, and advocating for ESG-centric solutions, facilities and workspace managers can turn potential risks into strategic opportunities. This can include contributing to compliance, attracting and retaining talent, improving employee well-being and performance, and enhancing operational profitability, among others.
In this new guide, written by our parent company Spacewell, you will discover the key strategies and best practices to effectively implement ESG initiatives and drive sustainable growth for your organisation. If you want to learn more about how we can help you simplify facilities operations, reduce costs and energy consumption, and create smart buildings and workplaces, click here or on the picture to download the new ebook: ⬇️
