Smart facilities
Here are just some of the many compelling use cases for IoT in buildings, all of which simplify operations, provide valuable insight and improve productivity.
Dynamic cleaning
IoT sensors that detect movement or proximity can be attached to doors to infer room usage. Combined with call buttons, this enables your teams to work reactively rather than to a rigid schedule, cleaning the places that need attention and saving time on those that don’t. With the right platform interpreting the readings, you can adjust your thresholds and test the frequency of your cleans, balancing your audit scores against efficiency.
Simplify vital safety checks
Legionella compliance is a vital process for any site. Pipes need to be actively monitored to reduce waterborne pathogen risks. A typical check might occur once a month and usually requires a visit from an engineer to perform the check. IoT sensors can monitor the water temperature in pipes in real-time, reducing the number of external visits to just once a year.
More than hot air
Monitoring and maintaining HVAC systems can be a complex task with multiple assets to manage. IoT sensors can measure temperature or power draw on individual assets and alert your maintenance teams when a fault has occurred or is about to. Some digital platforms can even automatically tell other units in the same area to output at a higher level, maintaining the target temperature until the faulty asset can be fixed.
Call services
Call buttons are a versatile and useful addition to any IoT network that provide a direct connection between your end customers and your teams. They can be installed near to assets such as coffee machines or dishwashers to report faults, or by meeting rooms to notify the need for a spot clean, for example. With a smart analytics platform in place, alert suppression means that only the first alert will be sent through until your teams confirm they have completed the job, removing the problem of buttons being repeatedly pressed for the same issue.
Let there be light
Lux levels can be monitored by light sensors, or you can manage the state of an individual fitting by measuring its power usage. Automated alerts can be sent out if a light or fitting is broken and long-term analysis will enable you to implement more effective PPM.
Crowd control
Whether it’s peak time in a London train station, a busy office building, or a buzzing retail space, being able to control the flow of people and avoid over-crowding is necessary to improve the customer experience and keep people safe. Sensors and cameras can be used to track the movement, flow and number of people using your building, so you can intervene or create solutions for better spaces.