As long as maintaining your facility is concerned, the current technological advancements have started playing a very important role. Old-school processes that are mostly manual, on-site visits for repairs and check-ups, spreadsheets, and maintaining paper documentation have worked for facilities management teams for decades. However, there has been a shift to streamlined procedures driven by the latest technology massively in 2021.
As per a recent study, 88% expect to invest in real estate and facilities management technology to ensure 100% safety of visitors and employers. 65% expect an increase in investment in corporate technologies to boost the efficiency of facilities operations.
The driving factor behind adoption of technology
There’s no doubt when we say that everything in our workplaces is changing. In fact, the way people use their cubicles will change after the pandemic ends. Social and collaborative spaces will find increased activity and will require more cleaning. Employees will be screened for their body temperature before they enter the premises. Systems, assets, team members, processes, and service providers will all chance as the offices reopen post the pandemic.
If you’re still wondering what does a maintenance engineer do and this has kept you from hiring one for your company, you’re on the wrong path. Only embracing technology won’t help if you don’t have the right maintenance team. Let’s check out the latest advancements in facility management technology.
Facility Management Tech
1. Building Information Modeling (BIM)
Building Information Modeling is used by architects and contractors to draw and develop virtual models of construction projects. BIM offers the owners of a building an all-inclusive visual model of the entire facility before even the construction begins. Though BIM has been here since several years now, it is gradually becoming commonplace in the field of facility management. More and more facility managers are gradually realizing the power of such tools for easy accessibility of data. When BIM is collaborated with current work order programs, facility managers witness a heightened ability to retrieve floor plans, manuals and asset details.
2. Progressive HVAC technology
With regards to large facilities, the HVAC system is especially costly to maintain and use. Thanks to the implementation of eco-friendly and sustainable practices, there has been a change to HVAC systems for good. It is a great benefit for the company and the surrounding if it could reduce the overhead costs of cooling and heating of your facility and at the same time reduce the environmental footprint. In fact, advancements in HVAC technologies have already begun to reduce facility management costs.
3. IoT in Facility Management
The whole network of devices that are connected and accessible to the internet is called Internet of Things. IoT depends on tools like thermostats, sensors, actuators to determine data and minimize the total amount of energy that is required for these tasks. Each device or sensor collects data on a facility to inform the team of the latest light, temperature, sound levels, and vibration of different areas of a building. Leveraging IoT systems in a proper way can reduce energy bills and offer insightful data to enhance the satisfaction level of the occupants in your building or office facility.
4. Drones in handling facilities operations
Drones bring in the best opportunities for better efficiency in facility management. Automation and safety are the two biggest opportunities presented by these UAVs or unmanned aerial vehicles. For instance, in case of a hailstorm or a tornado, the roof inspections can be carried over by a group of droned that are controlled through GPS routes. This will totally eliminate the requirement of team members having to climb the rooftops to get a documentation of the damage.
Despite knowing the benefits of embracing technology, there are many companies that don’t embrace them. Adapting technology is not in their priority list and this keeps increasing their deferred maintenance list. But if you want to evolve with time, you should welcome the above-mentioned technological advancements.