Facility management is a multidisciplinary effort to preserve and improve a built environment’s functionality, safety, comfort, and efficiency. It involves monitoring and maintaining the equipment and assets
Facility Management Solutions - Best Practices
Introduction
Facility management is a multidisciplinary effort to preserve and improve a built environment’s functionality, safety, comfort, and efficiency. It involves monitoring and maintaining the equipment and assets of the building. With the rapid evolution of technology, facility management solutions have digitized the sector and streamlined management and maintenance operations.
The global facility management market value stood at $42.2 billion in 2021. Experts have estimated it to grow to $76.3 billion by 2026. It justifies the evolution of facilities management from manually managed maintenance tasks to a technology-enabled discipline. (ref: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/facilities-management-market-1030.html)
Given its significance, building managers and owners should utilize facilities management systems to their full potential.
Let us look at the best practices for maximizing the use of facility management solutions.
Customizable facility management solution
Every facility has unique requirements based on the purpose of the building. Choosing the right platform with specific features allows facility managers to customize workflows to meet organization-specific maintenance requirements.
Some of the key features are as follows:
- Asset management
- Maintenance management
- Workplace management
- Facility inventory management
- Hybrid workspace management
- HVAC system control
- Lighting management system
Comprehensive assessment
Periodic and thorough assessments of facilities provide valuable insights into the current working state of every equipment and area. It helps facility managers to utilize space and resources efficiently. It also helps install new monitoring and management devices, such as environmental sensors and ventilation systems, and integrate them into facility management solutions.
Preventive maintenance plan
Facility management solutions deploy advanced data analytics that utilizes IoT and machine learning to forecast future outcomes. It compiles operational data of equipment and outlines its maintenance and repair trends.
Based on predictive analytics results, the facilities management system alerts the facility managers before a potential issue becomes a substantial challenge. Using predictive maintenance, facility managers can have a comprehensive maintenance plan and track equipment usage in the long term.
Its benefits are as follows.
- It extends equipment life spans.
- It reduces unnecessary downtime and unplanned maintenance.
- It helps organize preventive maintenance tasks on a calendar.
- It helps track key performance indicators of equipment to facilitate data-driven decisions.
- It minimizes unpredicted maintenance costs.
Upgrade your facility management
Facilities management involves handling various sensors, control panels, and other devices. IoT interconnects these devices into a network, monitors multiple operations, and gathers data. Hence, it allows facility managers to make data-driven, accurate decisions.
Since IoT can also monitor legacy devices, facilities can integrate decades-old machinery into centralized monitoring systems. It has the added advantage of extending the use of outdated devices and appliances.
However, most facilities management solutions Bangalore, across various industries and business sectors, have integrated and implemented IoT devices. Some standard IoT devices among different industries and commercial buildings are as follows.
- IoT sensors for condition monitoring
- Beacons for asset monitoring and security management
- RFID trackers for asset tracking, inventory management, and location tracking
- NFC (Near-Field Connectivity) or QR codes for stock monitoring
- Occupancy sensors for room scheduling and reservations.
The scope of IoT extends across every aspect of facilities management, including energy management, indoor environmental quality, building maintenance, building security, asset management, and occupant experience.
At the operational level, IoT plays a role in
- Fault detection and diagnostic for various equipment
- Data-driven repair or replacement decisions
- Optimization of preventive and predictive maintenance programs
- Automated energy consumption management
- Operating and maintenance costs reduction
- Efficient resource utilization and boosting productivity.
- Increased safety for field professionals and technicians
- Enhanced occupant experiences
In conclusion, keeping pace with technology and introducing innovative approaches to facilities operations plays an essential role in facility management.
IoT has enabled unprecedented efficiencies in facility management. A central strategy incorporating sensors, devices, platforms, applications, and analytics reduces errors while operations run smoothly. By leveraging a wide range of connected devices and sensors, facility managers can have complete visibility of the building’s operations at all times.
Reach out to us at info@aastroelectronics.com to learn all about how IoT can help your organization. Follow Aastro Tech Electronics on Linkedin, Facebook, and Instagram to stay updated.
