“Smart Facility Management to support the new way of working.”
Facilities Management, (FM), is traditionally defined by the International Organization for Standardization as the ‘organizational function which integrates people, place, and process within the built environment with the purpose of improving the quality of life of people and the productivity of the core business’.
The Covid-19 pandemic has caused a socioeconomic revolution coupled with a very high degree of uncertainty in the working eco-system. The physical buildings and assets that spring to mind when using terms such as ‘built environment’ and ‘facilities’ no longer cover the full scope of what is needed to integrate people, place, and process with the purpose of improving.
Moreover, we now need to comply with a new legal and regulatory framework, necessary to manage the Pandemic. During the lock down, working from home became a new standard and office buildings were left almost empty. The crisis has also proven that employees and teams are able to work remotely and that they can adopt to new technologies and create new ways to interact and collaborate.
Integrated technology
This new norm makes it obvious that the built environment and FM itself are moving rapidly towards the integration of innovative and smart technologies. More and more organizations are using mobile devices, analytics, video conferencing and interactive software. They are accessing digital collaboration tools to connect employees to their environments through things such as workstation reservation, interactive apps, and tools for navigating spaces and locating resources. So, when organizations are looking to provide competitive and connected environments for their workforce and other stakeholders, Facility, Human Resources and other Managers must be able to manage the physical infrastructure aspects while also managing the digital infrastructure of a workplace. Combining both items will result in an Integrated Working Environment.
Smart Buildings
A smart building is a good example of integration between technology and built environment. The building uses data from innovative technology to continuously optimize the working environment and interreact with employees and visitors. It should not be overlooked that people will always be the most important asset within organizations, so if threats become serious emergencies, it is essential to know where everybody is within the building so they can be evacuated and accounted for.
Initially,smart buildings were associated with technologiessuch as: Building Automation (BA), Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), while the focus is now shifting from technology to user experience. Putting the user experience at the center of the design process and using technology as a “means to an end, not the end itself” will enable the industry to deliver buildings that are fit for purpose. The IoT is central to this process as, increasingly, buildings will be driven by data. Using the data available through IoT allows more informed decision-making related to facility operations and the use of the building by its occupants. Securing these occupants and assets is a fundamental attribute of an integrated working environment.
All Managers in organizations must be poised and ready to embrace this exciting Smart@WORK concept.
Smart FM and standardization
‘Smart Facilities’ is defined as ‘a physical or digital environment in which humans and technologyenabled systems interact in increasingly open, connected, coordinated and intelligent ecosystems. Multiple elements, including people, processes, services and things, come together to create a more immersive, interactive, and automated experience for all stakeholders.’
This blend of physical, e.g., office facilities and digital infrastructure demands is exactly what FM is all about. It offers exciting possibilities when applied to the different FM processes such as: security, access control, fire prevention, HVAC, lighting, comfort control, indoor air quality, energy management, cleaning and disinfection, preventive maintenance, physical upkeep, waste management, and so much more. For organizations looking to offer SMART FM working features, there will be new assets, such as space sensors, as well as digital information points to maintain.
With FM accepted as the appropriate function within an organization to manage this ‘immersive, interactive, and technology driven experience’ a good collaboration with other departments (HR, IT, Maintenance, etc.) is essential. International standards can also be used as a guideline to set up your FM system. As FM is involved in at least seven other management systems, it’s importance and central position is once more emphasized.
- ISO 9001, Quality
- ISO 14001, Environmental management
- ISO 22301, Business continuity
- ISO 45001, Health and Safety
- ISO 46001, Water efficiency
- ISO 50001, Energy management
- ISO 55001, Asset management
About Safe@WORK
Our Safe@Work online tool puts together our expertise and new technologies to help organizations secure a “future proof” working environment.
The features of this online tool enable workers and visitors who are using and or visiting an organisation’s facilities to interact with the organisation’s mobile app to request permission to use facilities. The application can also monitor the visit and trigger mechanisms for disinfection of the area after use, traceability records, etc. A smart app using location management will also be able to predict arrivals, reserve a space, and provide the worker / visitor with an automated and unique access code.
To provide a service like this, the physical layout and capacity of all office facilities and spaces must be known and recorded. The data must be accurate, available, and structured in a way that is usable. Digital models will be needed, and each space must be equipped with access technology and sensors to indicate the real-time usage of each space. These physical sensors become a new asset for the facilities management teams to manage, and so does the data the sensors produce. The Facility must also be equipped with the appropriate mobile and Wi-Fi service, so that the devices used to request spaces and select location can stay connected with no interruptions.
Safe@Work is designed and developed to ensure:
- Connectivity to your smart building
- A safe restart and continuation of work after the lockdown
- Compliance with external legal and regulatory requirements and internal “HR” protocols – Operating Officers understand their responsibilities, e.g., Human Resources Management, Occupational Health and Safety, Energy Management, etc., and contribute towards the organisation’s compliance through ccollaborations
- Quality and Productivity within the organization
- Promotion of the rationale that offices are a collaboration space as a new purpose – Interconnection of all spaces used by your team – The integration of home offices with corporate and third-party spaces – The interaction with teams and the spaces there are in
- The optimization of the use of corporate spaces in a dynamic model – Software based management of space as a dynamic system
- Strong focus on “well-being”
- The usage of smart technology as a personal assistant
- A Productive and Healthy working environment
How we can help you?
Together we determine your technology needs to obtain the right set of data so that your building can operate as SMART as possible in the built environment. With your building driven by data and from a user experience perspective the building is fit for purpose using the Safe@Work concept. In addition, we provide the knowledge and experience, based on international standards, to implement a smart facilities management system where hard and soft facilities processes use data from innovative technology to comply with occupant needs, HR protocols, safety regulations and well-being expectations.
Our experts will help you set up your system.
About PROCOS Group
PROCOS Group is a consultancy company that helps organizations to create the right physical, digital and human working environment. With a strong focus on space, software and soul, PROCOS Group ensures better days on the job. (www.procosgroup.com)
About CBA
CBA is a leading Management Consulting organisation which, since 1989, has been delivering value adding services to the public and private sector. Our sustainable development services embrace all the aspects of organisational, technical and behaviour. (www.cba.com.cy)
