The Internet of Things (IoT) provides valuable insights into how your facility’s equipment operates. It does this by detecting leaks before they become major issues and alerting you whenever certain elements go awry. IoT-based facility management also ensures 24/7 protection against unauthorized entries.

Of the 85% of facilities that deploy IoT technology, they all report a notable boost in enterprise productivity. Yet, security and business efficiency are not the only reasons facility managers are adopting IoT technology. 

In this article, you will discover the role IoT plays in facility management. Furthermore, it will cover the benefits of these technologies and how IoT-based building management works.  

Key Takeaways:

• The role of IoT in facility management can ease the responsibilities of facility managers through the utilization of technology
• The benefits of IoT-based facility management focus on sustainability and increasing efficiency of all working parts throughout the building
• Innovation is driving the need for IoT devices

The Role of IoT in Facility Management

IoT can help you make your facility safer for occupants. Using an IoT solution for alerts can ensure constant monitoring of the building even when there’s no one around.

IoT can help you prevent potential hazards. For instance, an urgency alert system that notifies someone in charge when a refrigeration fan fails or any noises indicating malfunctioning equipment on site. 

Managing a facility is a job that comprises a broad spectrum of daily responsibilities. Whether your industry is hospitality, healthcare, or a different industry, facility management is challenging.

Facility managers are responsible for:

• Operational maintenance: They must oversee property assets and keep building systems operating efficiently. They should coordinate supply chain management and handle the upkeep and cleanliness of the building.
• Well-being of those utilizing the building: They must provide helpdesk services, manage space, maintain lifestyle management activities, and organize amenities.
• Communications: They must leverage technologies to guarantee clear and effective methods of communication between staff, building occupants, and patrons.
• Security and risk management: They must perform audits and execute measures to reduce risks and maintain building security.
• Sustainability and impact analysis: They must equip the building for sustainability, improving energy and water consumption and waste management. 

For that reason, building managers understand how vital incorporating IoT technology is in making their tasks less arduous. 

Benefits of IoT-Based Facility Management 

According to Forbes, smart facilities with IoT-based innovations will deliver $500 billion in value by 2022. From the table below, you can see the top industries include:

• Industrial manufacturing 
• Aerospace and defense 
• Automotive and transportation 
• Energy and utilities 
• Consumer goods 
• Life sciences, biotech, and pharma

While IoT-based technologies are bringing value to this growing market of Smart facilities, let’ evaluate some of the overall benefits of incorporating these innovations:

1. Reduces Energy Waste  

Going green is an excellent incentive on its own, but IoT-powered energy waste reduction can reduce the costs of managing your facility. You can obtain real-time insights into all building operations and capture inefficient energy usage. 

An example of these smart technologies would be the EQ series of touchless faucets by Chicago Faucets. Once you have downloaded the EQ® Connect app from the Google Play or Apple App Store, you can control water temperature and usage. You can even program the hygiene-flush schedule. 

There is another layer where you have these building-wide diagnostics that allow energy savings by turning off lights when they’re not needed, which helps reduce long-term costs. 

2. Increases Facility Efficiency

IoT solutions give building management groups innovative approaches to maintain sensors, control panels, and other devices. You can even manage legacy equipment to help them connect decades-old equipment with a centralized monitoring system. By connecting points of technology within the buildings you manage to the cloud, you can catch and adjust inefficient operation points. 

3. Facilitates Technology Trends

Machine learning and artificial intelligence enable businesses to harness the power of data, which is becoming more prevalent with IoT solutions. Programmers can use this tool for predictive modeling that analyzes your current information to spot patterns while predicting future technology trends.

Projected trends provide insights into actionable strategies that will ensure your devices are supported, allow improvements to occur in the wake of changing systems, and offer methods to adjust to projected growth. These strategies make facility management easier by keeping you up to date.

4. Captures Building Data 

Your IoT devices are a gold mine of valuable data you can use to gain competitive advantages. That’s why it is also vital for you to get the most out of them and protect yourself from others who might want to access your information. You can do this by implementing solutions with security features designed just for this purpose.

Furthermore, the building data you capture can provide you additional insights into sustainability. When you can monitor things like water usage in commercial kitchens and restrooms, you can find more eco-friendly devices to install throughout your facility.

5. Supports Complex Applications

The use of applications with Smart devices is a growing trend in IoT-based facility management. It allows for:

• Ultra-sonic noise detection
• Electrical transmission lines check for cracks or holes 
• Location of system malfunctions 

Similarly, thermal imaging will allow facility managers to check for equipment outside of the temperature range. That way, problems are more easily detected, and maintenance can take place.

IoT Devices for Innovations in Building Technology

IoT applications are a great way to improve the productivity of workers at any facility. They allow managers and operators to track equipment from different sectors, monitor operations simultaneously as devices collect data that can offer new insights thanks to this connected IoT world. 

Here are the automated devices for IoT-based implementation:

• Sensors: Gives you access to data on temperature, humidity, motions, and other variables.
• Embedded beacons: Used to pick up messages from nearby devices to initiate action and start a scheduled workflow. 
• Visualization tools: These tools process data to generate reports to help you notice patterns in resource usage.

Facility Management Innovations Made Easy 

If you want to begin the digital transformation in facilities you manage, consider a custom IoT facility management strategy. At Chicago Faucets, we have the technology to bring this innovation to life within your facility’s kitchens and bathrooms. We make implementing these innovations effortless. 

Are you looking for more ways to innovate your facility? Contact us here today to learn more.