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These are the tech trends transforming facility management right now

Which tech trends do facility managers need to know about right now? In this blog, we discuss how these 5 digital transformations are revolutionizing the Facility Management industry!

1. Software for Smarter Operations

It's no secret that facility management has been slow to adapt to the digital revolution. However, it is absolutely essential to implement a software platform that can collect data from facility condition assessment and turn it into actionable insights. This makes everything easier from planning a preventive maintenance program to developing justifiable capital plans to executing capital improvement projects. 

FOUNDATION is your best option for Facility and Capital Planning software, which fully supports facility condition assessment and facility services programs.

These are the top benefits of The FOUNDATION Solution by Intellis:

  • Access to a single source of asset data across all building and systems portfolios.
  • Consistent and valuable Facility Condition Assessment data across all asset types including building and site assets.
  • Powerful reporting and analytics so your team has access to real-time KPIs that support benchmarking, decision making, and performance monitoring.
  • Easily manage multiple asset portfolios, knowing where best to spend budget for optimal asset performance.
  • Develop informed and dynamic capital investment strategies while identifying funding risks and opportunities.

2. Drones for Facility Condition Assessments

Imagine performing roof inspections without having to waste time or money on scaffolding—this is one of the major benefits that drones offer facility managers.

We predict that facility managers for buildings and infrastructure will begin to integrate drones for aerial surveillance of buildings and outdoor spaces in the coming years. This will allow security personnel to monitor large areas more effectively.

While commercial-use drone technology is still emerging and there are many safety considerations that must be sorted, there have been successful examples of drones surveying historical sites in NYC, which denotes a promising future for using drones to perform complicated condition assessments.

Drones will bring unprecedented opportunities for improved efficiency in facility management. One of the biggest benefits of implementing drones during facility condition assessments is the increased safety and automation offered. 

3. BIM for Facility Managers

BIM offers massive opportunities for radically improving collaboration and communication for facility managers.

Traditionally used by contractors and architects, Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a tool for developing and scaling virtual models of building projects. While BIM is not a new technology, it is increasingly becoming commonplace in the facility management sector.

Discover more about developing Digital Twins for facility management and capital planning. 

BIM offers Facility Managers the most complete visual model of facilities, physical assets, and infrastructure. Facility professionals are harnessing the power of these tools for project management, delivery, and data accessibility.

When integrated with existing work order programs or facility maintenance software, facility teams realize an improved ability to retrieve accurate asset information and insights.

4. The Blockchain Boom

The use of blockchain, which is a ledger technology used to track activities and actions within a system, is becoming a more important part of the technology used in facilities management.

Learn more about how Facility Managers can use Blockchain.

Blockchain has the power to revolutionize contract management, work order processing, payment processing, tracking of facilities management and maintenance needs, and increase overall facility transparency.

Data stored in a Blockchain can be quickly and easily reviewed, even when maintained by separate departments. The provides a fast and accurate data analysis. Further, highly confidential or proprietary data is far more secure because of Blockchain's single source of shared truth.

Blockchain will streamline processes and lower costs through the reduction and/or elimination of those dreaded manual operations. This could be adapted to almost any process including preventive maintenance, work orders, environmental health and safety planning, and space management.

While the widespread implementation of Blockchain is still gaining traction, it is a good idea to invest time and energy into evaluating and researching the ways in which this exciting new technology could be implemented for facility management and capital planning.

At Intellis, we believe that it is never too early to start identifying areas that can be improved by new developments in technology.

5. Facility Optimization with Machine Learning and IoT

Facility Optimization has evolved far beyond managing energy consumption to improve the bottom line. It has been revolutionized by innovative tech and software platforms that focus on enhanced asset performance, connected buildings, and preventive maintenance management.

Read the guide to developing a comprehensive preventive maintenance plan. 

Internet-connected devices are generating datasets for buildings that have never existed before – and can now be leveraged through machine learning. Building owners, managers, and engineers will use machine learning to sift through data and unlock insights into market trends, building performance optimization, and other big-data applications.

The benefits of automation are endless. Rather than relying on tenants or facility team members to constantly monitor temperature levels, the influx of work orders, or switching off the lights, a centralized Building Automation System (BAS) will seamlessly and automatically monitor these key facility functions.

Furthermore, because these systems continually collect data, you will be able to optimize your physical assets based on real-time insights. This gives the facility management team the ability to analyze usage patterns, which in turn empowers teams to develop smart strategies for saving money and improving efficiency throughout the entire building and physical asset portfolio.

Central to our mission is the commitment to implement the latest tech advancements into our enterprise solutions, such as FOUNDATION, so that we can provide our clients with the best software solutions that ensure healthy buildings and infrastructure while reducing costs, improving productivity, and boosting sustainability.

Listen to CEO Steven Warshaw talk about bringing all these new technologies together in a meaningful way on the FM Innovator Podcast.

Smarter Capital Planning with Intellis

Facilities condition assessment (FCA) was traditionally thought to be the best way to understand the magnitude of a facility's needs. Now is the time to take Facility Condition Assessment to the next level.

Working with Intellis enables you to develop a custom capital plan that aligns with your mission and adapts to your needs.

Here’s what you can expect with Strategic Capital Planning with Intellis:

  1. Save an average of 3+ hours per week by removing the need for data entry.
  2. Increase budget funding by 60% or more on capital planning projects.
  3. Cut spending by half on your annual Facility Condition Assessment.

Say goodbye to complicated excel spreadsheets. And hello to the digital age with cloud-based software for smarter, more efficient facility condition assessments, and capital planning, so you can focus on the long-term success of your facilities.

Are you ready? Schedule a demo with our team to learn more!

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