What are the newest innovations in Facility Planning?
There are several exciting new technologies transforming Facility Planning. From Drones to Building Information Modeling to Automated Facility and Capital Planning software, facilities are becoming more interconnected and intelligent.
1. Drones for Facility Condition Assessment
Imagine performing roof inspections without wasting time or money on scaffolding—this is one of the significant benefits that drones offer facility managers. Drones carry tremendous opportunities for improved efficiency in facility management. The most important benefit for these uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) is the safety and automation that they offer FMs.
Drones provide facility managers access and visual sight into difficult-to-reach zones in buildings, allowing FMs to evaluate the conditions in these vital areas. In addition, they eliminate the need to have team members climb on facility roofs with a clipboard and camera to document the damage.
Further, drones eliminate the need to erect scaffolding, work platforms, and lifts to inspect rooftops. Drones enable inspections of hard-to-reach areas, or those dangerous to monitor, thereby saving time, expense and reducing workplace injury. FMs can also operate drones for condition assessment of property damage, help maintenance and repair teams to respond after hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, and other catastrophes.
2. Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Virtual Asset Information
Buildings are getting smarter, and so are the technologies used to manage them. One of the dominant technologies businesses can implement is Building Information Modeling (BIM).
What is BIM for facilities management? It’s an efficient way to digitize facilities to obtain quantifiable information from physical assets. Everyone from architects and contractors to facilities managers and maintenance technicians uses BIM. Today, BIM is a cornerstone for intelligent buildings, office IoT build-outs, and better facilities management.
Discover more about developing Digital Twins for facility management and capital planning.
Currently, contractors and architects building information modeling (BIM) is employed to develop scale models of building projects. BIM delivers an efficient way to organize and access information about a building in a 3D format. While not a new technology, it is becoming commonplace in Facility Management and Planning to give managers virtual models of floor plans and asset information.
With its visualization, interoperability, and information exchange capabilities, BIM can streamline Facility Management activities. For example, FMs can use a digital representation of the building process to facilitate the exchange and interoperability of information in digital format. FMs can then use the BIM data across entire project lifecycles.
3. Automated Facility Management and Capital Planning Software
Advances in artificial intelligence, sensor technologies, and connectivity mean the introduction of robotics to the management, control, and cleaning of buildings is on the agenda of many facility managers.
Facility capital planners who do not use facility planning software must rely on spreadsheets, old paper blueprints, and memory to manage and plan for facilities.
Undocumented knowledge leads to dilemmas, particularly when a facility manager leaves and a new enters. A lack of facility planning technology causes a detrimental impact on the daily functioning of the building itself and leads to more expensive repairs. In addition, it is existing paper-based work orders that cause duplicate data entry.
Automated systems are already employed in certain facility areas, and experts expect them to become more intelligent and mainstream. For example, waste management, security systems, and catering services could all be supervised by robots.
Automation is one of the keys to the future of successful facility planning. For example, these systems will automatically flag vital information when a work order is created rather than facility planners wasting time searching for information on assets that need to be serviced in a facility.
The Future of Facility Planning is Intellis
It is essential to stay up to date with the latest trends and technologies, To stay successful in facility management, including state-of-the-art facility management software and mobile enterprise applications.
- Save an average of 3+ hours per week by removing the need for data entry.
- Increase budget funding by 60% or more on capital planning projects.
- 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 more intelligent, more efficient facility condition assessments and capital planning so that you can focus on the long-term success of your facilities.
Are you ready? Schedule a demo with our team to learn more!
