In facilities management, the integration of intelligent automation is profoundly reshaping the journey towards efficiency and optimisation. How we use technology to support the FM role has developed hugely in the last few years, and for organisations looking to make the most of new opportunities, there are lots of things to consider.
I’ve put together this roadmap for organisations looking to utilise intelligent automation in their facilities management. It’s a practical guide for anyone planning to use technology to streamline their operations and elevate facilities management within their organisation.
Facilities Automation: Unlocking New Opportunities for Innovation and Growth
Initial Assessment: Understanding Your Foundation
Before making any changes, your journey towards intelligent automation begins with a comprehensive assessment of your facility's current state.
This initial step involves evaluating all buildings and facilities within your portfolio to understand their potential for optimisation. To do this, you’ll focus particularly on energy systems such as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC); by analysing existing systems and identifying areas for improvement, you can lay the groundwork for future enhancements.
This assessment includes estimating potential energy savings and formulating a strategic plan to achieve immediate and long-term efficiency goals. This step is essential to demonstrate the benefits of this work.
Basic Automation: Simplifying Operations
The foundation for intelligent automation is found in quite basic automation to simplify your standard operations.
By leveraging rule-based algorithms and real-time data from sensors and actuators, your organisation can automate routine tasks such as scheduling maintenance and regulating energy consumption. For example, software integrated with your building management system (BMS) can predictively control HVAC systems based on external variables such as weather forecasts or external temperatures, resulting in energy savings and operational efficiencies.
Real-time monitoring and analysis will also enhance the visibility of these operations, providing valuable insights for decision-making.
Enhanced Decision Making: Unlocking Insights with Data Analytics
As organisations accumulate vast amounts of data from various sources within their facilities, integrating and interrogating data analytics becomes simpler and more effective.
Utilising advanced analytics tools equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) algorithms will allow you to unlock valuable insights from this data, enabling you to make data-driven decisions.
These tools can forecast equipment failures, identify optimisation opportunities, and recommend preventive maintenance schedules by analysing historical data patterns.
Implementing this proactive approach will minimise downtime, extend the lifespan of your assets, and ultimately reduce operational costs across your portfolio.
Proactive Intervention: Remote Monitoring and Predictive Maintenance
We’ve already mentioned the benefits of proactive intervention made possible with improved data and analytics. One of the most significant advantages of intelligent automation comes through remote monitoring and predictive maintenance.
By harnessing the power of Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and predictive analytics, your organisation can forecast equipment failures before they occur. Sensors continuously monitor equipment performance and collect real-time data (such as temperature, vibration, and energy consumption), providing all the data you need.
Your machine learning algorithms will then analyse this data to detect anomalies and patterns, indicating potential malfunctions to enable preemptive maintenance interventions.
Remote monitoring capabilities will also allow facility managers to oversee operations from anywhere, enhancing responsiveness and agility.
Embracing the Future
Intelligent automation presents significant opportunities for facilities management professionals, providing improved efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and operational excellence. By leveraging this technology, organisations can optimise their processes, enhance productivity, and elevate the overall management of their facilities to benefit all.
Within these steps, is a structured approach to this transformative journey providing you with clear opportunities for innovation and growth.
As the digital landscape continues to evolve, embracing intelligent automation will provide huge benefits to forward-thinking organisations allowing them to thrive in the current competitive business environment.
If you’re unsure how to take your first steps on this journey, I’d be happy to talk.
About the Author
I'm Terry Chana. I am an innovation strategist that connects customer, employee and brand experiences. My passion lies in building ecosystems to solve business problems by combining creativity and technology.