Artificial Intelligence applied to Facility Management

Do you know what Facility Management is about? The concept doesn´t translate easily, since it goes way beyond the general service management of a company. Facility Management is all about enhancing, significantly, user or employee experience inside a building through space optimization, real state resource coordination and facility improvement. In short, it all revolves around comprehensive service management in order to run a building.

But, why do we begin the article mentioning this discipline? Because Facility Management is also up to date with current innovation and digital transformation topics. Although they don´t think for themselves yet, the reality is that buildings are increasingly “intelligent” thanks to software, sensor and even Artificial Intelligence developments.

Scientists at the UGR (University of Granada, Spain), for example, have recently introduced a computer system, based precisely on Artificial Intelligence, capable of automatically detecting in real time if an individual produces a gun. It is a pioneering effort worldwide, and could improve security inside office buildings, shopping malls or airports. It seems likely that this system could be implemented without vast expense by using video cameras combined with alarm devices, without the need of direct monitoring.

A smart Facility management system is capable of interacting with the occupant and designing preventive or predictive systems. For example, some companies that provide cafeteria service for a large staff, display a sensor system capable of detecting the amount of clean trays stacked on the shelves so that cooks can realize whether more food needs to be prepared or not.

Another example of this is the hotel chain Wynn, which announced last year that every room in its Las Vegas hotel will be equipped with Artificial Intelligence-managed speakers so that guests can control aspects such as lighting, temperature or audio-visual devices with their voice.

At the end of the day, thanks to Facility Management, technology and its adaptability to public environments and private facilities, comfort is enhanced, security is ensured, and energy savings and sustainability are promoted.

The smartest building in the world

It is located in Amsterdam, features 28 000 sensors and is powered by solar energy and supplied water from an underground aquifer. According to the World Economic Forum, the Deloitte company headquarters is probably one of the most smart and environmentally-responsible facilities in the world.

The company´s workers, for instance, can find parking space in the building thanks to an App installed in their smartphones, which also manages temperature and humidity in their workplace. The restrooms give notice to the cleaning staff when they need tidying, and a motorized robot guards the facility at night. Besides, it´s solar-powered and the water used for heating and air-conditioning systems is supplied by an aquifer located under the building.

With this repertory of technology and cutting-edge, eco-friendly Facility Management solutions, the compound has been granted with the highest sustainability score ever, 98.36%, by the Environmental Rating Agency.

A further example of how well-managed technology can be a driving force for change and progress.

Sources: Verdantix, Canal UGR, Libremercado