Facility managers are increasingly looking to adopt the Internet of Things (IoT) in their building maintenance strategies, with 60% of professionals predicting that IoT will impact their building and maintenance policies within the next year, according to a survey by Schneider Electric.
Roughly two out of three respondents plan to increase investment in building capital expenses in 2016, including advanced building technologies. A few factors are hampering facility managers from taking full advantage of building data, the survey indicated. Seventy percent of facility managers said that their building management staff is very or extremely skilled in data analysis, but only 27% utilize data-driven analytics solutions for building management.
Key barriers to uptake include the amount of funding required (39% say that is a top concern), and a lack of internal resources available to interpret data into actionable results (31% report that as a top concern). Only 26% of respondents feel that available building information is totally adequate for facility maintenance planning. A majority of respondents cited room for improvement in this area, and only 15% said that they fully utilize predictive maintenance tools to proactively assess and target equipment maintenance.
“Facility professionals need to be able to better visualize what’s happening across their footprint and make educated decisions to correct and improve conditions,” said Brett Wheless, director of field services, Schneider Electric. “More than half of facility managers are still largely reactive when it comes to maintaining building systems, which can have major impacts on occupant comfort and can decrease the life of the building. We are now seeing a change in attitude among facility professionals that is driving them to think differently about the way they collect and assimilate building data.”
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Oct 30, 2018
San Francisco plans tougher seismic building codes
Recommendations include addressing geotechnical issues like those faced by Millennium Tower.
Codes and Standards | Oct 26, 2018
Tall Mass Timber code proposals approved at Intl. Code Council public comment hearings
Proposals now go to online voting; final outcome expected in December.
Codes and Standards | Oct 25, 2018
Low-income neighborhoods could benefit most from green roofs
Those areas face the biggest risk from extreme heat.
Codes and Standards | Oct 24, 2018
Building design critical to prevent school shootings
Safety must be balanced with welcoming environment.
Codes and Standards | Oct 23, 2018
Codes in Florida Panhandle made buildings vulnerable to Hurricane Michael
Less stringent codes in northern parts of state linked to devastation.
Codes and Standards | Oct 19, 2018
Global Green Tag production certification standard will launch in U.S. at end of year
Australian program recognized by WELL, claims compliance with LE.
Codes and Standards | Oct 18, 2018
Federally-backed rebuilding of public buildings often leaves them vulnerable to future storms
FEMA dollars pay for reconstruction, but local decision-makers ignore climate change impacts.
Codes and Standards | Oct 17, 2018
Philadelphia plumbing code will now allow for more use of plastic pipes in high rises
Of the 50 largest U.S. cities, Philadelphia is one of just six that still require metal pipes.
Codes and Standards | Oct 16, 2018
New Disaster Recovery Reform Act will support adoption of updated building codes
Provides incentives for communities to modernize and enforce codes.
Codes and Standards | Oct 12, 2018
Boston ‘housing emergency’ prompts regional initiative for new residential construction
Mayors of 15 cities set goal of 185,000 new homes by 2030.