4 Ways to Streamline Your Facilities Management in 2021

2020 has brought a number of radical shifts across all sectors – impacting the way we live, work, and interact with one another. Facility managers are now expected to take considerable responsibility in ensuring public safety. However, this expectation provides the opportune time to upgrade your internal systems and take your facility management to the next level.

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1.       Explore what your SPaaS opportunities are

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As remote work continues to become the new “normal,” many buildings will have more capacity than before. That extra space is not always cheap to maintain, especially if you have to regulate the temperature of and light areas not in use.

SPaaS (space as a service) is the idea that property owners offer features to tenants designed to improve their experience. Before COVID-19, examples of SPaaS could be found in co-working spaces like The Wing, Knotel, or Regus. Most commonly, these companies added value in the form of collaboration spaces, exclusive events, shipping and printing centers, coffee bars, and so on.

Shifting your facility focus in this way can warrant additional cleaning practices and health safety measures – so moving to a co-working space might be better for smaller teams.

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2.       Automate as much as possible

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Automation can provide a number of improvements to your existing facility management system. There are a variety of building automation solutions (BAS) that can be implemented to free up time and money.

Emergency systems can benefit greatly from automation by syncing up response information with fire control systems for instance and automating communication to employees as needed.

Lighting systems are also a common first step into automation. Daylighting and tighter lighting control can cut energy usage anywhere from 20%-90%. While not technically a BAS on its own, this form of automation can serve as a jumping off point for your further automation strategy.

Lastly, maintenance can be automated as well, with a solution like Snapfix. By centralizing all your data in a single app, it becomes possible to track recurring issues, issue live reports, and ensure a communication or task is never overlooked.

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3.       Embrace sustainable technology

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While COVID-19 remains the primary concern of this year, that does not mean that a facility has to be focused on only improvements in safety. Sustainable technology is still one of the most important investments you can provide to your facilities.

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Green technology by its very nature reduces energy consumption. According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, by implementing smart technology changes, companies can reduce their annual energy consumption by up to 18% for HVAC systems, 28% for plugged equipment, and 33% for lighting.

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4.       Utilize the Internet of Things (IoT)

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The Internet of Things (IoT) and connecting technologies can foster a more efficient workplace—both from a financial and productivity standpoint.

IoT is a system of devices built with connectivity capabilities that allow them to communicate and exchange data. With IoT technology, companies can create systems of efficiency, but facility managers can use them to optimize their properties further.

For example, if your company is implementing shift work to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace, IoT technology can be used to manage your employees better, see which employees are abiding by physical distancing practices, and more.

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5.       Thinking of using a CMMS software?

If you’d like to know more about how you can use a CMMS software for your business, we are always at hand to answer your questions. Contact us to set up a free consultation — our advisers are here to help!

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