What Is the Internet of Things, and Why Is It So Important? The world has become more connected than ever as the Internet of Things (IoT) bridges the physical and digital worlds. The Internet of Things can be defined as all the devices, assets, and physical objects that connect to a network or exchange data over the internet. These devices range from cameras and sensors to even refrigerators or HVAC systems. When you connect objects and assets to a network, you have better communication between your people, processes, and devices—streamlining workflows and making it easier to see all your data. When organizations connect their “things,” it is usually to automate processes (like turning on lights or heating systems on a timer) or to obtain data-driven insights to manage and understand business activities. Key Challenges and Opportunities While it is true that this increased communication between devices improves productivity, it also means that when disparate systems are added to the mix, it can have the opposite effect—making communication more difficult. That’s because the data being collected becomes siloed and difficult to interpret or integrate. For example, open APIs are extremely beneficial, as they enable separate systems to interact and work together. However, integration challenges can arise when connecting these separate systems (such as if each one uses different field names or date formats). The solution to this is either to standardize all data formats across each system, or to leverage one platform that captures the data across all your assets and workflows so that you can see everything together. Once this caveat is addressed, however, it is clear why IoT is becoming an important part of many business operations, as an increasing number of teams rely on it to streamline operations. One business area that can significantly benefit from IoT tech is the facilities maintenance department. Read on to learn how and why facility managers can use this technology to streamline maintenance processes. How Does IoT Intersect Facilities Maintenance? Facilities management has changed over the decades—it has become much more strategic, and facilities managers are taking on leading roles in workplace planning. Facilities managers are now helping to shape the direction their organizations take when planning how and why buildings are being used. IoT technology is part of that transformation—when connected and integrated properly, it helps provide the operational, asset, and usage data necessary to make critical decisions. Highlighted IoT Use Cases and Examples IoT tech enables teams to proactively predict when they’ll need to perform maintenance. For example, sensors connected to a network can monitor assets throughout their lifecycles, capturing data showing when and how certain types of equipment break down. Teams can then look at this data and better predict when they might need to do preventive maintenance on (or even fully replace) equipment in the future. This data enables teams to optimize their repair schedules, so they spend less time on corrective maintenance. IoT devices can also make it much easier for organizations to be energy efficient. By connecting smart HVAC systems and using sensors to monitor temperature and air quality, facilities teams know how much energy they need to heat or cool their buildings. When paired with sensors that monitor how many people are in a specific space, they can track when to turn down the heating/cooling systems (if, for instance, there is no one in a particular conference room or floor). When all the data between sensors is collected in one place, they can start seeing long-term trends and proactively forecasting how much energy they’ll need. Additionally, IoT tech helps monitor and track the status and location of different assets. If a sensor identifies that a critical piece of equipment has an issue, it can automatically send an alert to a technician with the location and status of the equipment. This is especially helpful in an environment where equipment is moved often—such as a hospital or lab setting, where a device (such as a monitor) might be moved between floors. How Nuvolo Connected Workplace Can Help When you have so many different devices, networks, and data types connected to the network, it can take effort to make sense of all that information. The Nuvolo Facilities Maintenance product breaks down the silos between disparate systems and departments so you can utilize your IoT tech more effectively. By having one single platform with all data and information relating to assets, spaces, and locations, you can more clearly visualize your information and make long-term decisions. Nuvolo helps you: Prioritize, assign, and manage all the work required of your maintenance teams. Visualize the data, so you can better manage your technicians, vendors, equipment, facilities, and costs. Improve employee satisfaction by giving your facilities maintenance team the tools and information they need to perform their jobs. Interested in learning more? Check out Facilities Maintenance or reach out to us. Share
