Businesses often approach technology investments with the mantra that more technology will help to increase profits by increasing sales or production. Selling more or being able to do more is often seen as the success metric that drives organizations to embrace technology. But the other end of the spectrum is driving efficiency using data and insight provided by technology such as Internet of Things (IOT).
Busy building and property managers are well accustomed to doing more with fewer resources. With more demands being placed on the operational side, every efficiency improvement can mean more hours in a day to devote to higher value activities with tenants. Most building managers are already using IOT in some form such as building energy management, HVAC system management and security systems. With the explosion of IOT devices over the last few years, it is a good time now to review the IOT landscape for opportunities to do less.
Building managers should consider what repetitive daily tasks and routines can be automated using IOT. For example, daily site checks to ensure that waste and recycling vendors are providing service as contracted can be eliminated using remote IOT container sensors that alert the building manager if the container has not been emptied. Instead of physically going to sites and manually verifying that the service has been completed, the manager can save effort on driving and walking and allocate less time to achieve the same outcome of ensuring a clean and safe site for building users.
The supplementary data gathered on waste and recycling container fill levels can then be used to reduce or increase waste and recycling pickup trips. It can also provide insight into building user behaviour, which helps with planning for future services and capital projects. Using IOT data as the guiding force, the workload on building and property managers can be reduced and operations streamlined.
With more and more connected devices available on the market, the temptation to connect everything from lightbulbs to doorbells is strong. But it pays to ask the question: do you really need more technology to do more, or more technology to do less?
Article submitted by RecycleSmart, provider of waste and recycling management services for commercial companies in Canada that want to maximize cost reduction, increase waste diversion and streamline daily operations.
