UAE-based Adeptus Technologies helps the FM sector through its IoT platform

Adeptus Technologies has developed a wide range of applications using IoT technology that can be used in the FM industry

facilitiesmanagement October 2019 www.fm-middleeast.com

UAE-based Adeptus Technologies is a fast-growing player in the IoT, IIoT, IT and managed services domain. The firm’s in-house talent pool of developers and subject-matter experts have spawned an intelligent platform called, Building Talkz, which uses AI and machine learning. The platform works on the continuous collection of data from sensors, actuators and integrated technologies in the equipment or systems, which are then used for real-time monitoring and control, historical analysis or for future predictions. Machine Talkz is another solution by Adeptus available for applying similar logic to heavy equipment, machinery, and vehicles.

Ranjith Mathath, General Manager -Technology and Operations at Adeptus, says: “Real time monitoring and controlling of all buildings from a central location can reduce the operational cost of FM companies and can use their resources effectively. Adeptus has designed and built a command and control centre from which we are providing 24 X 7 managed services for buildings using latest IoT technology.”

The services include proactive performance assessment, and generating reports automatically, for both individual pieces of equipment and those consolidated across the portfolio as required. There is continuous commissioning of all the equipment in use to ensure that it is operating at optimum efficiency. There is also live fault detection and diagnostics (FDD), so that the client knows exactly what is causing problems and the remedies needed.

In addition, there is remote troubleshooting to examine problems in detail and take action, such as resetting control parameters or restarting systems; integration with ERP systems for automated work order generation and maintenance management; customised dashboards and automated reports tailored to each type of user; and secure cloud hosting that makes all the dashboards and reports available from any location on any web-enabled device, among other bouquet of services.

Mathath explains: “Operators will not be required to be in the building, and there will only be the maintenance team in the field with their vehicles connected to the IoT platform. Any alarms received from the buildings will be diagnosed, and the identified issues will be rectified remotely from the control room. Only those alarms which can’t be rectified remotely will be sent to the maintenance team on their mobile, who are near to the building, with a complete diagnostic report, and previous maintenance histories and suggestions.”

“FACILITIES MANAGEMENT TEAMS USING AI AND MACHINE LEARNING CAN MOVE FROM SERVICE PROVIDERS TO VALUE-ADDED PARTNERS AND BRING CLEAR BENEFITS TO COMPANIES OFFERING SUSTAINABILITY IN THE FACILITIES MANAGEMENT INDUSTRY.”

According to Mathath, the role of facilities management is evolving and building owners are increasingly expecting facilities management teams to be stakeholders and partners in the growth of the Building Management Services. He says: “The focus is now on the advantages in the sector and on operations with extensive experience of Integrated Facilities Management.

In addition, the teams are also expected to expand their roles as smart solution providers. Ina high cost, high expenditure and heavy maintenance industry, Integrated Facilities Management teams using Al and machine learning can move from service providers to value-added partners and bring clear benefits to companies offering sustainability in the facilities management industry.” It is essential that facility management services have management softwares that can not only collect and store a large amount of data but also analyse data and understand the implications for companies as a whole.

These ideas will be invaluable for informing facility management services policy. Internet objects have a rapid impact on the business world and a wide range of applications quickly transform a proven and truly office- based model. However, a Building Management Service is only useful if it is combined with the possibility of integrating as many technologies as possible and converting the collected data into actual changes. As such, it is essential that the finance department consult with its Integrated Facilities Management department to develop an IoT strategy.

AUTOMATION BUZZ

Mathath says that “convergence” is a now becoming a buzzword in facilities management as technological advances have been increasingly expanding the scope of work of facilities managers. He says: “The era of convergence is marked by the introduction of more machine- to-machine (M2M) technologies into the realm of facilities management, resulting in automation of various FM services and process. The integration of automation in facilities management is particularly important in light of the evolving and expanding requirements of customers. Indeed, with convergence comes the growing need for greater automation capabilities.

“Automation in itself delivers significant advantages that strongly support convergence of services under the scope of facilities management.

Real-time data processing, flexibility to integrate other forms of automation systems, enhanced security features and reduced overhead and energy costs are just a few of the important benefits of automation.”

Mathath believes that with the growing concern for environmental issues and challenges, automation also stands out as an ideal solution to streamline carbon emissions and boost efficiency in operations. Automation is not really just about deploying machines to perform various facilities management tasks, it is also about integrating people, processes, business systems and information into a seamless system that enables facilities managers to deliver a truly efficient, cost-effective and comprehensive FM solution.

He says: “Leading facility management companies are adopting automation technologies into its portfolio and this has helped them significantly expand their market scope, while boosting the level of satisfaction of their customers. Being a time and labour-intensive service industry, facilities management definitely benefits immensely from automation technologies. Moving forward, we should be looking to explore more opportunities to automate various processes and aspects of facilities management. Moreover, with the government and private institutions actively investing in more large- scale real estate development and infrastructure projects, we can expect automation to increasingly play a vital role in ensuring that we can deliver premium facilities management services that cater to the distinct needs of such complex facilities and structures.”

He concludes by saying that as the costs for automation and IoT technologies have reduced drastically, it is now affordable for building owners or small-scale FM companies with limited number of buildings or equipment. “The return on investment in subscribing to IoT services are much more attractive now, further reducing OPEX.”