A MATTER OF IoT
We’ve entered an age where the world is far smaller than it has ever been before. Not geographically, obviously, but in the sense of the space between us as humans. Technology and the innovations within it are connecting us in ways that, 20 years ago, regular folks wouldn’t have even dreamed of. The lives we live today would seem something out of a science fiction novel. But technology continues to progress at an unfathomable rate, bringing with it new ventures and bestowing abilities faster than we can get comfortable with them. As communications between us change, become more efficient and allow for interactions unique to our generation, technology also changes the world around us – specifically, the spaces in which we live out our lives. Our homes and workplaces are becoming increasingly connected and innovative, whether that’s by speaking to us, by listening to our desires and accommodating them or by turning our offices and buildings into interactive, responsive entities, they’re no longer the voiceless boxes they once were.
And, as buildings change, so too does the way in which they are managed. The Internet of Things (IoT) is bringing fundamental change to the facility management industry. It is proving to be the new frontier – and FMs need to be brave enough to dive into this uncharted territory in order to embrace the future and the new chapter of FM.
FM AND IoT
Many industries in the modern world utilise IoT by some means and insimPRO says that, in order to remain relevant and keep up with the rapidly changing world in which they perform, these industries must embrace the next phase of business evolution. Through IoT, an immense online network has been created that allows previously unrelated technology to combine forces and speak to each other – and this creates new functions and generates new levels of convenience for facility managers. simPRO director Curtis Thomson says that IoT projects have moved well beyond initial trials and proof of concepts and are being actively rolled out by leading service companies and manufacturers.
