detected , at the touch of a button . Along with the ability to track people within a space , and how they use it , a smart building can then begin to use predictive management , for instance switching water off at night or when a certain area is not in use . In a time when resources such as water and energy are scarce , the ability to monitor , control and even anticipate usage is vital for sustainability as well as cost savings . Solar energy is another area where IoT is coming to the fore , along with occupational health and safety ( OHS ), in terms of compliance , as well as functional requirements , your smart building can even tell you when to water your plants . In short , from creating experiences to green building monitoring and sustainability , IoT is the future of FM .
Don ’ t ignore the challenges Malware , hackers and bots ( sophisticated automated hacking programmes , similar to worms or Trojans ) are all a threat to any internet-connected device . The solution is to ensure that the devices used to connect to and run this technology are separate to the devices ( such as smartphones and laptops ) that you use for work and personal business . However , that isn ’ t always possible , so it ’ s imperative that you also change all your passwords regularly ( and stay away from the obvious – birthdays , pet names , 1234 , Password ), and keep up to date with your antivirus software .
Privacy and the ethics of collecting personal data and monitoring people are another challenge , but it ’ s also more of a generational thing . Ask a Millennial how they feel about it , and most will say they aren ’ t bothered by the idea of Big Brother watching their every move – the benefits of technology far outweigh notions of privacy for them . For example , in the Netherlands , if you choose to have a public persona on your smart device , beacons track your daily movements and predict your behaviour based on your habits . You could be walking down a street in the city centre and have your phone alert you to the fact that your favourite boutique is having a sale at a branch 100m away . For some , this is an unacceptable invasion of privacy , for others , it ’ s a fantastic perk of predictive technology based on big data .
A comforting thought is that , for now at least , there ’ s very little that ’ s ominous about merely tracking feet through doors and general space usage in a building – your shopper cards already give away far more personal data than that with every swipe .
What is Big Data ? According to the Oxford online dictionary , big data is “ extremely large data sets that may be analysed computationally to reveal patterns , trends , and associations , especially relating to human behaviour and interactions .” All the data captured by smart devices is stored . Until recently it was cheaper to store it than to delete it , even though it wasn ’ t of any use . It ’ s pointless accumulating data just for the sake of having it – you need to know what to do with it . You need to know what data you want , why you want it , and how you ’ re going to use it to benefit your business . Once you have that knowledge , analysing the relevant data can give you important insights into many areas , from space utilisation to product flow , process management , water usage and so on . Big data can even lead to preventative and predictive maintenance , something that ’ s very close to the FM ’ s heart .
Where do we go from here ? South Africa is still in the early adopter phase of the Internet of Things . Systems and frameworks are slowly being put in place and the technology , such as smart lighting , is readily available but not widely used . New buildings are beginning to incorporate these technologies , and retrofitting is becoming a more mainstream option for existing buildings . We ’ re still in the early stages , but we haven ’ t been inexcusably slow off the starting blocks , either .
Laval says that in areas such as the GSM tracking space , South Africa has done very well and could even be considered industry leaders and innovators . We were also one of the first countries to do machineto-machine communication , which can be seen as a precursor to IoT . We also have good niche skills in terms of customised products for different business verticals – often necessary for deriving definitive business value , as well as good price points . With the private sector driving demand and legislation ( particularly in terms of green and sustainable buildings ) soon to follow , SA is hot on the heels of the global leaders .
DOES THIS MEAN THAT FM AS WE KNOW IT WILL BECOME OBSOLETE ?
Not necessarily . While industry experts acknowledge that FM professionals must move with the times , and that the job description of the FM of tomorrow will be quite different to that of today , there is still place for the FM as more than just a glorified IT manager . Tomorrow ’ s FM will be a complete workplace manager . All that big data needs to be shaped and used by someone , someone who understands the day-to-day processes of the built environment and the people within it , who understands how the two interact and affect each other , and how that data can be used to enhance and even create experiences .
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38 JUNE 2017 SA Real Estate Investor www . reimag . co . za