Build Facilities Management Awards 2016

Build 2016 Facilities Management Awards 22 he Internet of Things (IoT) presents many new opportunities in FM, and many businesses are looking to understand and analyse how this technology will impact and integrate with their existing IT structure and management strategies. SPICA Technologies helps companies bridge this gap. The firm’s team of experts work in partnership with clients to ensure that they are able to navigate and maximise the benefits that connected devices are able to bring. Tim discusses the firm’s mission to revolutionise the market. “Our mission here at SPICA is to help revolutionise the FM industry with the proliferation of IOT-based products; enabling FMs to offer completely new services, and better, cheaper existing services, to their clients. Ultimately, we want to raise the profile of IOT solutions, and for IOT to become a de facto tool that FM’s look to acquire and integrate in their businesses, in the same way that CAFM and BMS are today. “To achieve this we work in partnership with our clients to ensure that they are able to maximise the benefits that IOT is able to bring - both to the bottom line and to a wide range of operational practices.” Within the facilities management space, executives face ever-growing pressure to improve the efficiency of their estates: Improving reliability and efficiency, ensuring operational continuity, managing the increasing com- plexity of buildings, merging legacy buildings and their systems with facilities expansions, maintaining aging infrastructure, and improving reporting and compliance are prime examples, along with the familiar challenge of “doing more with less.” Accessing useful evidence-based data to make informed decisions has typically been very difficult, being either based on inaccurate manual read- ings, or patchy point-in-time information from traditional BMS systems. The Internet of Things (IOT) offers alternative mechanisms for success, using simple, low-cost sensor devices to provide valuable contextualised data in real-time. This is a key enabler in providing Smart, Resilient, Sustainable and Productive buildings, which SPICA can help deliver via forward thinking FM providers. One example of the type of simple, retrofit Internet of Things Technology offerings that SPICA have developed for the Hard FM sector is a real-time water system monitoring solution for Legionella control. devicepoint™ for Healthy Water replaces traditional manual techniques with connected devices; taking real-time data readings on pipe temperature which feed into the devicepoint™ dashboard for easy remote access. This innovative and first-of-a-kind IOT solution offers huge cost savings, better accuracy to exceed regulatory requirements, and a pro-active approach to tackling this widespread health risk. By eliminating regular manual testing work, the risk of a water system being contaminated with Legionella is significantly reduced for a fraction of the current typical cost. The benefits of Internet of Things powered systems such as this are numerous in many domestic and work environments, as we move towards a future of Smart Cities. The firm will be looking to continue to build upon its portfolio of solutions and offer new, innovative solutions which meet the ever evolving needs of the facilities management market, as Tim concludes. “Currently we have a portfolio of new hard and soft FM services we are building out for launch in 2017 as well as expanding into Europe and the US. One interesting project we are currently undertaking is with Man- chester CityVerve, the £10m government backed Smart City demonstrator programme. “As one of the key consortium partners our focus is on environmental monitoring and energy management within ‘legacy’ buildings. These Best Intelligent Building IoT Solutions Company - UK SPICA are a specialist FM Internet of Things Solutions Provider, offering a suite of services for both Hard and Soft FM. Co-Founder and Sales and Marketing Director Tim Streather talks us through the firm and how these innovative solutions are changing the face of the market for the better. T FM160036 Company: SPICA Technologies Ltd Name: Tim Streather, Co-Founder / Sales and Marketing Director Email: [email protected] Web Address: www.spicatech.co.uk Twitter @spicatech Address: SPICA Technologies Ltd, iCentrum Building, Innovation Birmingham Campus, Holt Street, Birmingham B7 4BP Telephone: 0330 120 0345