Leading UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek, has launched its remote monitoring solution leveraging the Internet of Things (IoT) through a pilot project at select Aster facilities in UAE.
Data collection and analysis
The project makes use of sensors located at select Aster pharmacies and clinics that record temperature changes and energy consumption based on current voltage, along with other data including footfall. These statistics are then collated by a remote management system, which provides live readings to Farnek technicians.
The data is then driven by Machine Learning (ML) and an artificial intelligence (AI) based analytical platform, producing timely alerts, analytical reports and dashboards that can be used for day-to-day and predictive maintenance, forecasting and planning.
Thresholds can be set and benchmarked against similar facilities and assets and if these values are exceeded, alerts are sent in real time to a 24/7 command centre and technical teams who can take appropriate action through the use of mobility solutions. The platform uses encryption protocols to safeguard the data with bank grade security.
The future of facilities management
“Introduction of the smart system at these select facilities will enable us to set a model for IoT enabled facilities management aimed at bringing in energy efficient and effective management which would enhance a customer’s experience with Aster. With plans to extend the set-up to all Aster clinics, pharmacies and hospitals, the introduction is in alignment with Aster’s ESG goals,” said Hanie Abdul Sathar, Director of EuroHealth Systems, the company managing the project for Aster.
“The project highlights how we can provide practical business intelligence to our customers and as such add real value to our market proposition. Data about footfall, can be extremely valuable to our clients. If they correlated footfall with revenue and product portfolio over regular periods and benchmarked that with other stores in different locations, it could initiate changes in stock ordering or opening times. It could also help managers plan their staffing requirements to cover heavy demand periods,” said Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek.
“This is an extremely exciting juncture for FM. It is where ML and AI come into play as we are harnessing big data from all participating Aster locations. That immediately gives us a valuable benchmark,” commented Kelvin Vargheese, Senior Director – Total Facilities Management, Farnek.
“With measurement thresholds agreed and set, if the temperature goes beyond a certain point, we know exactly where the problem is and a maintenance team can be dispatched to rectify the issue, unless the external variables are in question. This is the future of predictive facilities management,” he added.
Farnek also works on smart washroom technology and has developed its own smartwatch technology.
