Facility services provider ISS has signed a deal with IBM to use Watson IoT to help it transform buildings right around the world.
Based in Copenhagen, ISS is currently one of the world’s largest private employers with half a million people on its books.
They manage everything from concierge to cleaning, catering to technical maintenance for high-profile clients such as Rolls-Royce, Nordea, Novartis and the UK’s Royal Air Force.
Transforming building management
As a result of this agreement, ISS will be able to capitalise on IBM’s Watson IoT platform and other technologies to transform the products and services offered to building owners globally.
The firm says the main goal here is to make buildings more personalised, intuitive and user-friendly by integrating and analysing data from millions of sensors embedded in doors, windows, chairs, meeting rooms, dispensers and air conditioning systems.
Capitalising on cloud
This data will be sent to the Watson IoT cloud platform, and will be used to help cognitive computing technologies optimise ISS services. Staff will also get an insight into how people use buildings, creating more opportunities for innovation.
For instance, sensors embedded into doors and entrance areas would be able to tell a real-estate manager how many people are in a building at a given time.
And sensors on plate dispensers could help kitchen staff work out how many people need to eat, helping them prepare the right amount of food – while avoiding wastage.
ISS has already fitted its headquarters with hundreds of sensors linked up to Watson and a facilities management software, allowing it to improve room bookings and aid catering services for the 250 staff based in the building. The next phase will be to fit the tech in client facilities.
Watson IoT the game-changer
Jeff Gravenhorst, CEO of ISS, believes this tech will be game-changer for his company’s customers. “In today’s highly competitive market, managing and servicing buildings should no longer just be about cost,” he said.
“With a dashboard overview of key building metrics displayed on mobile devices, facility managers will benefit from an integrated, real-time view of the services and supplies within their buildings enabling them to adopt a more pro-active, flexible and responsive approach to building management and customised service delivery.
“Putting real time data into the hands of service staff will help to foster more attentive and service-minded employees, supporting our customers in achieving their priorities. Putting a ‘human touch’ in buildings helps to increase employee productivity, decrease absenteeism and makes a better impression on visitors.”
Harriet Green, general manager of IBM Watson IoT, said: “With this agreement we are taking the power of technology and the power of service and putting those together to enable ISS to make buildings better for their users.
“The key thing is to find out how people will work in the future. By analysing data from sensors we are helping ISS to uncover new insight that will help to ensure buildings are the kinds of places where people want to be, not just need to be.”
Related: Airbus leveraging IoT and IBM’s Watson for connected aircraft