Each day, facilities data becomes more critical to the successful management of institutional and commercial buildings. Big Data arrived in facilities more than a decade ago, and since then, many maintenance and engineering managers have struggled to determine the most effective ways to tap into its power to benefit their departments and organizations.
From finding the most appropriate data to gathering and storing it effectively and then developing strategies for producing tangible results from the process, challenges have often thwarted organizations’ efforts to benefit from facilities management data. By better understanding the benefits and challenges of data analysis, as well as misconceptions about the process, managers can take full advantage of facilities data as an essential resource.
Before managers can tap into facilities data as a way to achieve goals related to condition, performance and sustainability, they need to better understand the benefits of the process and where to find the most appropriate data.
“Maximizing facilities data enables more thoughtful, integrated building operations that can save building owners and operators both time and money and utilize their resources to the highest and best use,” says Eric Hoffman, vice president and national healthcare sector leader with Project Management Advisors. “Connecting disparate systems that aren’t currently communicating allows for predictive analysis, such as anticipating equipment failures before they occur or proactively scheduling maintenance, which in turn can optimize budget planning and inventory management.”
The range of benefits relates to a host of issues that are critical for managers and their organizations.
“The benefits are clear: reduced cost, lower energy consumption, happier occupants — because you can focus your efforts on where they will be — and more resilient operations,” says Paul Morgan, chief operating officer for work dynamics at JLL.
Managers potentially have access to a range of sources for data, given the spread of facilities technology in recent years, but accessing these pools of data can be challenging.
“Data is often scattered across various systems – CMMS, BMS, space management software, IoT platforms and more – that don’t communicate with each other,” Morgan says. “This lack of integration makes it difficult to get a holistic view of facility performance.”
One critical step at this point in the process is to locate the most appropriate and accessible sources of facilities data to help managers achieve their goals.
“Identify and source the data,” Morgan says. “Determine how clean the sources are and what process needs to be implemented to ensure consistency and quality of the data for use.”
Building automation systems (BAS) in particular gather a large amount of valuable data on the condition and performance of key facility systems.
“BAS are a primary source for valuable data, but the real magic for facilities managers and owners lies in integrating data from multiple databases,” Hoffman says. “Systems like work order management, resource scheduling, inventory tracking and budgeting can work together, creating a comprehensive, interconnected system that allows for predictive insights, planning, operations and resource management.”
While many managers oversee facilities that have such building technology at their disposal for gathering information, not all do.
“We’ve seen the gamut, from still doing pencil and paper management for their assets all the way to really sophisticated CMMS or work management systems tied in with asset management systems,” says Dan Webb, integrated automation technical director with Henderson Engineers. “Most buildings today when they are designed should have a building management system or building automation system, but a lot of existing buildings do not. Most should have some sort of operational data. Whether they can access it, whether it’s too old to access, that’s another question.”
In such cases, a less technical approach still can yield important data for managers to tap into.
“One (resource) that a lot of people don’t think about is an asset register,” Webb says. “Creating an asset register for all of your facilities assets is a fantastic place to start because when you start with asset data as a cornerstone, you can build context onto that data. Do you have Excel files, or do you have any other data sources that have asset information? Compile that into a register that you can utilize to track various things.”
With the benefits of facilities data analysis clearly in mind and desirable pools of data identified, managers can turn to finalizing the goals of the project.
“The most important step out of the whole process is to define your objectives and define your use cases for the data,” Webb says. “You can gather all the data in the world, but if you don’t have a way to use it, an intended purpose for it, then it’s worthless.”
Efforts to improve the condition and performance of facilities are complex projects that touch a range of areas in organizations, so managers also need to take steps to secure the support and buy-in of interested parties in these areas.
“It is also important to ensure strategic alignment with all facility stakeholders and find ways to transform raw data into actionable insights that can optimize resource allocation for people, materials and equipment,” Hoffman says. “To do this, you need to create a system that can automatically predict maintenance needs, schedule resources efficiently, and ultimately reduce manual administrative work.”
Among the challenges managers are likely to face is the issue of data reliability.
“Equally important is that inaccurate, incomplete or inconsistent data is a frequent problem,” Morgan says. “This stems from manual data entry errors, outdated information (particularly in asset registers), or poorly maintained systems. Flawed data leads to flawed analysis.” Buildings across an organization’s real estate portfolio often use different naming conventions, units of measure or data formats, which makes it difficult to aggregate and compare data across the portfolio.
Managers also need to be aware of the human influence on the process — specifically, the impact of differences among workers in the way they view and treat the data they generate in their daily tasks.
“There is also a generational gap in facilities management right now,” Hoffman says. “Many teams are led by older managers who have not yet taken the opportunity to implement a more complex integrated data process to smooth out their workflows. Not understanding how to utilize technology results in key systems not being used to their full potential, and often, staff will fall back on the, ‘This is always how we’ve done it’ trap.”
The role of data in facilities management continues to evolve as more parties in organizations buy into its benefits and managers are able to deliver tangible results from the process. Still, the process comes with myths and misconceptions that can derail managers’ good intentions.
“One misconception is that you have to have an immediate ROI,” Webb says. “That’s not true. You will see an ROI as you build on those use cases and those objectives. As you learn to leverage the data to do things with it, that’s when you build your ROI case.”
Morgan says these are among additional misconceptions:
More data leads to better results. “It’s not the quantity. It’s the quality and applicability to the results you are trying to drive.”
Technology can solve your data problem. “While technology plays a crucial role, it’s not the only factor. Success depends on having the right people, processes and organizational culture in place. Technology is an enabler, but it won’t solve problems on its own.”
An organization must make a huge investment to maximize data. “While significant investments may be necessary for large-scale implementations, organizations can start small and gradually scale their efforts. Focusing on quick wins and demonstrating value early on can help build momentum and justify further investments.”
Managers also can make the mistake of not effectively assessing the state of their facilities’ technology and data. Specifically, Hoffman says, managers often assume that their current systems or processes are sufficient and do not need to be improved.
“In reality, they are operating with fragmented, non-communicative databases that are holding them back,” he says. “Efficient facilities data utilization isn’t something that’s coming in the future. It’s already here.
“There are an array of systems and technologies that are readily available for implementation, and facilities that haven't yet plugged those into their building management processes are already being left behind by their more tech-savvy competitors.”
“Without robust data collection, integration and analysis capabilities, managers are essentially operating in the dark,” Morgan says, adding that the strategic implementation of data from platforms including CMMS and BMS can help managers centralize critical information, as well as transform raw data into actionable intelligence.
“Organizations that invest in comprehensive data management solutions gain a competitive advantage through predictive maintenance, optimized resource allocation, and enhanced decision-making,” he says. “As buildings become increasingly complex and connected, the ability to harness diverse data streams will separate industry leaders from those struggling to keep pace with evolving stakeholder expectations and sustainability requirements.”
Dan Hounsell is senior editor for the facilities market. He has more than 30 years of experience writing about facilities maintenance, engineering and management.
