The Power of Data-driven Solutions: How Innovkez Increased Facility Management Efficiency for their Clients in Singapore

Customer A, a facility management company, struggled with manpower shortages. This affected their ability to consistently provide reliable services to their customers, such as waste bin emptying and toilet cleaning. As a result, they faced penalties for not meeting service level agreements, leading to a significant dip in their income.

To address this issue, they sought a solution that would allow them to monitor waste bin fill status across shopping complexes and ensure clean toilets with timely replenishment of consumables. Traditional manual monitoring methods proved inefficient, time-consuming, and error-prone.

This led Customer A to Innovkez's IoT technology services. This automation of waste bin and toilet monitoring aimed to enhance their facility management services and minimize service level agreement breaches.

However, implementing this solution wasn't without its challenges. The primary obstacle was the infrastructure and wiring requirements. Traditional implementation methods were impractical due to these constraints.

The solution was an IoT setup that could function wirelessly, transmitting data over a long range without complex wiring infrastructure. LoRaWAN® technology was chosen for its long-range, low-power wireless connectivity.

In addition to this, a cost-effective and reliable gateway for LoRaWAN was needed to transmit sensor data to the cloud platform. The RAK gateways for LoRaWAN were selected for their affordability, features, and LTE data transmission capability, which facilitated easy indoor deployment of the solution.

Innovkez addressed the problem of staff shortages and the need for improved facility management services by suggesting an IoT solution. They deployed LoRaWAN Waste Bin sensors in Singapore's two largest shopping centers and a Class A office building in the Financial Center.

They installed 120 waste bin sensors to monitor the fill levels of bins throughout these complexes. These sensors send data via LoRaWAN through RAK7268CV2 gateways to a cloud platform. This platform processes the data and sends service notifications to cleaners through mobile apps. Regular updates, including when bins reach full capacity, help ensure timely waste removal, maintaining the cleanliness of bins especially in hawker centers and eateries. The system also helps keep toilets clean and well-stocked.

The visual platform gives key users, like building facility management teams and Innovkez support teams, a dashboard showing sensor statuses, including bin fill sensors and toilet paper and soap level sensors among others. The mobile app sends notifications to cleaners, telling them precisely where bins or toilets need cleaning.

Cleaners acknowledge notifications and confirm task completion using an electronic checklist. They can also report other issues or request additional tasks, such as reporting a damaged soap dispenser. The integrated facility management system includes various modules, one of which is an electronic job management system with checklist and reporting features.

Due to constraints with infrastructure and wiring requirements, they used the LTE version of the WisGate Edge Lite 2, better suited for indoor use. This allowed the gateways to be concealed in false ceilings, out of sight from the public, as requested by the client.

This requirement, along with challenging indoor environments (multi-basement levels, water fountains, glass panels, concrete/steel structures), warranted the use of multiple gateways to ensure sufficient signal coverage.

The IoT solution's implementation has enhanced the quality of facility management services. This approach has been applied to Class A office buildings in Singapore's Financial Centers. There are also several projects on the horizon, such as installing waste bin sensors in office buildings and university complexes, monitoring restrooms, and tracking power usage via LoRaWAN power meters or RS485 Power Meters linked to Modbus-LoRaWAN converters.

RAK gateways for LoRaWAN, specifically the WisGate Edge Lite 2, were selected for their cost-effectiveness, user-friendliness for indoor uses, and LTE data transmission availability.

Innovkez's visual platform gives key users a graphical dashboard showing the status of different sensors. The app also sends notifications to the appropriate cleaners to carry out maintenance work. The comprehensive facility management system includes various modules, like an electronic job/work order management system with checklist and reporting capabilities.

The successful roll-out of the IoT solution in Suntec City and Vivo City shopping centers has enabled Customer A to uphold their service level agreements and avoid penalties, thereby boosting their revenue.