IoT solution bundle geared toward commercial office space
Occupant comfort, indoor air quality and space utilization in commercial office buildings are increasingly becoming important drivers for improving workplace productivity of employees.
Now, Deutsche Telekom, one of the largest telecommunications providers in Europe, has launched a new IoT bundle solution for commercial office buildings designed to monitor indoor air quality, optimize space utilization and improve energy efficiency.
“The internet of things and smart controls are fundamentally changing the way buildings are managed. This affects office buildings, airports, shopping centers as well as hospitals and administration buildings,” says Ingo Hofacker, responsible for the IoT business at Deutsche Telekom. “Digitally recorded data provides a more accurate understanding of employee habits, property usage and cost drivers.”
The IoT solution which was developed in close cooperation with Telekom real estate management Group Supply Services uses sensors and the Internet of Things (IoT) to ensure optimal indoor air quality and cleanliness which are essential to worker productivity and employee well being are maintained.
The IoT room sensors measure building temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide levels and occupant use and movements inside of buildings to detect how and which rooms are have been used to provide facility managers with insights into how to best save energy costs and cost-effective schedule maintenance. The data from sensors is collected in Telekom’s IoT platform called Connected Things Hub based on Microsoft Azure and can be analyzed in real-time using the company’s software.
Building or facility managers are alerted when values exceed the threshold and can make appropriate adjustments through the building’s control systems.
One of the primary advantages of the Telekom’s solution is that it goes beyond just helping facility managers to maintain air quality standards inside of buildings but also validates and provides proof that the employer or building owner has been operating within the air quality and room requirements set by regulators.
Researchers have found that poor indoor air quality can result in significant health issues. The EPA has identified indoor air quality as one of the top five most urgent environmental risks to public health for this reason both in the US and UK occupational health regulators have imposed stricter indoor quality standards in office buildings and schools.
The company says the data collected by sensors is kept encrypted and stored in accordance with German data privacy regulations.