Facility Maintenance Companies and Smart Building innovations

Facility Maintenance Companies and  Smart Building innovations

The landscape of building operations is undergoing a profound transformation. Traditionally, facility maintenance companies relied on manual inspections and reactive repairs to keep properties running. Today, the integration of digital technology is shifting the industry toward a more proactive, data-driven model.

At the heart of this change is the ability to extract and centralise data from various building assets. By simplifying building management, technology allows providers to improve building performance while cutting operational costs. For modern maintenance providers, staying competitive now requires a deep embrace of smart building technology.

Wattsense provides the foundational technology to make this transition seamless. By offering an interoperable solution to collect and centralise data, we enable facility maintenance companies to save time and deliver superior service to their clients.

Challenges facing modern facility maintenance companies in the UK

In the UK, the pressure on property managers has never been higher. Legislative changes, rising energy prices, and the push toward Net Zero have changed the expectations for building performance. Facility maintenance companies must now prove they can manage assets with maximum efficiency.

However, achieving this efficiency is often hindered by technical barriers. Many buildings are equipped with a patchwork of systems from different eras, making it difficult to gain a holistic view of the property’s health.

rising operational costs and energy efficiency demands

One of the primary hurdles for facility maintenance companies is the sharp increase in operational costs. Labor, fuel for site visits, and the rising price of replacement parts are squeezing margins across the sector.

Simultaneously, clients are demanding higher levels of energy efficiency. In the UK, failing to meet Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) can result in significant fines. Maintenance teams are now expected to be energy experts, identifying waste in real-time rather than waiting for a monthly utility bill.

The problem with legacy systems and siloed data

Most existing buildings operate on a legacy Building Management System (BMS) that were never designed for modern connectivity. These systems often use proprietary protocols that can make it more difficult to access and collect data from different types of equipment. 

This siloed data makes it nearly impossible for facility managers to implement cross-system optimisations. When a boiler can't "talk" to the ventilation system, or when wireless sensors can't integrate with the wired infrastructure, the building remains inefficient. Overcoming this lack of BMS interoperability is the first step toward modern facility management.

How connectivity transforms Facility Management services

Smart Building connectivity is the bridge between traditional maintenance and modern operational excellence. When building systems are connected to a unified network, the way services are delivered changes fundamentally.

Connectivity or high interoperability removes the guesswork from maintenance. Instead of following a rigid calendar for inspections, teams can respond to the actual condition and performance of the equipment. This ensures that resources are always deployed where they are needed most.

Moving from reactive to predictive maintenance

The most significant shift enabled by an IoT gateway is the move from reactive to predictive maintenance. In a reactive model, equipment is fixed after it fails, often leading to emergency call-out fees and tenant dissatisfaction.

With predictive maintenance, sensors monitor variables like vibration, temperature, and power draw. When data indicates that a component is likely to fail, the system triggers an alert.

• Reduced downtime for critical systems like HVAC and elevators.
• Extended asset lifespan by preventing catastrophic failures.
• Better inventory management for spare parts based on predicted needs.
• Higher tenant satisfaction through consistent building performance.

Remote monitoring: reducing site visits and carbon footprint

Remote monitoring is a game-changer for facility maintenance companies managing large or geographically dispersed portfolios. By using an IoT gateway to push data to the cloud, technicians can diagnose issues without ever leaving the office.

This capability significantly reduces the number of "truck rolls" or site visits required for routine checks. Reducing vehicle mileage not only lowers operational costs but also directly contributes to a smaller carbon footprint for the maintenance provider, aligning with corporate sustainability goals.

Wattsense: the connectivity technology for Facility Maintenance

Wattsense is designed to eliminate the technical friction that often stops smart building projects. Our solution is composed of hardware and software that simplifies the way data is retrieved from onsite equipment.

By acting as a universal translator, Wattsense provides the Smart Building connectivity needed to turn any facility into a high-performing asset. We focus on centralising data so that facility managers or any other building operator can focus on what they do best: keeping buildings running perfectly.

Universal interoperability: integrating BACnet, Modbus, and LoRaWAN

True BMS interoperability requires the ability to communicate with both old and new technology. The Wattsense solution supports all major building protocols, ensuring that no piece of equipment is left behind.

• BACnet: Connect to modern HVAC controllers and primary building automation networks.
• Modbus: Extract data from power meters, boilers, and industrial-grade equipment.
• LoRaWAN: Integrate long-range wireless sensors for CO2, occupancy, or temperature without expensive cabling.

By unifying BACnet, Modbus, and LoRaWAN into a single stream, Wattsense allows facility maintenance companies to build a comprehensive digital twin of the building’s operations.

Wattsense also integrates other communication protocols such as KNX, M-Bus and LPB.

Plug & Play installation: saving time for integrators

Time is the most valuable resource for an integrator. Traditional BMS integrations can take days of manual wiring and complex software mapping. Wattsense changes this with a plug & play philosophy.

Our IoT gateway is designed for rapid deployment. With remote configuration capabilities, technicians can remotely configurate and monitor devices. This drastically reduces the time spent on-site, allowing facility maintenance companies to scale their smart building offerings across dozens of sites quickly and efficiently.

Tailored solutions for maintenance providers and property owners

Every building has unique requirements. A large residential portfolio has different needs than a single small commercial office. Wattsense offers three distinct solutions to ensure every project has the right level of connectivity and control.

These solutions are designed to grow with your needs, from simple data retrieval to complex local automation. They provide the flexibility required to manage diverse building portfolios under one unified strategy.

The Bridge: local gateway for on-site supervision

The Wattsense Bridge is the most innovative open, interoperable IoT gateway on the market. It is an on-premise solution specifically designed for distributors and integrators focused on local data acquisition.

The Bridge  acts as the foundational solution for connecting equipment to an existing Building Management System or simply collecting data locally.

• Real-time data: act with real-time information. Make informed decisions, respond quickly to events, and improve operational efficiency.
• Local Redirection: redirect data from LoRaWAN to BACnet, Modbus to bridge the gap between buildings and IoT technologies.
• Remote configuration: Manage gateway settings from anywhere in the world.
• Flexibility: Ideal for integrating new LoRaWAN sensors into an older, wired BMS.

Tower Lift: Cloud connectivity for PropTech qnalytics

For companies that want to leverage data for advanced analytics, Tower Lift is the perfect choice. It focuses on efficient and secure data retrieval, providing powerful cloud connectivity without the need for on-site automation.

Tower Lift is the IoT solution for solving building connectivity issues and deploying third party apps. It features API integration and webhooks to push data directly to Energy Management Systems or PropTech platforms for billing, predictive maintenance, and performance tracking.

Tower Control: complete automation for small and medium sized buildings

Tower Control is our "Light BMS" solution. It is designed for small and medium-sized  buildings, such as post offices, supermarkets or retail stores, where a full-scale BMS would be too expensive or complex.

This solution provides a full suite of tools for monitoring and optimizing building performance.

• Automation scenarios: Create custom rules to reduce energy waste.
• Scheduling: Implement time-based controls for equipment.
• Remote alarms: Receive instant notifications for critical equipment events.
• Dashboards: Visualize building data through intuitive, customisable graphs.

Future-proofing building portfolios with data-driven insights

The future of property management belongs to those who control their data. For facility maintenance companies, the ability to provide data-driven insights is no longer a luxury,it is a requirement for long-term survival.

By implementing an open and interoperable IoT gateway, providers can future-proof their clients' assets. As new sensors and software platforms emerge, a connected building can easily adapt without requiring a total infrastructure overhaul.

Wattsense simplifies this journey. We provide the tools to centralise data, improve building performance, and significantly reduce operational costs. Partnering with Wattsense allows facility maintenance companies to lead the smart building revolution, delivering efficient, sustainable, and high-performing environments for years to come.