Complex IoT Deployment Tracking
Customer Profile
The Challenge
The commercial property in question was over 1.6 million square foot campus consisting of three large buildings in a major US City. The unique historical space, designated a Heritage building by the Planning Authority, was known for having the most modern and exclusive offices in the city. In addition to the workspace, the office floors boasted large hallways and an array of amenities including casual meeting areas, huddle rooms, and conference areas for more formal meetings.
It was imperative to JLL that the high-traffic campus experience minimal downtime during the retrofit and that the IoT deployment software used to support the campus’ IoT systems could precisely track a large volume of IoT devices.
JLL was aware that high quality post-installation as-built documentation was crucial for future device maintenance and support of the large campus. The GreenLight IoT mobile GLS app and Advanced Provisioning Platform would enable JLL to obtain accurate digital as-built documentation easily during the IoT retrofit, which would prove to be integral to the overall success of the project.
The Solution
The standard procedure for building digital as-built docs involved manual scanning of IEEE stickers with a hard copy floor plan and multiple points of data, which made device deployment unreliable, time consuming and inefficient. The manual method also required that a specialized technician be on site during the deployment process.
With the GreenLight IoT APP, on-site contractors would simply place the IEEE device stickers in a workbook next to the corresponding device location and scan the physical workbook with the mobile GLS application. After the install information had been transferred from the app to the APP, a remote deployment technician would produce a real time punch list for the on-site contractor to reference a physical blueprint and address any deficiencies.
The APP allowed onsite contractors to address device issues in real-time, minimizing downtime. The digital as-built documentation and remote deployment eliminated the need for manual data entry greatly reducing human error.
As devices were being installed and scanned into the digital workbook, a third party used the APP to remotely provision the newly installed hardware. All provisioning was able to be completed remotely by a skilled technician which greatly reduced site-time. The ability to deploy during the installation was key to reducing site impact for the client.
The GreenLight IoT automated punch list features also gave the real estate service company the ability to leverage up to date punch lists and reporting functionality. This gave the JLL team the ability to hold the contractors accountable to ensure a quality product for their client. Technicians overseeing the deployment of the campus would update any deficiency on the APP alerting on-site contractors.
By leveraging the GLS mobile application, contractors were able to identify device issues, determine the type of error and deploy a solution immediately, mitigating the client’s operational interruption during the project. The easy to follow and up-to-date punch lists allowed contractors the ability to address device errors in real-time.
Finally, GreenLight IoT ensured that their smart building strategy included additions that would positively impact the productivity and comfort of the campus occupants. A room finder application utilized occupancy data from the building’s smart sensors to broadcast room availability on LCD screens located throughout the campus buildings and in every elevator lobby.
Indicator lights were installed outside of huddle rooms to give another layer of visibility to easily signal unoccupied rooms. These modifications allowed JLL’s client to utilize the office space in a more productive way and offer a more human-centric work environment to the occupants.
The Results
Over 6500 edge devices and 100 gateways were used for JLL’s Fortune 500 client site. All devices were provisioned through the Advanced Provisioning Platform and were certified error free at the time of deployment. An error free deployment ensured that JLL was able to immediately glean vital building occupancy and environmental data that would help them service the large campus in the most effective way.
The digital as-built documentation that was provided through the GreenLight IoT APP offered JLL the ability to pinpoint all data points in the IoT infrastructure making future device maintenance and retrofits fast and easy. On-site maintenance crews would now have the ability to address any building tickets related to smart building infrastructure immediately, allowing the Fortune 500 client to effectively troubleshoot IoT issues with minimum downtime.
Furthermore, data received from the IoT sensors would also allow JLL to accurately gauge critical insights for commercial property managers in the post-Covid-19 work culture such as dwelling activity and occupant behaviors. Insights into occupant behavior, indoor environment quality and building utilization would allow JLL to continue to lead the industry in human-centric, cost-effective smart building management.
