The Guide to Occupancy Sensors

Occupancy sensors work by detecting motion and changes in their environment; each sensing technology does this in a different way, for example:

• Basic PIR (passive infrared) sensors detect movement and changes in their field of view. These sensors are simple, providing basic occupied or un-occupied data. A common example of a PIR sensor is a desk sensor that is typically placed on the underside of a desk and is used to detect and report desk occupancy.
• Ultrasonic sensors emit high-frequency sound waves, outside of human hearing range, and use the doppler effect of returning sounds waves to detect people.
• Time of flight infrared sensors use a similar principle as ultrasonic sensors; however, instead of sound, they use infrared light. By emitting invisible infrared light, AI onboard these sensors learns their surroundings and detect changes when people pass by. These are advanced sensors that count people and can provide accurate data for occupancy levels and space utilization.

Advanced occupancy sensors are typically installed in strategic locations to pick up motion in high-traffic or isolated areas. Designed to be discreet, they are typically ceiling-mounted devices that detect individuals and groups entering or exiting a zone – building, floor, room, etc. 

The data collected is then transmitted to a cloud-based platform where AI algorithms can calculate real-time occupancy levels and space utilisation. From here, reliable data can be integrated with other systems such as lighting, HVAC or booking systems when predetermined levels are reached.

Office hygiene is a considerable challenge for businesses around the world –  in the UK businesses lose £13.7 billion annually due to the problem. 

Bathroom occupancy sensors give your facilities management team anonymous insight into washroom usage, allowing for cleaning staff to be deployed when a certain quota of visitors is reached. By receiving automatic notifications, your ablution facilities will be regularly attended to, and users can rest assured that their health and hygiene is prioritized – something that will be of high concern with the return to work post-COVID.    

Effective management of washrooms reduces maintenance costs, ensuring that these facilities are seen to when necessary and before issues become hazardous.  

Businesses and managers of public environments are increasingly conscious of the detrimental effects that poor washroom facilities could have on an organization's reputation.

Prospective employees or patrons will feel disinclined to accept a role or support a business that does not place importance on the hygiene and wellbeing of the occupants who frequent its premises. 

The application of occupancy sensors in the workplace has expanded to helping businesses comply with social distancing regulations implemented due to COVID-19. The sensors enable your business to easily monitor the number of employees in the building or within individual floors or spaces, such as washrooms, canteens, meeting rooms, reception and collaboration areas. 

This is a crucial step towards getting employees back in the office as it enhances safety measures by ensuring that capacity limits are not exceeded. For example, cleaning and maintenance staff can decide on the frequency of cleaning required based on data collected by discrete washroom occupancy sensors or be alerted when a hot desk has become unoccupied to sanitize the area and equipment. As a result, your employees can see that efforts have been made to prioritise their health and wellbeing, helping to reduce any concerns or anxieties about returning.

The real value in installing occupancy detection sensors is the data you can collect and analyse to help you make more practical and ROI based decisions. 

COVID-19 has caused a shift in attitude regarding remote working, making it necessary for traditional office environments to transform. Businesses will have to review their office layout to accommodate the new role employees will expect it to aid as well as optimise or reduce space that is no longer required as a result of fewer employee numbers using the building.

Your decisions to renovate, improve, or enhance a space need to be fact-based. With the implementation of occupancy sensor technology, you can have access to data that:

• Helps you understand exactly how occupants use your building.
• Verifies underutilised spaces.
• Captures the flow of occupants throughout a space. 
  
  

With the help of this data, you can action the best and most effective processes to manage usage, hygiene, maintenance, and energy consumption.

It's likely that the influence of COVID-19 on how we utilise commercial space will be long-lasting. Occupancy sensor data can help you to create optimal working conditions for your employees through understanding how they are actually interacting with the space you provide them. This will help your business to remain flexible and to easily adapt when new challenges arise.

For more information on how we've helped our partners get results from their occupancy sensors, view our case studies and resources here.