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An occupancy sensor is an electronic device that detects the presence of a person. There are various occupancy sensing technologies, but the most common are infrared, microwave, ultrasonic, and video image processing. Occupancy sensors are usually connected to a building’s Internet of Things (IoT) network and feed data back to alarms or building automation systems for lighting control, ventilation, and zone access.
Occupancy sensors work by detecting motion and changes in their environment; each sensing technology does this in a different way, for example:
These 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, firing off pre-determined commands to the connected automated devices such as lighting or HVAC systems.
The smart building technology you invest in will largely depend on the needs of your organisation. Are you looking to optimise your space utilisation, improve energy efficiency, or enhance employee productivity?
There are various occupancy sensors on the market, each offering different levels of data and integration capabilities. Accuracy, efficiency, and compliance with data protection policies should be amongst your top priorities when selecting an occupancy sensor. A PIR sensor, for example, will only tell you whether a zone is occupied or not – not the number of individuals in it. Details like this are significant if you're trying to understand usage and come up with better solutions for floor plans and facilities. The True Occupancy sensors, on the other hand, will give you accurate real-time occupancy data. Access to precise and comprehensive occupancy information enables you to:
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 prioritised.
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 organisation'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.
More and more businesses and organisations are growing increasingly conscious of the inefficiencies that their buildings may exhibit. With mounting concerns about energy consumption, hygiene, and occupants' user experience, incorporating occupancy IoT sensors into your facilities management systems can significantly improve the performance and utility of your buildings.
Smart building technology is driven by the demand for more sustainable building management practices, energy efficiency goals, and the necessity to create dynamic, responsive, and optimised environments for occupants.
The electronic hardware you choose to install throughout your smart building needs to effectively integrate and feedback into your existing platforms so that you can experience the long term benefits of making such an investment. True Occupancy sensors collect and store data in a cloud platform that allows different stakeholders to view and analyse this information remotely or whilst on-site.
As the necessity for automation accelerates in the smart building realm, you'll want technologies that can scale with your growing requirements. True Occupancy offers seamless integration through APIs, enabling more efficiencies and benefits to accommodate the changing needs of your building and its occupants.
The real value in installing occupancy sensors is the data you can collect and analyse to help you make more practical and ROI based decisions.
Traditional work environments are experiencing the need for transformation – but not merely for transformation's sake. Your decisions to renovate, improve, or enhance a space need to be fact-based. Taking a longterm view to create optimal working conditions for your employees will save you tonnes of money in unnecessary superficial improvements.
Occupancy detection sensors can give you the data you need to understand your building and its occupants, helping you to future proof your designs and only implementing the best and most effective processes to manage usage, hygiene, maintenance, and energy consumption.
For more information on how we've helped our partners get results from their occupancy sensors, view our case studies and resources here.
True Occupancy offers one of the most comprehensive solutions on the market. Our occupancy sensors connect to an intuitive dashboard that gives your property and facilities management teams immediate insight into a building's real-time utilisation. From there, decision-makers can analyse the data, track performance against KPIs, and make adjustments at the most effective times.
Our devices are non-intrusive, protect the privacy of occupants, and provide a cost-effective means of scaling your monitoring strategy as and when you need to.
True Occupancy sensors can be found globally in office spaces, restaurants, washrooms, meeting rooms, universities and a host of other on-site facilities. We are trusted by many well-known organisations to assist with space planning, cost-saving initiatives, occupant wellbeing and employee productivity strategies.
To book a free demo and experience the benefits of True Occupancy for yourself, get in touch with us today.
More organisations are making investments in occupancy analytics, but if you’re considering following suit what are the things you need to think about?
By assessing the data derived from your occupancy analytics tools, you will be able to improve your facility's efficiency and performance based on accurate and relevant information.
