Noonan committed to value-adding innovation

In the facilities management (FM) sector, innovation is not just a buzzword, it is a necessity. In June 2024 Noonan purchased its first digital twin camera and commenced a pilot project to explore and demonstrate the value of this groundbreaking technology. This innovation is set to revolutionise the industry and set the company apart as leaders.

A digital twin is a virtual replica of a physical building, created using advanced scanning technology combined with software analysis.

This replica isn’t just a static model, it is an interactive, detailed representation of a building or space that can be used in a multitude of ways. From enhancing client presentations to improving safety protocols, the applications are both vast and impactful.

The process is remarkably efficient - scanning an average-sized building takes about two hours, followed by another two hours to edit the model and integrate useful information, such as tags and links to other systems. The result is a 3D model and interactive building plan that can serve as powerful materials for tenders and client presentations, underscoring our commitment to delivering value through innovation.

The potential applications of the digital twin technology are extensive across the cleaning, security, and hard services divisions. For instance,
it is possible to reduce risk by offering immersive 3D tours of facilities, which include tagged features and training content. This not only improves safety, but also enhances the onboarding experience for employees and visitors alike.

Clients also benefit significantly as they can use the virtual tours for their own employee training or to showcase their facilities to customers. Additionally, the technology enables highly accurate floor plans and cleaning measurements, as well as comprehensive building condition analysis, which is crucial for maintaining the integrity and safety of any facility.

Digital twins can be integrated with more complex systems, such as asset monitoring and live feeds from sensors, offering real-time insights and advanced emergency planning capabilities.

With the introduction of this digital twin technology, Noonan is well-positioned to lead the FM industry into a new era of innovation.

By embracing this disruptive technology, the company is enhancing its service offerings and contributing to a future where transformation and equality are at the forefront of its mission.

Case study: Dynamic Workplace – The Noonan team comments on an education client:

Noonan commenced an Innovation project to install sensors across four buildings within the estate of a large university client. The sensors are measuring occupancy, temperature and light lux levels, with the data feeding into a management reporting portal. The project objectives are to deliver cost savings, improve cleaning service quality, and increase student customer satisfaction levels in partnership with the university’s ‘Love Our Building’ project. Progress to date:

• Energy Savings – Early in the project we flagged extremely high night-time building temperatures. The client has lowered temperature settings in its Building Management System, resulting in a significant energy cost saving. This was a great early win for the project.
• Cleaning Efficiencies – Baseline ‘out of term’ August/September activity levels have been established. This will allow us to scientifically flex our cleaning solution during out of term periods in the future.
• Quality Improvements – The ‘Activity Ranking Report’ has provided visibility of the busiest and least busy areas. We have flexed our cleaning solution to reallocate hours to the busiest floors in each building.
• Reactive Janitorial Solution – From week 12, janitors will receive text alerts when activity thresholds have been exceeded, triggering that that a check or clean is required. This is going to eliminate unrequired checks or cleans of toilets with low activity.
• Project Expansion – The client has funded an expansion in the project, with 25 feedback sensor boxes being added to the busiest toilets. In addition to customer satisfaction data, our janitorial team can respond immediately to issue alerts.

After eight weeks, we have already identified labour savings to fund the cost of the project through the reduction in frequency of checking or cleaning toilets that have low activity. As we build up more data and trends, we will identify further insights and efficiencies to flex our solution. We are also providing significant value for the client through energy cost savings and the shared data which the university is using to support its building maintenance scheduling. The project has helped to improve our relationship with the client, as demonstrated by our improved NPS score.

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