Using Occupancy Detection Sensor Data to Report ROI

3 min read
May 22, 2020

To make the right management decisions for your business, you need to effectively use the data from your occupancy sensors. Not all occupancy sensors are created equal, however. Having access to an intuitive dashboard that gives you the metrics you need (when you need them) is the best and fastest way of realising the ROI from your investment in this technology. 

 

Metrics to report on from occupancy detection sensor data

To find the metrics you need from the data, begin by outlining your goals; this will help you to establish what you need to measure. For example, do you want to improve building usage to reduce real estate costs? Or perhaps you’re undertaking a new initiative to improve health and wellbeing in the workplace through enhanced hygiene?

For instance, if you were looking to reduce real estate costs, you may want a better understanding of floor space utility. This can be illustrated in a scenario where twenty employees may be using your twenty available workstations; while this may indicate maximum occupancy, it doesn't necessarily mean that your office space is being fully utilised. If the dynamics in your building are always changing as remote employees flow in and out on certain days, or workers flit between desks as they try to communicate and collaborate with colleagues, it may indicate that you're not getting optimum utilisation from your office space. 

By observing specific occupancy metrics to help measure space utilisation, you can start building a clearer, more comprehensive picture of what occupancy truly looks like for your building, and how you can optimise the efficiency of the space and facilities you provide to workers, visitors, and customers. 

 

Density

The quickest method to find out whether a space requires expansion or consolidation is to study density data. This information can help you understand the demand of specific groups for specific spaces, such as departments or office floors.

Density is calculated by dividing square footage by number of occupants. Modern workspaces are less concerned with density per desk and prefer to look at density per occupant as a more relevant model when trying to create flexible workspaces for remote employees who may come in and out at different times of the week. To get this type of data you will need occupancy detection sensors that report analytics for how many people there are in areas of a space not just if the space is occupied.

 

Cost per person

Understanding occupancy will help you to manage budgets and finances better. You can take a look at your existing space and current lease or mortgage costs and hold them up against the utility you're getting from the building. This kind of information will put you in a better position to scale and achieve higher rates of productivity by identifying inefficiencies.

 

Peak utilisation

Depending on the nature of the tasks performed by employees, your building won't always be at full capacity. There'll be peaks and troughs in the footfall and utility of certain areas in your building. Knowing when these times occur and how frequently they occur may alert you to the need for some adjustments. Knowing when a space reaches peak utilisation, you can pinpoint any issues with the available workspace and whether a specific type of facility is in high demand and should be made more available. 

Having an occupancy IoT sensor that integrates with calendar software and combines data about times when a meeting room is occupied, the size of the meeting room, meeting duration and reservations, means you can work out your peak utilisation of meeting rooms allowing you to provide accurate availability and utilisation of them.

If you'd like to find out more about how occupancy sensors can be used in your establishment take a look here.

Using anonymous data to report your ROI

The occupancy detection sensor you use should comply with the privacy regulations in your area and the requirements of your occupants. Anonymity and privacy is a significant factor in most workplace environments. 

A True Occupancy solution provides highly accurate data without infringing on privacy. The technology anonymously detects people as they enter or leave an area. 

 

How True Occupancy sensors capture the data you need to report on

The True Occupancy sensors are designed to serve as a cost-effective and highly scalable solution that provides insightful data without intruding on the privacy of individuals. 

Property teams require accurate information that help them to make real-time decisions about space utilisation, investment in facilities, and management of occupants. With a True Occupancy solution, you can make better space planning provisions based on objective data; you can quickly pick up on factors affecting occupant wellbeing and productivity, reduce costs and enhance your energy profile.

The ceiling-mounted sensors discreetly and anonymously detect when people are entering and exiting areas, allowing you to study movement throughout the whole building, or even just specific rooms. The data is then securely transmitted to the True Occupancy cloud platform where facilities management teams can quickly log in and get an overview of occupancy levels and space utilisations. 

 

If you'd like to find out more about how occupancy sensors can be used in your establishment take a look at our guide Using Occupancy Data to Re-Engage Employees with the Workplace.

Occupancy Business Case

Connect with us

Need more information? Ready to get started? We're here to help, get in touch.