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In many parts of the world, the maturity and use of the Internet and digital tools are so advanced that well-developed and intuitive pieces rarely need any introduction or instruction. However, just because the tools can be used flawlessly does not mean that the era of when the skills and expertise of a physical person has passed. Our expert, Magnus Andersson, shares his perspective on the relationship and combination of digital tools and personal technicians in this latest blog post.
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning, or even entire solutions for healthy, comfortable and productive indoor climates, are non-disputable in some parts of the world. In the Nordic countries, for example, to build or renovate without making considerations to how air quality, temperature, humidity and other indoor climate factors should be ensured in an energy-efficient manner is unthinkable. In other parts of the world, it still seems typical to open a window. This is despite fact that it often brings noise and draughts into the indoor environment, and despite that it can be both unhealthy and costly. With this discrepancy in indoor climate maturity in mind, there are obviously some who settle with a single machine to ensure at least one aspect of the indoor climate, a chiller for instance. Other consultants design comprehensive indoor climate solutions to guarantee an environment inside that promotes well-being and performance without wasting resources, today or in the future.
Regardless of how ventilation, heating and air conditioning (HVAC) are managed, the trend is that buildings become increasingly complex. This means that more products are equipped with a wider array of digital skills and sensors, all developed to measure numerous parameters inside the premises. To schedule the operation of a simple ventilation system without built-in intelligence is no longer perceived as digitally advanced. To optimise an entire indoor climate solution, to ensure a healthy and comfortable indoor climate and to be able to accurately predict service and maintenance, that is what is in the forefront today.
Why have we left the indoor climate to chance?
Digital tools in the context of indoor climate have previously been discussed in one of our experts’ blogs. The reasoning then ended up in the question of why we have not asked to be able to control the indoor climate by the means of screens and apps in a similar as we control cars, property alarms and washing machines. We then focused on the existence of a product and the offer of a complementary digital tool, the latter can tell the product to do “this” or “that” and significantly ease someone’s daily life. Digital tools in this blog are instead discussed in the context of constant gathering of huge amounts of data and the limitation of being able to analyse, evaluate and act on the collected information. Is it even possible without a skilled professional’s contribution in terms of knowledge and expertise?
Digital tools need human validation
At Swegon, we believe that digital advancements cannot disregard the need for a skilled technician. Digital tools can collect data, but technicians have the expertise to understand what has been collected. He or she can validate, explain and reflect upon what the data shows. And of course, a skilled professional can act in accordance to the full picture.
The fact that buildings become more complex means that property managers and technicians also face an increasingly complex responsibility. A building should not only function, it also has to be energy-efficient, sustainable and, above all, connected and "digital”. To think that digital tools alone can solve all challenges property managers face is fairly naïve with the level of technology we see today, despite the advances of AI. With this, we see that the digital tools need a knowledgeable technician to provide an accurate understanding of reality, especially since every building is unique. For example, gathered data from inside a property in Sweden showed that the indoor climate was good, comfortable and healthy, but the occupants of the building said it was not. In this case, the technician was able to identify faulty directed nozzles of the provided airborne units which caused chilling draughts. No available data could have solved this.
We learn from each other
At Swegon, we are convinced that the indoor climate is important today, and that it will crucial in the future. Not only because more people demand a healthy and comfortable indoor environment but also because the global energy and sustainability challenges have to be addressed forcefully. With this in mind, we have invested in two things - our technical services and INSIDE Optimiser.
Our technicians are continuously learning from each other in an ongoing "carousel" of site visits. For example, one of our many prominent technicians in Sweden worked several weeks in Canada, partly to support the technicians in that market, but also to learn from their daily work. In a similar way, technicians in the UK and Germany have visited one another to experience the challenges faced in each market. We learn when we meet the issues in real life and when problem-solving is done with people we know. Further on the topic of education, our technicians closely collaborate with our support department which has expert knowledge of various aspects that affect the indoor climate and a property's energy performance. We see very good results both in terms of knowledge gain and in the unity of a large company. We will continue!
INSIDE Optimiser is our most advanced and comprehensive offer among our digital services. Optimiser combines a wide range of data collection with the assistance of a personal, skilled and experienced technician. Besides validating, analysing and acting on the collected data, the technician can also perform certain tasks to ease the burden on a property management team. Thanks to this hybrid solution of digital tools and a personal technician, a new level of operational optimisation have been made available. The technician can be an expert to contact for daily questions or he/she can be a regularly recurring resource for extensive efforts in relation to HVAC. We have experience of how a technical management team can optimise its own work by using this comprehensive INSIDE service.
A personal technician combined with a digital tool
Yes, buildings become more complex, and the indoor climate gains further digital capabilities. More information can be collected from both the indoor environment and the HVAC machinery, and the overall demands on a property are steadily growing. We recommend an investment in INSIDE Optimiser, which combines the skilled professional from our technical services team with the digital tool. This combination takes building management to a new level, enabling the real estate owner to meet set goals more easily and manage advanced reporting successfully. At the same time, an energy-efficient and sustainable indoor climate is guaranteed, which we believe is the foundation for tenant satisfaction - for them to be willing to stay and pay.
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