UK
This month we’re celebrating a big milestone: our 30th birthday. Founded in April 1994 by CEO Gary Watkins, SWG developed QFM as a new way to manage hard and soft FM services within a single CAFM platform. The last three decades have seen the company and its software grow from strength to strength, supported by the hard work and dedication of global teams, loyal clients, strong partnerships and our parent company, Addnode Group.
We’re keen to embrace the next chapter of supporting the FM, estates management and PPP sectors, and are proud of the work we’ve delivered to our clients to date.
Software Launches:
Q1 saw the release of QFM 5.1. This release included key functionality improvements and software enhancements to a number of QFM modules.
QFM Dynamic Forms has new enhanced integrations with QFM Wizard, our self-service functionality, and now includes additional controls to enable bulk uploads by allowing all forms to be republished in one go, and bulk pushed to the mobile app.
Additional characteristic fields have been added to QFM Events and a wider range of pop-up messages for improved workflow experience.
Larger barcodes (up to 100 characters) and more complex QR codes can be scanned and managed easily within the QFM Asset Management module as well as within the QFM Mobile App.
Partnerships
Archibus User Group
Our clients using Archibus software joined us last month for a virtual user group. As well as networking with each other, attendees were supported by SWG to gain insight into new and future developments in the software, tips and tricks to get more out of it and valuable insight from Simon Dutton, Head of Building Information and Digital Systems at University of Worcester who presented on how Archibus has made a significant difference to the management of their estate.
Workplace Futures
We were invited to speak at Workplace Futures in London, a landmark event in its 18th year. Mats Broman, Managing Director of SWG Nordic, Marc Watkins, Business Development Director, and Hazel Bedson, Group Marketing Director, presented on how converging technologies are shaping user experience. This included how AI and IoT are being adapted in Sweden and can deliver vast benefits of building users, and can be watched on demand here or download the conference whitepaper here.
BIM and FM Knowledge Share:
Health and Care
Account Director Penny Brinsley discussed the challenges of FM in care homes with journals Tomorrow’s Care and The Carer. An aging population coupled with the difficulty of managing large and complex spaces is putting immense strain on the care system and the FM teams responsible for these sites. The NHS is facing similar challenges, which Marc Watkins discusses with Facilitate. A reported maintenance backlog of £11.6 billion, with a majority of which being significant or high risk issues, has seen more FMs turning to tech. In both cases, when a CAFM system is utilised, the benefits extend far beyond the facilities management team. A well-run estate is more efficient, costs are reduced, occupants and visitors have a better experience, and the care home or hospital is a safer place.
BIM
We started the year with a profile from WeAreTechWomen on our BIM and building lifecycle consultant in Sweden, Rebecca Jungver. With over ten years of experience with BIM and architecture, Jungver shared the process of how SWG creates 3D building models, organises the data within our FM software to make it useful and accessible, and how digital twins work.
Our GM for Canada, Kelly Widger, then discussed the role of BIM and digital twins within Canada’s PPP market with Canadian Facility Management & Design, and how such technology adoption is making complex contract terms clearer and easier to follow.
Echoing the message of BIM helping FMs and building managers avoid nasty surprises, Marc Watkins was featured in Local Authority Building & Maintenance Magazine. The reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) crisis, where ‘crumbling concrete’ was found in many schools, hospitals and social housing, demonstrated the danger of not knowing about the materials used and by extension general lack of data about a building.
AI
We wrapped up 2023 with an overview of a year in workplace tech, summarising how FMs have been taking advantage of AI, BIM and digital twins. Then Hazel Bedson commented in Facilitate Magazine about some of the trends we’re likely to see in 2024 including strong focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals, new strategies for hybrid working and cyber security.
Paul McCarthy, Chief Technology Officer at SWG, featured in PFM to explain how AI and our IoT platform Senslinc is supporting asset maintenance and estate management at transport hubs. For example, Stockholm Central Station has reduced disruption from broken escalators by using this technology to predict and prevent failures using data sources including weather feeds – as grit from icy roads trampled into the station can clog up the mechanisms.
Compliance and Safety
Compliance is sometimes viewed as a tick box exercise but with regular updates to safety, sustainability, ISO, government targets and healthcare standards, building managers need an agile system to help them keep on top of regulation and provide a safe environment. Marc Watkins outlined in Facilitate Magazine why forecasting systems, building retrofits and integrated software systems are necessary to manage public sector compliance, and Penny Brinsley was featured in FMJ, discussing trends in compliance and risk assessment and how a permit to work system streamline contractor health and safety.
