AutomatedBuildings.com Interview - Dave Weidner, Senior Director, ISG Market Development, Arm

He is responsible for driving strategic growth opportunities for the Arm Pelion IoT platform. With experience launching and growing new business initiatives, cultivating partnerships and establishing ecosystems, Dave is focused on creating value for Pelion customers and partners across verticals and service offerings.

Space Analytics, IoT Solution for Commercial Spaces

Our Space Analytics offering works with off-the-shelf IoT devices (such as beacons, sensors, cameras, etc.), as well as a building’s existing infrastructure (such as card readers, HVAC, etc.)

Sinclair: What are you announcing?

Weidner: Arm is announcing Space Analytics as part of our Pelion Smart Spaces solutions. Space Analytics provides actionable insights on space and resource usage and occupant behavior to help property managers maximize revenues, provide better occupant experience and improve operational efficiencies.

Sinclair: Who are the key buyers of this solution?

Weidner: We are initially targeting property managers, building owners and facility managers for coworking spaces and convention hotels. However, we see applicability of this solution across several verticals, such as airports, education, retail, etc. where organizations need to better understand their space and how it’s being utilized.

Sinclair: What makes your solution different from others out there?

Weidner: What’s unique about our Space Analytics offering is that it works with off-the-shelf IoT devices (such as beacons, sensors, cameras, etc.), as well as a building’s existing infrastructure (such as card readers, HVAC, etc.) Since the solution is based on our Pelion IoT platform, customers can securely gather and analyze data from these devices to obtain actionable insights without having to retrofit or rip and replace existing infrastructure.

Sinclair: What are some of the key trends helping to drive adoption of IoT in commercial buildings?

Weidner: Commercial property managers, building owners and facility managers are under pressure to maximize value per square foot and deliver more optimal experiences for their occupants. Industry projections expect that 30% of all commercial working space will flexible by 2030, which is adding to that pressure. IoT can help solve these challenges by providing better insights and predictability for space usage including room occupancy, resource trends and traffic patterns. Additionally, IoT can be leveraged to design energy efficient and monetizable spaces, as well as increase employee safety, productivity and engagement.

Sinclair: What has interest been in the solution thus far? Do you have any customers using Space Analytics?

Weidner: We’ve received strong interest in our Space Analytics offering thus far. We have an initial customer, Dogpatch Labs, who is using our Space Analytics solution to improve the dynamic management of spaces throughout its facilities. Dogpatch Labs is Ireland’s leading startup hub and home to 80 startups. The company is using Space Analytics for hotdesking and insights into events in their Urban Garden area. For hotdesking, Dogpatch Labs is aiming to understand and optimize space layout. For example, how are the desks being utilized or under-utilized, what happens when they change the furniture configuration or revise urban garden furniture based on this analysis? For events, Dogpatch Labs is looking at how the space is used differently, how many people sign up, how many people actually turn up, when they start coming in/leave, and how the space is being utilized.