From HVAC systems to plumbing, regular maintenance is essential to guarantee the safety and well-being of your buildings’ occupants. That’s where building maintenance software or CMMS tools come in. Are you looking for a new solution? Check out our top platforms.
Compare Top CMMS Software Leaders
What This Article Covers
- Best Building Maintenance Software
- What Is a Building Management System?
- Building Management vs. Facility Management Solutions
- Building Management vs. Building Automation Systems
- FAQs
- Next Steps
Best Building Maintenance Software
Building maintenance platforms generally optimize the maintenance process, making life easier for all involved. But which systems are the best?
Our analysts looked at many CMMS solutions on the market to identify the best of the best, so you don’t have to.
Before we dive into each product in detail, let’s see how they stack up against each other.
| Maintenance Care | UpKeep | Fiix | ServiceChannel | Fracttal | |
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| Analyst Rating | 82 | 71 | 71 | 50 | 68 |
| User Sentiment Score | 91% | 93% | 91% | 85% | 91% |
| Free Trial | Yes, Request for Free | Yes, Request for Free | Yes, Request for Free | Yes, Request for Free | Yes, Request for Free |
| Training | Web Training | Online Courses |
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Maintenance Care
Maintenance Care is a maintenance management solution that helps maintenance technicians, facility managers and building owners optimize asset upkeep workflows, reduce equipment downtime and ensure regulatory compliance.
Industries: Education, government, health care, hospitality, manufacturing, senior care and more.
Generate compliance reports with Maintenance Care. Source
Highest Rated Modules According to Our Data
- Maintenance Request Management — 100
- Work Order Management — 99
- Dashboards and Reports — 95
- Mobile CMMS — 90
- Asset Tracking — 83
Pricing
- Free Edition: Basic work order modules — online work order page, notes history, search filter, automated task notifications, task status updates and unlimited task types
- Enterprise Edition: $150/month (unlimited users)
- Work Order Edition: $100/month (unlimited users)
Get a personalized free price quote for Maintenance Care.
Top Benefits
- Streamline Workflows: Ditch the paperwork and automate your routine tasks — maintenance scheduling, reporting and asset tracking. This frees up your staff for complex tasks and enhances overall workflow efficiency.
- Improve Communication: No more missed messages or crossed wires. Centralized data and real-time updates help you reduce miscommunication and delays, promote better collaboration, and improve response times to maintenance issues.
- Extend Equipment Life: Follow maintenance schedules and monitor equipment health to prevent premature equipment failures and extend their life spans, reducing costly replacements.
- Optimize Inventory Management: Always have the right parts when you need them with inventory management tools, preventing unnecessary purchases and reducing storage costs.
- Stay Compliant: Built-in checklists and procedures help you stay compliant, avoid costly fines and focus on what matters most — keeping your maintenance operations running smoothly.
Primary Features
- Work Order Management: Submit maintenance requests via a customized web form or the mobile app. Assign work orders to specific technicians or teams based on skillset, availability and workload. Detect similar work orders using a smart duplication checker.
- Preventive Maintenance: Schedule preventive maintenance tasks with just a few clicks. Attach safety data sheets (SDS) forms and training PDFs for easy reference. Use historical data and performance metrics to identify potential issues and schedule proactive maintenance before breakdowns occur.
- Asset Tracking: Use asset tracking tools to centralize asset details for easy access. Monitor asset performance to identify replacement needs, optimizing budget planning. Access assets’ repair histories to evaluate asset value.
- Parts & Inventory: Monitor stock levels in real time. Set reorder points and generate automatic purchase orders when inventory falls below the threshold. Use the price-tracking feature to record purchase, reorder and average expenses for each part to make informed decisions on timing, quantity and preferred vendors, minimizing unnecessary spending.
- Reports: Generate custom reports on work order completion, asset performance, preventive maintenance adherence and maintenance costs. Use charts, graphs and dashboards to visualize key metrics and trends.
Case Studies
Let’s see some real-world scenarios of how Maintenance Care helped facilities boost operational efficiency, increase resident comfort and reduce reactive repairs.
1. The University of Washington (Source)
Challenges
- Maintaining operational efficiency during the 2019 fall lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Relying on manual processes and physical presence for work order management and asset tracking.
- Facing remote work as a significant barrier.
Post Implementation Results
- Remote access to work orders, asset tracking and progress updates, ensuring the maintenance team’s continued effective functioning during the lockdown.
- Improving recreation facilities’ reliability and performance.
2. The Methodist Home for Nursing and Rehabilitation (Source)
Challenges
- Aging building systems and equipment, which increased the risk of failures and malfunctions.
- Inefficient workflows, which wasted time and resources.
- Lack of equipment visibility, which hindered maintenance planning and tracking.
- Increased reactive maintenance, which reduced equipment reliability and performance.
Post-Implementation Results
- Automated work order management and asset tracking and centralized data.
- Streamlined operations, improving the maintenance team’s efficiency and productivity.
- Prevented failures and ensured resident safety with real-time monitoring of critical equipment, such as the wet sprinkler system.
Limitations
- Complex reporting.
- Limited characters for task fields.
- Unchangeable work order comments after creation.
Features Not Fully Supported According to Our Data
- Interactive Equipment Subcomponent Mapping — Not Supported
- Inventory Valuation Methods — Not Supported
- Parts Quantity Estimate — Not Supported
- Offline Access — Not Supported
- Offline Meter Readings Capture — Not Supported
Platform:
Company Size Suitability: S M L
UpKeep
UpKeep is a CMMS solution that helps facility managers, maintenance teams and building owners streamline and simplify asset upkeep. Its features include work order management, inventory tracking and real-time status updates.
It enables you to monitor assets, schedule maintenance tasks and access critical data from anywhere, anytime.
Industries: Churches and nonprofits, hospitality, energy and utilities, health care, fleet management, and more.
Track and manage assets with Upkeep’s asset management feature. Source
Highest Rated Modules According to Our Data
- Work Order Management — 100
- Maintenance Request Management — 96
- Mobile CMMS — 93
- Asset Tracking — 91
- Dashboards and Reports — 77
Pricing
- Lite: $20/month/user
- Starter: $45/month/user
- Professional: $75/month/user
- Business Plus: 14-day free trial
Get a personalized free price quote for UpKeep.
Top Benefits
- Optimize Usage History: Ever wondered why that printer always jams on Tuesdays? Granular tracking reveals the who, what and when of your assets, spaces and facilities, helping you identify inefficiencies and optimize usage. Track technician lockout-tagout actions for audits and log room usage to facilitate accountability.
- Maximize Uptime: Proactively manage preventive maintenance with comprehensive asset profiles, minimizing downtime and unexpected repairs.
- Automate Tedious Tasks: Reduce manual work with automatic work order assignment and inventory reordering, freeing up valuable time for your team.
- Showcase Brand Identity: Offer clients a dedicated online portal for submitting work orders, promoting seamless communication and building trust.
- Predict and Minimize Costs: Make smart asset repair/replacement decisions to keep your budget healthy. Use depreciation data to build accurate cost models for future asset purchases.
Primary Features
- Maintenance Management: Add pre-made or create custom checklists within work orders. Use preventive maintenance scheduling to create calendar-based preventive maintenance requests as far out into the future as needed.
- Reporting: Use customizable reports and dashboards to track key performance indicators (KPIs) and gain insights into your maintenance operations.
- Work Order Tools: Create, assign and track work orders in real time to stay on top of maintenance tasks and complete them on schedule.
- Inventory Tracking: Use the centralized inventory management system to monitor and track stock levels, create purchase orders, and receive alerts when supplies are running low.
- Mobile App: Enable technicians to access work orders, update task statuses, and capture photos and notes while in the field, helping streamline communication and improve efficiency.
Case Studies
Let’s see some real-world scenarios of how UpKeep helped companies gain remote offline access, optimize inventory tracking and streamline work order management.
1. Addison-HVAC (Source)
Challenges
- Limited internet access at work sites.
- Paper-based processes for work orders and asset information.
Post-Implementation Results
- Offline access to work orders, notes and asset information.
- Improved visibility into performance and progress.
2. Unilever’s Hellman Mayonnaise Plant (Source)
Challenges
- Inefficient KPI tracking with SAP system.
- Inadequate inventory management.
Post-Implementation Results
- Out-of-the-box reporting and custom dashboards provided real-time visibility into work order completion times, approval times and other critical KPIs.
- Centralized inventory management system streamlined parts tracking, enabling automatic reordering and reducing stockouts and overstocking.
Limitations
- Data is difficult to export and import.
- Card isn’t invisible after the work order is closed.
- Tasks are only visible to the assigned person and not team members.
Features Not Fully Supported According to Our Data
- Interactive Equipment Subcomponent Mapping — Not Supported
- Private and Read-Only Reports — Not Supported
- AI-Based Parts Forecasting — Not Supported
- Auto-Create Corrective Work Orders — Not Supported
- LOTO History — Not Supported
Platform:
Company Size Suitability: S M L
Fiix
Fiix is a cloud-based maintenance management system that facilitates work order, asset and inventory management, and preventive maintenance scheduling to help building owners and managers streamline their maintenance processes, reduce equipment downtime and prolong asset life spans.
Industries: Oil and gas, heavy equipment, food and beverage, manufacturing, and more.
Manage complete maintenance data under one dashboard using Fiix. Source
Highest Rated Modules According to Our Data
- Mobile CMMS — 91
- Preventive and Predictive Maintenance — 87
- Inventory Management — 86
- Maintenance Request Management — 85
- Dashboards and Reports — 77
Pricing
- Free (limited users): Offers 25 active PMs, unlimited service requests and work orders, downtime tracking, asset management, mobile app, inventory, parts, supplies, and calendar modules.
- Basic: $45/month/user
- Professional: $75/month/user
- Enterprise: Request Custom Quote
Get a personalized free price quote for Fiix.
Top Benefits
- Increase Efficiency and Productivity: No more frantic finger-pointing or wasted minutes figuring out “who gets what.” Automatically assign tasks, pairing the right skills with the right job. Connect with other systems such as sensors, PLCs, SCADA, and MES to exchange and access data and initiate work from any source.
- Reduce Downtime: Efficiently schedule and track preventive maintenance to avoid reactive maintenance needs. Use predictive maintenance to identify potential issues before equipment failures occur.
- Improve Health and Safety: Create and enforce safety standards and document incidents to comply with regulations. Track and report on sustainability metrics like carbon footprint and energy consumption, showcasing your commitment to environmental responsibility.
- Simplify Work Order Management: Teams can access everything they need on desktop or mobile devices — work instructions, task lists, notes, files and print-to-paper options.
- Improve Asset Visibility: A drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to create asset hierarchies, add equipment, clone records and organize assets.
Primary Features
- Asset Management Tools: Generate and attach QR codes or barcodes to view asset details quickly. Help facility managers coordinate multiple sites in real time across time zones, languages and currencies. Set meter readings to track equipment usage. Receive alerts for increased equipment time or cost to prevent downtime and higher expenses.
- Work Order Management: Nest preventive maintenance tasks and stack them on work orders to stay ahead on maintenance and prevent total equipment failure. Trigger work orders in response to real-time sensor-detected equipment conditions like vibration, temperature and pressure.
- Preventive Maintenance: Schedule tasks and inspections in advance to reduce downtime, extend asset life span and prevent equipment failure. Measure uptime and downtime to calculate MTTR and MTBF.
- Parts and Supplies: Itemize spare parts and other materials inventory in a centralized database for searchability and organization. Set alerts for low-stock thresholds and reorders. Optimize cost tracking with FIFO, prioritizing the use of the earliest purchased parts in work orders to eliminate obsolete stock.
- Foresight: Use AI to analyze data and uncover trends. Receive recommendations about fixing overspending and ineffective schedules.
Case Studies
Let’s see some real-world scenarios of how Fiix helped companies improve equipment uptime and reduce reactive maintenance costs.
1. Cloeren Inc. (Source)
Challenges
- An inefficient, unreliable and error-prone paper-based maintenance system.
- Difficulties in maintenance management and scheduling.
- Lack of resources and tools to implement a proactive maintenance strategy.
Post-Implementation Results
- Managed work orders, tracked assets, and accessed manuals and help centers via internet-enabled devices.
- Gained access to The Fiixers community, a forum for users to connect and share best practices, tips and tricks.
- Shifted to a proactive maintenance strategy, which improved their machine uptime, reliability and efficiency.
2. Pert County Ingredients (Source)
Challenges
- Wasted time and resources due to 100% reactive maintenance.
- Limited insight into after-hours emergency calls, often requiring responses to minor or repetitive issues.
- Outdated systems and equipment, such as boilers, chillers and more.
Post-Implementation Results
- Reduced reactive maintenance by 54%, after-hours call-ins by 47% and maintenance costs by $40,000 a year.
- Implemented a building automation system (BAS) and condition-monitoring tools to improve systems and equipment functionality.
- Achieved zero employee turnover in six years and continued to roll out automation at seven additional facilities.
Limitations
- Complex to understand, providing non-essential or limited information.
- Difficult to navigate and make changes in the initial stages.
- Can’t send emails to multiple users.
Features Not Fully Supported According to Our Data
- Automatic Downtime Update — Not Supported
- Depreciation Tracking — Not Supported
- Parts Quantity Estimate — Not Supported
- Maintenance Requests Automation — Not Supported
- Automatic Work Order Assignment — Not Supported
Platform:
Company Size Suitability: S M L
ServiceChannel
ServiceChannel is a facilities management solution that helps facility managers and contractors oversee the repair and maintenance of locations, buildings and equipment.
Industries: Restaurants, retail, education, health care, convenience stores and more.
Plan for unpredictable weather to prevent costly damage to locations and assets with ServiceChannel. Source
Highest Rated Modules According to Our Data
- Dashboards and Reports — 93
- Mobile CMMS — 93
- Inventory Management — 87
- Work Order Management — 79
- Maintenance Request Management — 61
Pricing
Starts at $1,000
Get a personalized free price quote for ServiceChannel.
Top Benefits
- Boost Efficiency: Streamline work order management, improve communication with service providers and automate workflows, leading to increased productivity and cost savings.
- Improve Asset Visibility: Get a bird’s-eye view of your assets across locations, from HVAC units to fire alarms. Track their statuses, maintenance histories and performance in real time.
- Elevate Service Quality: Subpar service? Not on your watch. Create scorecards for contracted providers, factoring in performance, responsiveness and customer reviews. This encourages competition and motivates contractors to prioritize quality service.
- Ensure Compliance: Schedule automatic reminders for document renewals and expiration dates, ensuring you always have up-to-date compliance information.
- Empower Agility: Enable proactive maintenance and faster response times to issues, improving overall facility performance and tenant satisfaction.
Primary Features
- Work Order Management: Define conditional workflows that automatically trigger actions based on pre-set criteria. For example, automatically assign urgent requests to specific contractors or escalate unresolved issues. Create checklists within work orders to ensure that you complete all essential steps.
- Asset Management: Categorize and filter assets by type, location, manufacturer and other relevant criteria. Track refrigerant leaks, a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, enabling prompt repair and emission control. Use sensors and IoT analytics data to monitor asset health in real time.
- Preventive Maintenance: Automatically generate work orders for upcoming preventive maintenance tasks, reducing downtime. Adjust schedules based on asset location, contractor availability and resource constraints.
- Parts and Supplies: Establish and monitor real-time budgets for parts and supplies, ensuring cost control. Track inventory levels across locations in real time, preventing stockouts and ensuring technicians have the parts they need to complete work orders efficiently.
- Reporting: Use data analytics tools to analyze past maintenance records to identify patterns and predict future equipment needs. Gain valuable recommendations to develop optimized maintenance strategies with asset performance management programs.
Case Studies
Let’s see some real-world scenarios of how ServiceChannel helped companies increase uptime and gain new customers.
1. Sam’s Club (Source)
Challenges
- Lacking a reliable data-driven maintenance platform to manage an operation of 597 clubs and a platform of supply chain facilities across the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
- Attaining 100% uptime for every asset and doing it cost-effectively.
- Tagging all assets with make, model and serial number to measure uptime on each asset.
Results
- Achieved 100% tagging on all serialized assets across North America.
- Received real-time updates on any asset at any location within minutes.
- Increased first-time completion rates by 38%.
2. T & J Electrical Associates (Source)
Challenges
- Managing rapid growth and service standards across nine states.
- Handling a growing workload and communication across technicians.
- Acquiring customers in a competitive market.
Post-Implementation Results
- Achieved solid growth, excellent service and scalable operations.
- Fulfilled 10,000 work orders for existing clients.
- Gained 40 new clients, achieving increased profitability.
Limitations
- Limited website features on the mobile interface.
- Delayed responses from customer service.
- Lack of robust project management tools.
Features Not Fully Supported According to Our Data
- Automatic Downtime Update — Not Supported
- Inventory Valuation Methods — Not Supported
- Centralized Maintenance Request Management Portal — Not Supported
- Speech-to-Text Dictation — Not Supported
- Auto-Create Corrective Work Orders — Not Supported
Platform:
Company Size Suitability: S M L
Fracttal
Fracttal is a maintenance management platform that provides AI-powered forecasting capabilities and remote monitoring modules to help maintenance managers, planners and technicians optimize maintenance operations.
Industries: Food, buildings and offices, energy, hospitality, manufacturing, and more.
Monitor work orders via Fracttal’s dashboard. Source
Highest Rated Modules According to Our Data
- Mobile CMMS — 94
- Asset Tracking — 82
- Work Order Management — 76
- Inventory Management — 69
- Maintenance Request Management — 64
Pricing
- Free (ideal for entrepreneurs): Includes two users, limited location and equipment catalogs, asset management using QR codes and NFC tags, and restricted work order management modules.
- Starter (ideal for small businesses): $279/month (five users)
- Pro (ideal for medium-sized companies): $649/month (10 users)
- Enterprise (ideal for large businesses): Request Custom Quote
Get a personalized free price quote for Fracttal.
Top Benefits
- Increase Efficiency: Centralize and automate maintenance tasks, like work order scheduling and technician dispatch, eliminating manual processes.
- Reduce Costs: Precise spare parts trackings and automated reordering capabilities minimize stockouts and unnecessary inventory carrying costs.
- Improve Asset Performance: AI capabilities enable you to analyze real-time data from sensors and operating conditions, helping you adjust maintenance schedules based on actual equipment health. This allows you to avoid unnecessary maintenance while promptly addressing critical issues.
- Make Data-Driven Decisions: Analyze your equipment and maintenance historical records to make informed decisions about resource allocation, maintenance strategies and investment priorities.
- Enhance Transparency: Gain complete visibility into your maintenance operations and hold teams accountable for performance.
Primary Features
- Maintenance Management: Convert pending tasks into work order requests. Manage maintenance contracts and warranties associated with your equipment, ensuring timely service and cost control. Create work requests by scanning NFC tags or QR codes.
- Artificial Intelligence: Receive recommendations via a built-in virtual assistant based on your maintenance questions. Use machine learning algorithms to analyze historical data and predict potential equipment failures before they occur. Set up automatic reorders for critical spare parts based on predetermined thresholds.
- Work Order Management: Generate and assign preventive, corrective and predictive maintenance tasks to specific technicians or teams. Set priorities for urgent tasks and monitor their progress in real time. Enable technicians to access and manage work orders from mobile devices, improving on-site efficiency and communication.
- Asset Management: Maintain a detailed record of your equipment, including technical specifications, maintenance history, location data and associated documents. Integrate with IoT sensors to monitor equipment health and operating parameters in real time.
- Operational Control and SLA: Track maintenance tasks and ensure that you complete them within the agreed-upon service level agreements (SLAs). Monitor timelines, deadlines and responsible teams, ensuring accountability and timely execution.
Case Studies
Let’s see some real-world scenarios of how Fracttal helped companies streamline maintenance processes.
1. ACCIONA (Source)
Challenges
- Managing maintenance information through a paper-based system.
- Inability to locate fault indicators.
Post-Implementation Results
- Saved assets, spare parts, work orders and equipment details online.
- Optimized work scheduling.
- Streamlined maintenance operations and reduced costs.
2. Red Megacentro (Source)
Challenges
- Lacked an online system to store and visualize data.
- Unable to monitor work statuses.
Post-Implementation Results
- Availability of mobile management.
- Traceability and compliance of maintenance tasks.
- Customization of tasks and processes.
- Improved communication with customers and suppliers.
Limitations
- Complex configuration.
- Occasional crashes.
- Steep learning curve.
Features Not Fully Supported According to Our Data
- Custom Dashboards — Not Supported
- Automatic Downtime Update — Not Supported
- Inventory Valuation Methods — Not Supported
- Maintenance Request Form — Not Supported
- LOTO History — Not Supported
Platform:
Company Size Suitability: S M L
What Is a Building Management System?
A building management system (BMS) is a computer-based system that monitors and controls building functions, such as heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting, security and energy consumption.
Here’s how it works:
- Sensors: Placed throughout the building, they gather data like temperature, humidity, light levels and security threats.
- System: It centralizes and analyzes sensor data to determine the best course of action.
- Actuators: These physically adjust building systems based on the software’s instructions. For example, if the temperature in a room rises, the BMS might trigger the AC to cool it down.
Some benefits of BMS include:
- Enhanced Occupant Comfort: Maintain optimal environment by regulating temperature, lighting and air quality.
- Reduced Energy Costs: Optimize energy usage by intelligently controlling lights, HVAC systems and other equipment.
- Improved Security: Monitor intrusions, fires and threats through integrated security systems.
- Extended Building Life: Detect issues before they occur to prevent equipment failures and extend building systems’ life spans.
- Informed Decision-Making: Gather valuable performance data for informed decisions on maintenance and upgrades.
Some examples of BMS products are:
- Honeywell BMS Software: Offers innovative environmental controls, life safety, security, sensing, scanning and mobility solutions for buildings of all types and sizes.
- Zenatix BMS: Uses artificial intelligence and the IoT to optimize energy consumption and automate operations for commercial and industrial buildings.
- BMS Controls and Energy: Specializes in customized solutions for building automation, energy management and system integration.
Building Management vs. Facility Management Solutions
Both building management and facility management solutions are important for creating a comfortable, productive and efficient environment for the building and its occupants. However, they’re quite different.
Look at the table below to explore the differences between them.
| Building Management Solutions (BMS) | Facility Management Solutions (FMS) | |
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| Focus | Buildings’ physical infrastructure and systems | Overall facilities operation and maintenance |
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| Target Users | Building engineers, facility managers and IT professionals | Facility managers, property managers, department heads and employees |
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Compare Top CMMS Software Leaders
Building Management vs. Building Automation Systems
While building management and building automation systems might sound the same, they have distinct roles.
Let’s take a closer look to reveal the nuanced differences that set them on unique trajectories.
| Building Management System (BMS) | Building Automation System (BAS) | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Monitoring and maintaining building operations | Automating building systems for efficiency and optimization |
| Scope | Broader, encompassing all building systems (HVAC, lighting, security, fire, etc.) | Narrower, often focused on HVAC and lighting specifically |
| Functionality | Primarily collects data and provides insights for manual control | Automates control based on predefined rules and algorithms |
| Complexity | Less complex, relying on basic monitoring and control protocols | More complex, with advanced algorithms and data analysis capabilities |
| Benefits |
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| Cost | Lower initial cost, but ongoing maintenance fees | Higher initial cost, but potential for long-term savings through energy efficiency |
Compare Top CMMS Software Leaders
FAQs
Should I opt for a building maintenance app or facility management solution?
Deciding between a building maintenance app and a facility management solution depends on your building or property needs. Here’s a breakdown to help you choose:
Scope
If your primary concern is managing and tracking routine maintenance tasks such as HVAC system checks, plumbing inspections and other facility-specific tasks, building maintenance management software might be sufficient.
If you have a larger facility with complex operations involving multiple departments, vendors and extensive enterprise asset management, a facility management solution might be more suitable.
Features and Functionality
Building maintenance systems typically focus on specific tasks like work order management, scheduling and task tracking.
Facility management systems are more comprehensive, offering features like asset, energy and vendor management as well as space planning.
Integration and Scalability
Consider whether the solution can integrate with your existing systems, such as your enterprise resource planning (ERP) tools or other business applications.
If you anticipate scalability needs, consider opting for a facility management app — it provides the adaptability your evolving requirements demand.
Budget Considerations
Building maintenance management software may be more cost-effective for smaller-scale operations with simpler needs.
Facility management systems often involve a higher upfront cost, but they can provide a broader range of functionalities that may justify the investment for larger and more complex facilities.
What are the different types of building maintenance platforms?
The different types of building maintenance systems include:
- CMMS tools
- Facility management programs
- IWMS apps
- EAM platforms
- CAFM solutions
What are the property management software must-have features I should consider for building maintenance tasks?
When choosing a property management tool for building tasks, prioritize features that enhance efficiency, communication and proactive planning.
Here are some must-have features to consider:
- Work Order Management: Prioritize and categorize work orders based on urgency and type. Attach relevant documentation such as manuals or schematics to provide detailed instructions. Set up automated notifications to alert assigned personnel about new tasks or approaching deadlines.
- Preventive Maintenance: Receive automatic reminders for upcoming preventive tasks to ensure timely execution. Integrate predictive maintenance capabilities using sensor data for a more proactive approach.
- Communication and Collaboration: Implement a centralized communication hub for seamless collaboration among team members. Allow tenants to submit maintenance requests and provide feedback through a user-friendly portal. Facilitate real-time messaging and updates to keep all stakeholders informed.
- Mobile App: Enable technicians to access work orders, update task statuses and input data in the field. Ensure synchronization between mobile and desktop platforms for consistent data management.
- Inventory Management: Use barcode scanning or RFID tracking to monitor inventory movement. Implement reorder triggers to automatically generate purchase requests for low-stock items.
- Reporting: Generate customizable reports on maintenance costs, equipment downtime and team performance.
Compare Top CMMS Software Leaders
What is a smart building?
A smart building is a structure that uses advanced technology and integrated systems to automate and optimize building operations, enhance occupant comfort, increase energy efficiency and streamline facility management.
Its goal is to use interconnected technologies to create an intelligent and responsive environment that adapts to your occupants’ needs and efficiently manages resources.
Some key features and components of smart buildings include:
Building Automation System (BAS)
Building automation system is a technology that automates various building functions, such as HVAC, lighting, security and more.
It takes into account the number of occupants, the time of day and environmental conditions like temperature and lighting levels.
For example, if a room is unoccupied, BAS can automatically adjust HVAC settings to conserve energy. During peak occupancy hours, it can optimize lighting levels and ensure proper ventilation.
The system’s adaptability contributes to enhanced energy efficiency, cost savings, and a more comfortable and responsive environment for occupants.
IoT (Internet of Things) Sensors
IoT sensors play a crucial role in modern building management by integrating throughout the facility to collect data, including occupancy, temperature, humidity, air quality and other environmental factors.
These sensors enable real-time monitoring and provide immediate feedback to building automation systems and other platforms.
Energy Management
Smart building systems use advanced sensors and meters to monitor energy usage in real time. This allows for a granular understanding of energy patterns, enabling you to take proactive measures to optimize consumption and reduce waste.
Smart Lighting
This isn’t your average light switch affair. Smart lighting weaves in sensors and controls, making every room a responsive canvas.
Picture this: as daylight fades, your lights subtly adjust, syncing with the natural rhythm outside. Walk into a room, and voila! The lights respond to your presence, creating an ambiance that complements your every move.
With energy-efficient LED technologies, your lights aren’t just bright; they’re sustainable, contributing to a greener footprint. It’s not just about being smart; it’s about being conscientious.
Security and Access Control
Security in smart buildings is more than just cameras; it’s an integration of smart security systems that prioritizes safety.
Smart surveillance cameras, access control systems and intrusion detection capabilities seamlessly work together to enhance security.
These security systems don’t just see; they act. Any unusual activity triggers a swift and automated response, turning your facility into a place where potential threats are handled before they escalate.
Are BMS and DCIM the same?
BMS and data center infrastructure management (DCIM) are both systems used in building management, but they focus on different aspects:
| Building Management Systems | DCIM | |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Overall building systems and infrastructure, including HVAC, lighting, security, fire alarm and access control | Specifically IT infrastructure within a data center, including servers, racks, power distribution units (PDUs), cooling systems and network devices |
| Level of Detail | Monitors overall performance and alarms for major issues, but may not provide granular data | Provides granular data on individual equipment and systems, enabling detailed analysis and proactive maintenance |
| Users | Facility managers, security personnel and maintenance staff | Data center operators, IT administrators, power and cooling specialists |
Some similarities include:
- Usage of sensors and data analysis to monitor and oversee systems.
- A shared objective of enhancing operational efficiency and cutting down costs.
- Integration capabilities with other systems, fostering a comprehensive and interconnected operational perspective.
Compare Top CMMS Software Leaders
Next Steps
Now that you have a better idea about building maintenance software, it’s time to find your perfect match!
Feeling overwhelmed in your search? Don’t worry! Check out our free comparison report and see how the industry leaders stack up in performance. You can access individual product scores, determine functional and technical requirements, and view user sentiment ratings.
What do you need from your building maintenance software solution? Let us know in the comments!
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2 comments
Join the conversationChris Ohaedeghasi - June 15, 2021
Thanks! this piece of information is quite helpful to my research towards improving building maintenance management practices in a Nigerian university
Arfa Farhan - August 6, 2020
That’s good to know that not every system would give you all the benefits. I would think that it would be worth the investment to get the nicer ones. That way you could get the maximum efficiency that the system could provide. CMMS system are found in Manufactiring, Oil and Gas Production, and also good work in construction companies and other industries where Physical Infrastructure is very critical. CMMS is good for every company because its has many benifits like Cost Reduction, Inventory and Asset management, Tracking and Reporting and workflow improvement. Especialy Eliminate unnecessary paper work and lower repair cost.