Business context

The Cloudfm Group provides cutting-edge facilities management (FM), services powered by their unique technology platform.

Environmental sustainability is at the heart of Cloudfm’s innovation programme and the company sought to develop a solution that would enable their clients to run smarter, more energy-efficient buildings.

The Internet of Things (IoT), a key element of Industry 4.0 showed tremendous potential for delivering these objectives and accelerating commercial gains. Cloudfm’s clients could reduce waste, improve financial sustainability and minimise carbon footprint via intelligent connected devices.

The company’s new initiative would also allow for further diversification of its client base, enabling new and innovative offerings in areas such as data analytics.


Steve Corbett
"We are delighted to be working in partnership with the University of Essex. Environmental sustainability is at the heart of our innovation programme; delivering a solution that enables our clients to run smarter, more energy-efficient buildings. Through intelligent, connected devices our clients can reduce waste, improve financial sustainability and minimise their carbon footprint."
Steve Corbett Group CIO Cloudfm

Research solution

Cloudfm partnered with the School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering at Essex, on a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) to research and build advanced monitoring, control and prediction solutions.

The aims of the partnership were twofold:

  1. move Cloudfm into proactive asset care and insight through the implementation of IoT;
  2. develop a data analytics and visualisation engine for fault detection, risk assessment and multi-layered insight in FM.

The KTP was led by four academics, most notably Dr Faiyaz Doctor - an expert in state-of-the-art AI solutions, and Dr Hossein Anisi – an expert in IoT-based sensing and communication monitoring architectures. Two full-time KTP Associates worked with Cloudfm’s technical teams to develop novel algorithms and pioneering intellectual property underpinning the project.

Business value

Following successful completion of the KTP in July 2021, Cloudfm is the first FM company to provide a true IoT solution that offers end-to-end lifetime care of assets, thereby reducing costs.

Throughout the KTP, the collaboration between Cloudfm and Essex extended into other areas such as the healthcare sector, where the partners joined forces to develop innovative new disinfection services during the pandemic. 

The disastrous effects of COVID-19 on the food and beverage industry have reinforced Cloudfm’s ambition to grow its IoT and AI capability over the next decade. And the KTP research has laid important foundations for the company's IoT team to build on.

 

 

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Innovate UK funding

Essex has successfully secured more Innovate UK KTP funding than any other university in the East of England or London (and we're number 1 in the UK). You could access around £150k through this program or equally partner with us on a Smart grant and secure up to £3m to work with a consortia on your project. Essex will lead the entire process and have a sector-leading track record at winning this funding. All projects are commercially driven and underpinned by world class research from Essex.

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