At Hemlow, we believe that maintenance is about delivering solutions that make buildings better places to work and live. As the industry grows, technology is playing a bigger role in shaping how we maintain, monitor and manage buildings. But with change comes questions.

For Managing Agents and Surveyors, the role is more demanding than ever. There is a constant expectation to deliver safe and efficient buildings under tight deadlines and new legislations.

Our question to you is, if implemented carefully, can technology provide the support you need?

So, let’s look at what’s changing, what this means for you and how we’re helping clients adapt to the future, without losing human knowledge and interaction.

The Growth of Technology

The building maintenance industry is changing quickly, with innovations ranging from sensors to AI platforms. Each adaption slightly changing the way the industry performs and reports.

Outdated and expensive methods are being replaced by tools that can be easily integrated into everyday maintenance tasks. For example, Internet of Things (IoT) devices provide live monitoring, giving overall equipment characteristics, run times and energy consumption.

But do you believe these tools have shifted from being optional to essential?

Key Technologies Driving Change

The Pros and Cons of Technology

The Benefits✅

• Cost reductions through optimised operations and energy use
• Greater transparency for both service providers and clients
• Data-driven decision making that focuses resources where they’re most needed
• Reduced waste and better energy performance
  

The challenges❌

• Risk of losing the personal touch
• Upfront investment in tools and training
• Data overload if it’s not filtered and applied effectively

Technology That Supports People, Not Replaces Them

Two years ago, we published an article highlighting how AI offers innovative solutions and automation options for the HVAC industry. We emphasised the point “Why Ai cannot replace engineers in HVAC/ M&E maintenance industry”. [Click here to continue reading.]

It is evident that blue-collar workers remain one of the hardest areas for AI to replace. And being the core of our business, engineers bring practical skills and real-life judgment that no system can match.

Over the past couple of years, we’ve seen AI improve at a fast pace and we know this is only the start. The tools are becoming more intelligent and more capable of supporting complex tasks. And as AI advances, even we can’t predict exactly how far it will go.

However, one thing is clear, technology works best when it supports people. It is important to remember the irreplaceable value of human expertise. The real success within our industry doesn’t just come from rows of data, it comes from the people who take the information and turn it into something effective.

From human interactions, human inspections and human communications. This is what makes the difference in the service quality and lasting partnerships.

Tech Partnerships

To get the best from technology, our next step is to balance modern tools with hands-on experience.

Partnering with tech-focused companies is a great way forward for us. For example, Demand Logic, they specialise in an AI-driven software for building maintenance and energy management. Their platform extracts data from a building’s BMS and displays it into clear tables and graphs delivering clear and concise insights without it becoming overwhelming.

The tech allows us to:

• See exactly when and how equipment is running

• Highlight wasted energy usage

• Identify faults before they cause breakdowns

• Extend asset lifespan

Attempting to extract and process all this data in-house would be insufficient as we simply can’t access every pot of information. With this tech, it provides us a solution to that challenge, making sure we get the most from the building systems and can share relevant and clear data directly with our clients.

Collaborations like this allows us to combine the traditional and modern approaches to transform building maintenance. Using technical analytics with our experienced engineers to ensure that the technology supports our people, rather than replacing them.

The conversation starts here 🗣️

Do you think the industry is sacrificing quality and the human touch to cut costs, and is it giving you the support you really need?

At Hemlow, we believe it’s about finding the right balance. Our goal is to get the very best from our engineers by giving them the tools, resources and support they need.

Technology helps us see the bigger picture, but it’s the skills, conversations and problem-solving of our people that deliver the real solutions.

We’d love to hear your thoughts. Get in touch and let us know your view on technology’s role in our industry.