Case Study

Meeting Room Occupancy

Background

We collaborated with an estates and facilities team managing multi-occupancy buildings that include high-quality offices, lab spaces, conference facilities, and meeting rooms. The team aimed to collect data on building usage, particularly in meeting rooms, to inform strategic space planning. A critical requirement was to ensure the project was minimally disruptive to ongoing operations, using technology that was unobtrusive and could be removed without damaging the building fabric.

Solution

We implemented a solution using sensor technology to gather high-quality data on space utilisation. Our team installed sensors employing both Passive Infrared (PIR) and Infrared (IR) laser line-crossing technology to monitor the usage of multiple spaces over a six-month period. We provided the client with a live dashboard and monthly insight summaries, integrating with the local room booking system to track capacity lost due to no-shows.

Occupancy data screenshot

Key Insights

  • The client was generally well served by its current resources, with meeting rooms consistently available for booking.
  • An additional 10% capacity could be freed up if no-show meetings were cancelled in the booking system and if rooms from early-finished meetings were released back into the pool.
  • The analysis of meeting sizes indicated that small meeting pods would be the most suitable option for any additional capacity needed.