8 Building Management Software Types
There are several types of building management software available in the market today, each with its own unique features and capabilities. Some of the most common types of building management software include:
Energy management software - These types of software are designed to help building owners and managers track and control energy consumption and costs.
Energy management software is a type of building management software that helps building owners and managers monitor, analyze, and control energy consumption within a building. These systems typically include various features such as:
Real-time energy monitoring and reporting - This allows building owners and managers to track energy usage in real-time, identify areas of high consumption, and take corrective action.
Energy analysis and benchmarking - Provides detailed insight into energy usage patterns, equipment efficiency, and overall energy performance, allowing building owners and managers to make data-driven decisions to improve energy efficiency.
Energy cost tracking and forecasting - Allows building owners and managers to track energy costs and forecast future energy expenditures, helping them to budget and plan accordingly.
Automated energy management - Many energy management software solutions offer automated energy management features, which can automatically adjust equipment settings based on energy usage patterns to optimize energy efficiency.
Integration with other building systems - Integrating energy management software with other building management systems, such as HVAC and lighting systems, allows for a more comprehensive approach to energy management.
Facility management software - Provides a range of tools and functionalities for managing various aspects of a facility, such as maintenance, security, and occupancy.
Facility management software is a type of building management software that is designed to help building owners and managers manage various aspects of a building's operations, maintenance, and occupancy. Some key features of facility management software include:
Work order management - Facility management software typically includes tools for creating, tracking, and managing maintenance and repair work orders, as well as scheduling preventive maintenance tasks.
Asset management - This feature allows building owners and managers to track and manage physical assets within a building, such as equipment and furniture, including maintenance schedules and repair history.
Space management - This feature allows users to manage and optimize building space usage by tracking occupancy, availability, and scheduling.
Resource scheduling and management - Facility management software can help building owners and managers manage the scheduling and allocation of resources such as conference rooms, equipment, and staff.
Vendor management - This feature allows building owners and managers to manage vendor contracts and track vendor performance, ensuring that vendors are providing high-quality services and meeting their contractual obligations.
Budgeting and financial management - Facility management software typically includes tools for budgeting and financial management, allowing building owners and managers to manage expenses and track costs.
Reporting and analytics - Facility management software can help building owners and managers gather and analyze data on building operations, maintenance, and occupancy, allowing them to make informed decisions that improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance occupant experience.
Asset management software - Helps building owners and managers track and manage physical assets within a building, such as equipment and furniture.
Asset management software is a type of building management software that is designed to help building owners and managers track and manage physical assets within a building, such as equipment and furniture. The software typically provides features such as:
Asset tracking - Asset management software allows building owners and managers to track the location, condition, and maintenance history of all assets within the building.
Preventive maintenance scheduling - The software can schedule and track preventive maintenance tasks for each asset and provides reminders to ensure timely maintenance is carried out to avoid breakdowns.
Work order management - The software allows building owners and managers to log work orders for tasks such as repairs, replacement or maintenance of assets, and enables easy tracking of the progress of these tasks.
Inventory management - Asset management software can manage asset inventory by keeping track of the current stock levels and providing alerts when inventory levels drop below a certain threshold.
Asset performance tracking and analysis - The software can monitor and analyze data on asset performance, productivity, and efficiency, providing useful insights to improve maintenance schedules and identify opportunities for operational improvements.
Warranty management - The software can keep track of warranty periods for all assets and provide alerts for upcoming or expired warranties to ensure timely action.
Building automation software - This type of software is used to automate building systems, such as lighting, HVAC, and security, to optimize energy efficiency and reduce costs.
Building automation software is a type of building management software that uses a centralized system to control and monitor the various systems and devices within a building. The software typically provides features such as:
System integration - Building automation software is designed to integrate with all systems within the building such as HVAC, lighting, access control, security, and fire safety systems.
Real-time monitoring and control - The software can monitor and control all functions within a building in real-time, enabling the automatic or manual adjustment of settings as needed.
Energy monitoring and analytics - The software can monitor energy consumption patterns of various systems, allowing for optimized scheduling and usage to reduce energy costs.
Occupancy sensors - The software can utilize occupancy sensors to adjust lighting and temperature based on occupancy, reducing energy usage and improving comfort for occupants.
Alarms and notifications - Building automation software can generate alarms and notifications in case of malfunctions or system failures.
Mobile capability - The software often comes with a mobile app, allowing building managers to monitor and control different areas of the building from their mobile devices.
Reporting and analysis - Building automation software can generate reports on system performance, energy usage, faults, and other operational data, allowing for informed decision-making.
Space management software - Helps building owners and managers optimize space usage and occupancy by tracking availability and scheduling.
Space management software is a type of building management software that is specifically designed to help building owners and managers optimize the use of space within a building. The software typically provides features such as:
Space inventory management - The software allows building owners and managers to maintain a detailed inventory of all available spaces and their specific characteristics.
Space booking and reservations - The software enables users to book and reserve various spaces within the building, such as conference rooms, meeting areas, and desks.
Occupancy tracking - The software tracks the occupancy and usage of various spaces within the building, providing useful insights into occupancy patterns and trends.
Space optimization - The software can analyze the usage of spaces and suggest optimizations to improve usage and reduce waste.
Move management - The software can help building managers to plan, execute and track the moves of departments, employees, and furniture within a building.
Reporting and analytics - Space management software provides useful insights and reports on space utilization such as square footage, utilization metrics, and occupancy trends.
Tenant management software - This type of software is designed to help building owners and managers manage tenant information, leases, and rent payments.
Tenant management software is a type of building management software that is designed to help building owners and managers manage the relationship between the building owner and the tenants in the building. The software typically provides features such as:
Lease management - Tenant management software enables building owners and managers to manage lease agreements with tenants, including lease terms, rent payment schedules, rent increase notifications, and lease renewal management.
Tenant communication - The software allows building owners and managers to communicate regularly with tenants, including sending notifications about scheduled maintenance or other building activities.
Tenant records management - The software can manage tenant records, including contact details, preferences, emergency contacts, and other important information.
Tenant portal - Tenant management software often includes a tenant portal, where tenants can access building information and services such as maintenance requests, lease agreements, and rent payment records.
Rental processing - The software can automate rental processing by processing tenant rental payments, generating receipts, and providing reports on rental payments.
Tenant satisfaction surveys - The software can help building owners and managers to regularly obtain feedback from tenants through tenant satisfaction surveys, to address issues and improve the overall tenant experience.
Maintenance management software - Helps building owners and managers track and manage maintenance tasks and schedules for various building systems, such as HVAC and plumbing.
Maintenance management software, also known as CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System), is a type of building management software designed to help building owners and managers improve the maintenance of building assets and equipment. The software typically provides features such as:
Asset management - The software keeps track of all assets and equipment within the building, including their maintenance history, costs, and lifecycles.
Scheduled maintenance - The software can automatically schedule regular maintenance tasks, such as inspections, cleaning, and repairs, to reduce the risk of equipment failure and prolong the lifespan of assets.
Work order management - The software can generate work orders, including maintenance requests, repair orders, and preventive maintenance tasks, allowing for easy tracking and management of work orders.
Inventory management - Some maintenance management software allows building owners and managers to manage inventory, including spare parts, materials, and supplies needed for maintenance and repair tasks.
Service provider management - The software allows building owners and managers to manage relationships with service providers and vendors, tracking maintenance costs, vendor performance, and contract terms.
Reporting and analytics - Maintenance management software can provide analytics on asset utilization, maintenance costs, and overall asset performance, to help building owners and managers optimize maintenance processes and make informed decisions.
Security management software - This type of software is used to monitor and manage building security systems, such as access control and surveillance cameras.
Security management software is a type of building management software designed to help building owners and managers improve building security and safety. The software typically provides features such as:
Access control - The software can control access to secure areas within the building, through the use of access cards, biometric readers, or other access control methods.
Video surveillance - The software can manage and control video surveillance systems, providing live and recorded video feeds and alert notifications for suspicious activity.
Alarm management - The software can manage and control building alarm systems, including fire alarms, intrusion alarms, and emergency response systems.
Incident reporting - The software can generate and track incident reports related to security and safety events, including theft, accidents, and emergency situations.
Visitor management - The software can track visitors to the building by managing visitor lists, printing visitor badges, verifying visitor identity, and setting restrictions on visitor access.
Active shooter response - Some security management software includes active shooter response features such as informing building occupants of the location of the shooter and providing personalized instructions with images and texts to building occupants.