ASHRAE

Vision

When ASHRAE needed to move to new headquarters in Atlanta they wanted to ensure that their new offices reflected the vision of the organization.

As a global body responsible for setting industry standards around heating, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration and their allied fields, the new building offered them the opportunity to showcase the latest developments in building technology. This would allow visitors to see ASHRAE’s best practices in action and help them to achieve their vision of a healthy and sustainable environment for all.

Instead of moving to a new building they chose to refurbish an existing structure with a focus on making it carbon neutral, providing an enhanced experience for employees and visitors and reducing the overall operating costs of the facility.

To deliver this they worked with their partners, including Cisco and us to implement building management systems with the intelligence necessary to optimize all core functions.

To create the optimal environment for their employees and visitors they needed to create a smart workplace that took into consideration all requirements of the modern employee and was flexible enough to adapt to future needs, a strategy that proved critical over the course of the project.

Transformation

A platform for a truly smart building

To create a workplace that delivered against their objectives, ASHRAE worked with us and Cisco to create the smart office environment. Through a series of meetings and workshops, the team identified that it was possible to create an environment that went beyond ASHRAE’s expectations, creating an integrated building management solution that linked the employee and visitor experience with the building management systems.

Integral to the process was identifying the different types of users and mapping out their journeys, enabling them to optimize the interactions of various users throughout their time at the facility.

This included identifying how people would access the building, be guided to where they needed to be – including desks and meeting rooms — as well as creating intuitive meeting room systems that adapted to the needs of the users with minimal intervention.

Requirements for employees and guests are different and the solution needed to offer optimized experiences for both groups.

During the course of the project, the COVID-19 pandemic required that a greater emphasis was placed on health and safety. The system had already been designed to adapt to the needs of users, including monitoring the number of people in a meeting room and modifying the airflow to ensure that it complied with the relevant health and safety regulations.

Leveraging the PlaceOS platform that underlies our employee experience solution ASHRAE have minimized the need for human interaction when visitors arrive and enabled them to fill in health declarations online. By monitoring the movement of people around the office, it can also allow for more efficient contact tracing should that be necessary.

The Cisco Meraki network connects all the elements of the system together allowing employees and visitors to stay connected. The Cisco Webex enabled meeting rooms allow employees to collaborate with partners and employees across the country and the world.

Results

By creating a smart workplace ASHRAE has ensured that their new headquarters can respond to the changing needs of the organization now and in the future. With a fully integrated building management system they have visibility of their workplace environment as well as the physical performance of the building.

Optimized employee and visitor experience

With an integrated employee and visitor management system visitors and employees can connect securely wherever they are in the building. ASHRAE can ensure that all health and safety regulations are adhered to and risks minimized.

Connected workplace

With the integration between the building management systems and PlaceOS, ASHRAE has a unified view of their environment. This provides them with the insight required to continue to create a workplace that evolves as their requirements change.

By creating a smart workplace ASHRAE has ensured that their new headquarters can respond to the changing needs of the organization now and in the future. With a fully integrated building management system they have visibility of their workplace environment as well as the physical performance of the building.

Next-generation meeting spaces

The integrated meeting rooms system allows for employees to book the most appropriate space for their needs. The integrated building management system ensures that airflow is adjusted for the number of people in the room, according to the relevant health and safety regulations.

Sustainability

The renovation creates a home for ASHRAE that doesn’t just deliver an intelligent and green building but sets the standard for the future. This extends to every facet of the building, from energy consumption to the employee and visitor experience. The renovation creates a home for ASHRAE that doesn’t just deliver a smart, green building but sets the standard for the future. This extends to every facet of the building, from energy consumption to the employee and visitor experience.