International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies (iJIM) – eISSN: 1865-7923 – Vol. 15, No. 22, 2021


Paper—Integration of IoT, Data Analytics and Mobile Application towards Digitisation Facilities...

Integration of IoT, Data Analytics and Mobile Application 
towards Digitisation Facilities Management: 

A Case Study

https://doi.org/10.3991/ijim.v15i22.24115

Irwan Mohammad Ali1(), Mohd Nasrun Mohd Nawi2, Md Yusof Hamid1,  
Fazly Izwan A Jalil3, Baharinshah Hussain4

1Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Perak, Perak, Malaysia
2University Utara Malaysia, Kedah, Malaysia

3Chulia Technology Sdn. Bhd., Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
4Al Nabooda Chulia Facilities Management Co. L.L.C, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

iairwan9471@uitm.edu.my

Abstract—Facilities Management (FM) industry players must be mindful of 
the current economic digitisation. It aims to empower the community and  industry 
players with digital skills and digital-based businesses. Positively, this also will 
benefit FM industry players. Therefore, many FM organisations are starting to 
take advantage on IoT, big data analytics and mobile phone application in their 
activities. This paper utilised a literature review to discover the application of IoT, 
big data analytics and mobile application in FM processes. Then, a case study 
on Al Nabooda Chulia Facilities Management Co LLC (AN.C) success story as 
the recipient of Urbanise Smart City Pioneer Award 2017 were cross- examined 
on the tools they use in digitisation FM. The novelty from the integration of 
IoT, big data analytics and mobile phone application towards digitisation FM has 
 significantly reducing management costs and improving facilities performance 
and service quality. The paper highlight an example of digitisation of FM activ-
ities that successfully optimising and innovating the current FM practices with 
the paradigm shift from cost management towards value creation in the future. 

Keywords—internet of thing, data analytics, mobile application, digitization, 
facilities management

1 Introduction

In this digital era, most developed country is keen to be the champion of digital 
power. This new narrative of economic digitisation aims to empower the community 
and industry players with digital skills and digital-based businesses. This includes 
introducing new technologies considered essential tools in the digital economy. 

Definitely, economic digitisation will also benefit Facilities Management (FM) indus-
try players [1]. Generally, FM encompasses a wide range of disciplines. Its  ultimate goal 
is to ensure the functionality, comfort, safety, and efficiency of the environment [2].  
The process is developed by integrating people, places, processes, and technology. 

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Paper—Integration of IoT, Data Analytics and Mobile Application towards Digitisation Facilities...

Implementing economical and sustainable FM is very important for most 
 organisations. This is achievable by optimizing expenditure costs, energy efficiency, 
reducing energy and water wastage, increasing staff productivity, as well as increasing 
the value of return on investment [3], [4]. 

This issue becomes more complicated with most of the existing building facilities 
becoming outdated and requiring complex observation and care. The most challenging 
part, building occupants and tenants always demand better, faster, and high-quality 
services. Therefore, the use of innovative devices and solutions that leverage real-time 
analytical data, is very helpful in operational decision making [5]. 

Recent studies show that it helps improve the operational efficiency of FM and adds 
value to the service provider. In other words, FM industry players demand a  drastic 
transformation towards digitisation to keep relevant and competitive. Therefore, 
they need to build and develop capabilities in making operational decisions based on  
real-time analytical data in service delivery.

2 Facilities management (FM)

Generally, Facilities management (FM) is a multidisciplinary profession that 
 integrates people, location, process, and technology to assure the built environment’s 
functionality, comfort, safety, and efficiency [2]. According to [6], FM is the process 
by which an organisation provides and maintains support services that emphasis on the 
quality ecosystem to meet their strategic needs. 

The FM ecosystem primarily is a hybrid management discipline, which blends the 
management of people knowledge, building and process [7]. In advance, FM is an 
integrated approach to maintaining, enhancing and adapting an organisation’s buildings 
in order to encourage a productive ecosystem that supports its primary goals through 
effective decision making [8]–[10].

Hence, it will helps an organisation to improve and achieve a long-term sustainable 
and operational strategy [11], [12]. Moreover, it creates good business environment, 
improve building and facilities based on current business environment [10], [13]–[15]; 
in the context of FM digitisation. However, the variety of FM tools remains to be a 
challenge to the FM sector’s adoption of digitisation technologies [16].

3 Internet of things, data analytics and mobile application

Over the last few years, the explosion of social media, smartphones, electronic and 
sensing-equipped devices, the Internet of Things (IoT) and big data analytics have 
changed lifestyle. Big data analytics, and IoT are just a few of the emerging areas of 
science and technology [17] that are creating the next generation of artificial intelli-
gence-based computing systems [18], [19]. 

IoT is the evolution of the internet where processing devices embedded in routine 
ecosystems are able to send and receive data themselves [20]. Innovations in IoT and 
big data analytics have boosted the establishment of particular activities along with 
flexibility, precision and efficiency to business processes [21]. In addition, monitoring, 
controlling, and analysis are some of the applications of IoT in this industry [22].

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Paper—Integration of IoT, Data Analytics and Mobile Application towards Digitisation Facilities...

Traditional data warehouses struggle to handle and analyse big data because of the 
4Vs of big data: length, velocity, variety, and veracity. The term “big data” refers to the 
recent flood of various forms of data from various sources. Analytics is the analysis of 
data in order to discover important and significant patterns and trends [23].

Both support comprehensive real-time computations network by connecting 
humans, systems, services, devices, and things that empowering digitisation business 
operation [24]–[26]. Therefore, many FM organisations are starting to take advantage 
of the power of sensors, engage human resources equipped with mobile phone, cloud 
computing, high-speed networks, and data analytics [25]. 

However, keep in mind that IoT devices, data analytics and mobile applications has 
significant technical challenges as these devices are from different types, vendors, and 
product models [27].

4 Integration towards digitisation FM

At the moment, FM industry is experiencing a significant transformation of prac-
tices, processes, tools, and references. This is due to the application of innovative smart 
solutions including IoT, data analytics and mobile phone application which currently 
have capacity to enhance the conventional FM activities [28], [29]. 

Several FM organisations are already witnessing the potential of digitisation that 
can help them expand their business value [30]. The integration towards digitisation 
FM is not just a technological shift at the operational level, but also involves the stra-
tegic level of the top management that focuses on the different aspects of the built 
 environment [31]–[33].

The interest at this time is not only to improve operational effectiveness alone but 
also to re-strategy processes, procedures, and activities that can predict events rather 
than to respond to them only. The current business condition significantly force them 
to migrate from conventional FM to new paradigm of predicting future trends through 
digitisation FM [28]. 

This is the turning point at which corrective or planned maintenance change to 
 preventive and predictive maintenance with the aid of smart solutions. Therefore, FM 
performance must be attained and supported as much as possible through data analysis, 
failure predictability and optimised and standardised processes [28]. In fact, exploit-
ing the digitisation FM requires a radical thinking in order to meet the client needs, 
 ensuring their competitiveness and increasing their value.

5 Method

Primarily, this paper utilised a literature review to discover the application of IoT, 
big data analytics and mobile application in FM. Then, a case study on Al Nabooda 
Chulia Facilities Management Co LLC (AN.C) as the recipient of Urbanise Smart City 
Pioneer Award 2017 were cross-examined on the tools they use of IoT, data analytics 
and mobile application towards digitisation FM. 

A case study being selected as the main research strategy to study and investigate the 
realism phenomenon of FM performance within single settings [34], [35]. Later, AN.C 

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Paper—Integration of IoT, Data Analytics and Mobile Application towards Digitisation Facilities...

performance is used to rationally discover the significant value and benefits of integrat-
ing IoT, data analytics and mobile application within the organisation.

6 Case study

Al Nabooda Chulia Facilities Management (AN.C) is an Integrated Facilities 
Management (IFM) service provider based in Dubai. AN.C was assigned to manage 
the operation and maintenance of Al Nabooda Automobiles’, a well-known automo-
bile dealership. Working with high rank vehicles requires AN.C to execute equally 
high-quality FM services. 

In 2017, Urbanise has awarded AN.C ‘Award of Smart City Pioneer’ for demonstrat-
ing that digitisation of FM can improve and add value to both, service providers and 
clients. They have improved their customers’ experience, strengthened their efficiency, 
increased energy saving and performance of the buildings and facilities they manage. 
It shows that they have already helped their client to realign focus on the core business 
activity [36].

AN.C FM teams optimistic that today is the “New Era” of service integration, energy 
management, business productivity and smart technology. FM service providers must 
be creative in order to stay competitive in the FM industry. Thus, digitisation FM is the 
smart solution to complement the excellence in the FM service delivery in conjunction 
with a paradigm shift from cost management towards value creation. 

Figure 1 show AN.C strategies in order to excel in moving towards digitisation FM. 
The transformation from conventional FM practices which is move in silos, and then 
improve as consolidate practices. Later, FM activities and data were archived then inte-
grate with data analytics tools to automate smart solutions.

Fig. 1. Digitisation FM [37]

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Being a leading FM Company, AN.C continues to expand its value-added 
 offerings through innovation and technology advancements. As a result, AN.C had 
seen a huge opportunity to use the Urbanise IoT sensors to improve environmen-
tal and energy  efficiency by real-time tracking and near process management with 
advance tools. 

In the case of Al Nabooda Automobiles’ showroom, sensor devices are used to 
monitor and manage lighting illumination and thermal comfort in the building. 
This is to ensure that brand compliance, customer comfort and equipment optimi-
sation. Besides, flood sensors are often used to track sump tanks and sensitive IT 
installations. 

Meanwhile, vibration sensors are used to monitor rotating equipment. Any 
abnormality automatically triggers alerts to the technical team on a real-time basis. 
Data analytics generate valuable evidence-based business insight that solves prob-
lems and improves business operations and efficiency. Hence, business intelligence 
has enhanced, service levels have improved, and made smart decisions for better 
 investment [36].

6.1 Urbanise technology

Key building systems are equipped with small wireless sensor devices. It will 
detect changes in a given set of parameters and send out real-time data to Urban-
ise’s central computing platform in the cloud. It can detect changes in a given set 
of parameters and submit real-time data to Urbanise’s central computing platform 
in the cloud. 

When a sensor moves beyond the set profile range, the cloud platform sends alerts 
to building maintenance personnel via mobile application and email. This allows the 
maintenance personnel to immediately identify the problem, respond and fix it. 

The FM provider will use this data to implement a condition-based maintenance 
strategy that will minimising cost for service delivery. The following are some of 
the smart solutions initiatives implemented by AN.C at Al Nabooda Automobiles’ 
showroom.

6.2 Wastewater frequent overflow

Connecting flood sensors in the wastewater tanks will facilitate to prevent wastewa-
ter become overflowing. This is a frequent event and major operational issue in most 
FM activities. When the wastewater reaches 80% of its capacity, this device sends alerts 
to maintenance staff. 

Later, the maintenance team will coordinate specific times for wastewater clearance. 
This procedure absolutely eliminates the possibility of wastewater overflow while also 
reducing the expense and inefficiency of onsite inspection and maintenance. After the 
flood sensors (see Figure 2) were installed, customer reports have been completely 
eliminated.

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Fig. 2. Flood sensors [37]

6.3 Optimising customer comfort in showroom common areas

Currently, it is common to see showrooms constructed with glass façade. Unfor-
tunately, in Dubai, the heat can reach the glass façade and significantly increase the 
temperature up to 50°C during summer. As a solution, the temperature sensor devices 
(see Figure 3) installed in strategic locations in the showrooms to track the exact tem-
perature in the space. 

Subsequently, this device will facilitate the HVAC system to adjust the tempera-
ture to reach an optimum comfort. This has provided the client with the possibility 
of a long-term saving in terms of lower energy and reduced maintenance costs. 
The most important thing has increased customer comfort and experience in the 
showrooms.

Fig. 3. Temperature sensors [37]

6.4 Improving safety in server rooms

Water leaks are common in server rooms (see Figure 4), particularly if the space is 
used chilled water air conditioning systems. In other situations, water leaks also may 
result from the failures of service pipes installed on the ceiling compartment. As a solu-
tion, this server room was installed with flood sensor devices to detect any potential 
water leaks that could damage server room equipment and data. 

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Simultaneously, ambient temperature sensor devices will monitor these section 24 
hours a day. It will assist the maintenance team with real-time ambient temperature 
data that is used to measure the air conditioning performance. At the same time, it 
will help to avoid expensive equipment damage in the event of a power outage or 
equipment failure.

Fig. 4. Sensors in server rooms [37]

6.5 Ensuring standard lighting requirements

The installation of lux sensor devices (see Figure 5) in the showroom will keep an 
eye on light levels to make sure that lux levels comply with brand requirements. As 
result, the sensors help to track the life cycle of the lights. All data is recorded including 
the time spent for switch “On” or “Off”. This will help in indicating the amount of time 
spent and energy consumed from a maintenance budget standpoint.

Fig. 5. Lux sensors [37]

Al Nabooda Automobiles’ showrooms and service centres now rank world-class. 
This achievement become reality throughout practical digitisation of FM. Customers 
are benefiting from the operations and maintenance. Meanwhile, the clients benefited 
from a conducive working environment. 

Through high-quality data and an evidence-based approach to maintenance, now 
they will collaborate with the client to reduce the operation and maintenance costs. 
However, improving asset life and performance is always the main goal.

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7 Conclusion

It is no doubt that FM digitisation would not happen overnight. Therefore, FM 
industry players need to formulate a radical transformation strategy towards digitisa-
tion FM. In addition, ongoing studies based on a real case study are essential to explore 
the digitisation ecosystems, especially in Malaysia. 

The novelty from the integration of IoT, big data analytics and mobile phone appli-
cation towards digitisation FM has resulted in substantial reductions in management 
costs as well as improved facilities performance and service quality. The integration 
will facilitate energy analysis and optimisation, and the real-time data obtained from 
sensors provides facility managers with irrefutable proof that can be used to justify 
critical work and maintenance budgets. 

This paper presents an example of digitisation of FM operations that effectively 
optimises and innovates FM practices in the future, with a paradigm shift from cost 
control to value creation.

8 Acknowledgement

The authors would like to thank to Universiti Teknologi MARA, Cawangan Perak, 
Universiti Utara Malaysia, Chulia Technology Sdn. Bhd. and Al Nabooda Chulia Facil-
ities Management Co. L.L.C (UAE) for the collaboration in this paper.

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10 Authors

Irwan Mohammad Ali is a senior lecturer in the Department of Built Environment 
and Technology at the School of Building Surveying. He is currently the Coordinator of 
the Industry, Community and Alumni Network of Universiti Teknologi MARA Perak 
Branch. He holds a Certificate and Diploma in Building Services Engineering from 
Kuching, Sarawak Polytechnic and Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah Polytechnic, 
Kedah respectively. He then continued his studies in Bachelor of Building Surveying 
and Master of Facilities Management at Universiti Teknologi MARA, Selangor Branch. 
He also holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Design and Built Environment from Universiti 
Teknologi MARA Perak Branch. His research and consulting activities focus on the 
areas of space management, facilities management, and building surveying  practices. 
E-mail: iairwan9471@uitm.edu.my

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https://doi.org/10.3991/ijim.v14i16.15783
https://doi.org/10.3991/ijim.v14i16.15783
https://doi.org/10.1016/0886-1633(94)90023-X
https://doi.org/10.1108/00438020110389227
mailto:iairwan9471@uitm.edu.my


Paper—Integration of IoT, Data Analytics and Mobile Application towards Digitisation Facilities...

Mohd Nasrun Mohd Nawi is specializes in the area of integrated design and con-
struction management. He holds a PhD the field of Construction Project Management 
from the University of Salford, UK. As an academician and a fully qualified Building 
Surveyor, he has been active in research and consultation works relating to the areas of 
Industrialised (offsite) and Modern Method of Construction, Integrated Design Deliv-
ery Solution (i.e. Integrated Project Delivery, Lean Construction, Building Information 
Modelling), Sustainable (green) Construction, Life cycle costing & Value Manage-
ment, Building Performance (i.e. Energy Management and Audit) and Management of 
Technology. Besides being involved actively in various academic activities, he is also 
an active author with various publications especially in the area of Construction and 
Technology Management. E-mail: nasrun@uum.edu.my

Md Yusof Hamid is a professor in the Department of Built Environment and Tech-
nology at the School of Building Surveying. He is currently the Rector of Univer-
siti Teknologi MARA Perak Branch. He holds a Diploma in Estate Management and 
Bachelor Degree in Building Surveying from Universiti Teknologi MARA. He then 
continued his studies in Master of Science in Integrated Construction Project Manage-
ment from Universiti Teknologi MARA. He also holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Built 
Environment from University of Salford, UK. His research and consulting activities 
focus on the areas of space management, facilities management, and building surveying 
practices. E-mail: yusof344@uitm.edu.my

Fazly Izwan A Jalil is a General Manager at Chulia Technology Sdn. Bhd. Cur-
rently heads Chulia Group of Companies in technology and FM innovation. He is the 
key member in the AN.C JV company formation in 2014. He was also responsible for 
moving Chulia Group of Companies into the era of Industry 4.0 internet-of-things and 
data analytics. E-mail: fazly@chuliafm.com

Baharinshah Hussain is a Board Member and General Manager at Al Nabooda 
Chulia Facilities Management Co LLC (AN.C) in Dubai, United Emirates Arab. He is a 
United States-based trained engineer. His contributions for AN.C being awarded 2017 
Dubai Smart City Pioneer Award; demonstrating technology can streamline business 
processes, improve financial performance and value adding client. Previously, he 
served in several senior management positions in the United States and European-based 
Multinational Companies (MNCs). E-mail: baharin@chuliafm.com

Article submitted 2021-05-19. Resubmitted 2021-07-01. Final acceptance 2021-07-02. Final version 
 published as submitted by the authors.

164 http://www.i-jim.org

mailto:nasrun@uum.edu.my
mailto:yusof344@uitm.edu.my
mailto:fazly@chuliafm.com
mailto:baharin@chuliafm.com