If you want better from your buildings, our team is here to help. Let’s set up a call to discuss your needs and show you how Akila works, from deploying digital infrastructure to optimization.
If you want better from your buildings, our team is here to help. Let’s set up a call to discuss your needs and show you how Akila works, from deploying digital infrastructure to optimization.
This month marks a major milestone for Akila as our R&D team in Vietnam moves into a new, expanded location in Hanoi. Established in 2023, this hub has rapidly become a driving force behind our AI innovation, pushing the boundaries of smart building technology.
With the rapid urbanization of cities across the world, the demand for intelligent, data-driven real estate solutions is greater than ever. At Akila, we are shaping the future of Cognitive Buildings, leveraging cutting-edge AI and strategic partnerships – such as our collaboration with NVIDIA, to accelerate the transformation of the built environment.
Vietnam’s thriving tech ecosystem, highly skilled talent pool, and strong government support for digital transformation make it an ideal location for an R&D hub dedicated to AI and real estate technology. Our team in Hanoi is tackling some of the biggest challenges in the industry, developing solutions that will redefine how real estate portfolios are managed worldwide.
Our Vietnam R&D team is at the forefront of several key AI initiatives that will shape the next generation of smart buildings:
Our vision is to transform the real estate industry by making every building a Cognitive Building—one that continuously learns, adapts, and optimizes its operations using AI. The work being done in our Vietnam R&D hub is a crucial part of this mission, driving scalable, AI-powered solutions that redefine how we interact with the built environment.
As we continue to expand our R&D capabilities, we invite innovators, technologists, and partners to join us on this journey. If you’re in Hanoi, stop by and say hello—we’d love to connect and share more about the exciting work happening at Akila.
For a more detailed breakdown of how AI can be used to enhance the building lifecycle, check out this blog post.
If you want better from your buildings, our team is here to help. Let’s set up a call to discuss your needs and show you how Akila works, from deploying digital infrastructure to optimization.
Akila is always developing new solutions to enhance operational efficiency and user experience.
Our teams have been working on several new features and improvements across our platform, suites and mobile app.
Here’s a closer look at what’s new in Akila and how these features can empower your workflows.
Password Expiry
Passwords are now set to expire after 90 days, ensuring updates of your credentials to maintain system access and uphold security standards.
Linking Alarms to Work Orders
Add work orders on the Alarm Log page, this will enable you to close the loop on actions related to alarm resolution, and to provide additional details to on-site personnel.
The increased transparency and traceability in handling alarm logs ensures that all relevant personnel have access to the most up-to-date information.
Low Stock Alarms
Alarms can be added on the Alarm Configuration page to receive notifications when stock parts are low. This will not only alert you when inventory levels are depleted, but also plays a crucial role in maintaining seamless operations by ensuring a consistent and sufficient supply of parts.
By streamlining inventory management, it reduces downtime, and supports proactive restocking strategies, ultimately contributing to cost savings.
Annually Repeating Holidays
You can now set holidays to repeat annually on the Site Settings page, allowing for better planning and management of inspection schedules during holiday periods and saving configuration time.
Real-time Data Point
Real-time data points are now accessible by clicking “Auto Refresh” on the “Data Point List” tab of Equipment Data Point page. With the click of the “Auto Refresh” button, you can also experience seamless, automatic updates to the data, enabling swift identification of any abnormal conditions.
Portfolio Energy Monitoring
A client-level user can now view cross-site energy data to compare the energy usage of different monitoring objects across different sites on the Portfolio Energy Monitoring page.
This is configured by linking monitoring points to monitoring objects on the Monitoring Point Configuration page, enabling the calculation and comparison of energy usage across various monitoring objects. You can also click “Sync Daily Usage” to sync the meter’s historical usage and daily usage to view the data more quickly.
Portfolio Energy Monitoring offers multidimensional search capabilities, enabling you to swiftly analyze and compare the energy performance of different monitoring objects, thereby enhancing operational efficiency.
Real-time Equipment Status Monitoring
Equipment statuses can now be monitored within the Digital Twin page. This new functionality allows for continuous oversight of equipment status, enabling proactive measures to inspect equipment, maintain product line quality, and ensure on-site security.
Display Equipment Attributes from BIM
The attributes and parameters of equipment are now available from the BIM Model to get more specific information on the Digital Twin page.
Support Different Holiday Settings in a Plan
You can now set various holidays when adding or editing an inspection plan, allowing the plan to accommodate specific configurations for multiple holidays.
Show Inspection Plan Tag
Adding and assigning unique tags to different inspection plans is now available, similar to the categorization system used for work orders. In this way, it improves the manageability of inspection plans, especially for sites with a high volume of inspections, saving time for operators.
Log Working Hours
You can now add the related working hours when editing work orders. In the past working order execution progress, maybe some un-assigned operators will help to carry out work orders and their working hours are not logged. With this feature, their working hours can be logged, enabling a comprehensive life-cycle work order log.
The Akila app is available for iOS and Android users.
Alarm Log
The App now includes Alarm functionality, offering real-time updates about equipment issues, which supports various condition-based maintenance scenarios.
Immediate Job Visibility
After scanning the QR code of a location or equipment, operators can quickly identify tasks that can be started immediately in the Today’s To-do list, as well as from the equipment details page. The list will be automatically sorted by their scheduled completion time, ensuring efficient planning and execution of tasks.
Offline Inspection Custom Tag
This new feature allows you to view unique tags to offline inspection plans, similar to the categorization system used for work orders. It improves the manageability of inspection plans, especially for sites with a high volume of inspections, saving time for operators.
Global Android Push Notification
Global Android user can now receive banner notifications from Akila, which help them to get the work order or inspection related information in time, enabling quick actions on dealing with work orders and inspections.
Extended Regional Support for AI Applications
The Akila AI Assistant and Long-term Energy Usage Forecast features are now available in the French region!
Energy Monitoring Chart Enhancements
The energy monitoring chart has been enhanced by introducing “Totals” and “Details” modes that enable swift access to essential data. Updates include breakdowns by monitoring points across multiple time-granularities, full-screen mode for enhanced presentations, and adjustable window sizing for more convenient analysis.
Editable Work Order Type and Job Class
We have introduced an update that allows for the customization of default work order and job class types. You can select both work order type and job class type on a single page when assigning or re-assigning work orders, streamlining the configuration process and saving time
With these updates, Akila is smarter, faster, and more user-friendly than ever!
Our teams have been working on these new features to make your job easier: we want to help boost your efficiency and simplify your workflows.
Have a look at those improvement and see the difference for yourself – Akila’s got you covered!
If you want better from your buildings, our team is here to help. Let’s set up a call to discuss your needs and show you how Akila works, from deploying digital infrastructure to optimization.
Building automation has come a very long way over the years, leading to what we now refer to as “smart building” technology. Smart buildings leverage a whole range of technology solutions such as Building Management Systems (BMS) / Building Automation Systems (BAS), Energy Management Systems (EMS), Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS), Integrated Working Management Systems and more to make the day-to-day operation of facilities more efficient.
These systems have revolutionized the operation of facilities by providing enhanced control, reducing waste, improving data quality, and optimizing operations and costs.
In the heart of this evolution, Akila stands out as an all-in-one digital twin data platform for buildings. It integrates every system and sub-system into a single source, eliminating silos and contextualizing each part, process, and performance to the entire building.
Unlike typical BMS and EMS software, the Akila digital twin is designed to work with a wide range of hardware, offering greater flexibility and customization. This complete approach ensures that all aspects of building management are seamlessly integrated, providing a comprehensive and efficient solution for modern smart buildings.
Let’s break it down by each different system to see where Akila excels versus traditional tech.
Building Management System (BMS)
Energy Management System (EMS)
Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS)
Integrated Workplace Management Systems (IWMS)
In today’s increasingly interconnected world, the efficient management of building operations and energy consumption is more critical than ever. Various systems have been developed to address these needs, each offering unique capabilities and benefits. The four key technologies—Building Management Systems (BMS), Energy Management Systems (EMS), Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS), and Integrated Workplace Management Systems (IWMS)— play a vital role in optimizing building performance and resource utilization.
These technologies have been shaping the landscape of building and energy management, paving the way for smarter, more sustainable, and highly efficient operational practices. Here is how they work and their benefits:
A BMS (also known as BAS or BCS) is a computer-based control system installed in buildings that control and monitors different systems in a building. The BMS system typically integrates multiple systems such as heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting, and security into a unified system. This centralized control allows for efficient management of the building’s energy consumption, improves the indoor environment, and helps to ensure the safety of the building’s occupants.
An EMS is a software platform that monitors and controls an organization’s energy usage. The EMS allows organizations to track their energy consumption, identify areas for improvement, and implement energy-saving strategies. The system can integrate with various building systems, such as lighting and HVAC, to provide a comprehensive view of energy usage.
The best use of an EMS is to monitor systems and identify anomalies in energy use. An EMS can identify where and how energy is being wasted. It can measure energy use against a baseline and alert operators when it goes off track. It can also simulate energy use in different scenarios to help with planning operations or projects.
A CMMS is a software application used to manage maintenance operations and track equipment maintenance. The system provides a centralized database to store maintenance records, schedules, and history and enables the efficient planning and execution of maintenance tasks. CMMS can automate tasks such as work order generation, scheduling, and resource allocation, and can generate reports to provide valuable insights into maintenance operations.
By reducing manual processes and providing real-time data on maintenance activities’ status, CMMS can help organizations improve equipment reliability, reduce downtime, and lower maintenance costs. Additionally, CMMS can help organizations comply with industry regulations and standards, such as OSHA, by providing a clear record of maintenance activities.
An IWMS is a comprehensive software platform that helps organizations optimize their workplace facilities, including real estate, infrastructure and facilities management. IWMS integrates various modules such as space, property, maintenance and sustainability management into one platform. This integration allows for better decision making, increased operational efficiency and better alignment with organizational goals. By providing a complete view of workplace management, IWMS helps organizations to boost productivity, reduce costs and create a more sustainable and efficient work environment.
But the field of building and energy management systems is rapidly evolving, driven by emerging technologies.
New technologies like IoT, open APIs, cloud-based storage, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are also improving the way buildings are managed and maintained:
These innovations are revolutionizing building operations management, driving efficiency, sustainability, and enhanced performance across the industry.
Akila is bigger than any individual system. It is an all-in-one digital twin data platform for buildings designed to unify and streamline your organization’s operations data. It consolidates real-time data from buildings using IoT sensors or open API integrations, offering a complete view for monitoring and optimizing operations. Akila excels in analyzing building metrics and visualizing performance, enabling you to share insights with both internal and external stakeholders.
Akila’s interoperability and extensibility allow seamless integration with existing and future systems, making it a single source of truth for your building management needs. Furthermore, Akila can go beyond just linking all systems at the individual building level to include an entire property portfolio in the same platform. The level of deep data and scalable deployment provided by Akila is what our customers leverage to optimize ESG performance.
Our platform allows you to monitor, track, and analyze utility usage, providing a deep understanding of resource consumption. By identifying inefficiencies in energy-intensive systems like HVAC, Akila helps you optimize these systems to reduce costs and carbon emissions. With advanced analytical tools, benchmarking, and forecasting capabilities, Akila supports informed decision-making through meaningful interactions with data.
Akila brings in the functionality of a BMS and goes even further beyond. We build upon the useful features of a BMS and pair them with a full-picture system that includes more in-depth looks at the inter-relation of different systems and the operations surrounding them. Akila then leverages this BMS data to help businesses meet their sustainability, efficiency, and ESG goals.
For example, when Akila was deployed in a multi-site project for Ikea China, the existing buildings were already using a BMS. These were integrated into the Akila platform, where the data was centralized along with other sub-system data to provide a full-picture look at the site’s performance. Using Akila as a single source of truth led to improved efficiency and a resulting reduction in energy use.
Akila can also provide all the functions of an EMS through just one software suite: Akila Energy. We integrate with EMS systems and provide value added analytics and normalization on top with the Energy SUITE. Akila Energy then works in tandem with other software and hardware (such as BMS and maintenance functions) to provide energy-specific data relating to equipment and operations. This also includes micro-grid assets, such as on-site solar panels and energy storage batteries.
One of the most important energy-related features of Akila is the ability to track energy savings and measure greenhouse gas impact based on Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions categories. This information is critical when it comes to ESG reporting. Akila allows our customers to use the time normally spent on collecting data to act on improving their emissions impact.
With our maintenance suite, Akila can be used as a CMMS. The maintenance suite is designed to maintain asset registers and related maintenance plans, technical history, and inspection records. It is more lightweight, making it more interoperable with other heavier systems.
In the maintenance sphere, Akila is designed for practical usage, compliance, and direct work feedback from technicians (via the Akila App). By leveraging data captured from other software modules, third-party monitoring systems, and predictive algorithms (within Akila or from our partner ecosystem), the maintenance program can be adjusted in near real time to the actual condition of the built environment and its usage.
With Workspace, Akila helps you manage your facility’s soft services, enhancing both efficiency and service quality in areas such as cleaning, security, and environmental management. It provides a centralized solution for work order, service requests, and inspections all in one place but it also allows you to track and manage Inventory. Our Workspace suite also includes Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) monitoring to ensure a healthy environment. With powerful analytics and automated alerts for operational anomalies, Akila enables real-time service request management and offers a mobile app for seamless on-site task coordination. This results in improved operational efficiency, greater transparency through digitalized service records, and complete traceability of customer service requests.
The Akila platform encompasses all the systems mentioned above. It exists vertically above all of them – not adjacent to them. It’s key advantage is to be integrating all building management systems into a single, unified solution unlike traditional systems. By consolidating data from various sources into its platform, Akila allows you more transparency and makes reporting more efficient while still reducing costs and minimizing environmental impact.
By serving as a single source of truth, Akila breaks down operational barriers, enabling stakeholders to manage processes and data more effectively. The platform’s true potential is realized when managing an entire property portfolio, providing company leaders with real-time visibility into performance across buildings, regions, and even global operations. With investment-grade data available for ESG and compliance reporting, Akila gives stakeholders and decision-makers the tools to make informed decisions that drive sustainability and efficiency.
If you are interested and want to see how Akila can revolutionize your building operations and drive greater efficiency, sustainability, and transparency, register for a demo today !
If you want better from your buildings, our team is here to help. Let’s set up a call to discuss your needs and show you how Akila works, from deploying digital infrastructure to optimization.
Akila is an all-in-one digital twin platform for optimizing the built environment. “All-in-one” means that Akila integrates every operational sector within buildings and facilities into a single software. Instead of having multiple different programs, such as BMS for building automation or CMMS for maintenance, it is all centralized.
Why? Because a building is like an ecosystem. Every part of a building is related. Assets impact energy use, people impact the assets, and in turn, the building impacts people’s comfort and health. Akila eliminates the silos between those elements through the digital twin.
To move beyond the data space and into action and processes, Akila offers five collections of apps on top of the digital twin called SUITES: Energy, Environment, Asset, Property, and ESG.
Within those five apps are tools for monitoring, managing, measuring, and reporting on the most critical operations in buildings. Asset SUITE is one of the most crucial. This is the Akila solution for asset lifecycle management.
The Asset SUITE is the next generation of digitalized maintenance and asset management. At its core, it is a workhorse empowering managers and field technicians through monitoring, work order management, and analytics. However, the asset suite integrates some of the most groundbreaking technology on the market to deliver a comprehensive preventative maintenance solution.
Proper maintenance of critical assets and systems, such as electricity, HVAC, and compressed air, is essential for reaching any building or property manager’s KPIs of improved performance, more efficiency, and optimized costs. Let’s look at how the Asset SUITE delivers that.
Maintenance:
The maintenance module is the workflow management module, but it goes far beyond the functionality of many legacy systems on the market. Inside this module, managers can schedule, track, and analyze maintenance work orders. Technicians can access this module during on-site inspections and repairs with Asset SUITE mobile, where they can also document and report on maintenance activities to increase operational efficiency. Data is synchronized through cloud computing, connecting field teams and managers in real time.
Parts & inventory:
This module is a simple but crucial tool for use by maintenance teams. Parts & Inventory is a digitalized management system that provides accessible stock information. It also can track stock levels and generate alerts when levels get below certain thresholds, so your site never runs out of crucial repair parts.
Monitoring:
The monitoring feature in Akila goes beyond the typical visualization offered in legacy systems and provides an in-depth, comprehensive view of your assets and systems using real-time data.
Akila lets you monitor assets at the portfolio level or drill down into the nuts and bolts (literally) that keep your equipment functional. The digital twin serves the purpose of a digital ledger for keeping track of and analyzing the performance of your assets. Identify inefficiencies in systems and processes, enabling asset optimization to increase lifespan and efficiency, and reduce operating costs.
Third-party integration
Akila can work with and enhance the effectiveness of existing CMMS programs, streamlining and accelerating the asset management and maintenance process. Where legacy systems can be unintuitive, slow to adapt, and opaque, Akila can integrate with pre-existing data sources to enhance maintenance effectiveness by offering a more accessible, customizable, and transparent experience for both on-site operators and portfolio owners.
Phase 1 – Akila creates an instance in the software for the single or multisite project, and then Akila engineers design the digital twins of your building and equipment. The digital twin is built by linking BIM models to IoT sensors that track data in real time, allowing the platform to visualize operations through various customizable charts and graphs. The 3D interface allows users to locate specific assets within the site structure, which adds context for property-level managers and can support technicians for daily or responsive maintenance routines.
Phase 2 – After the hardware is connected to the assets covered under the scope of the maintenance program any other existing third-party programs that clients use or wish to integrate will be linked with the Akila software. At this stage, working processes are standardized within the program, including user training for teams that will use Asset SUITE on desktop and mobile applications. Akila deployment and customer service teams work closely with clients for a speedy roll-out and avoidance of any potential operational interference.
Phase 3 – Once fully deployed and after use begins, the cycle of optimization and improvement truly starts. Baselines are either imported from other data sources, or they start being recorded with Akila and used as the reference point to optimize maintenance operations and asset performance. Automated features like system alerts and recommendations come into play, and all related working processes are measured in the Asset SUITE.
Akila’s Asset SUITE delivers short-term and long-term ROI for users from the boiler room to the board room.
Extended asset lifecycles
A well-maintained asset has a longer lifespan than one that is only repaired after issues arise. Akila allows teams to switch from corrective to preventative maintenance processes. The improved and streamlined maintenance workflow feature keeps your equipment in operation longer.
Less downtime
Optimizing workflows and leveraging real-time data reduces the risk of asset breakdowns. The Asset SUITE delivers more operational continuity and more efficiency, offering value for field teams and higher-level stakeholders.
Digitalized ledger
Asset SUITE solves some widespread administrative pain points by normalizing the naming and tagging across different sites to increase the effectiveness of tracking, training, and reporting. And it takes it a step further through 3D visualization and interactivity. Click into the virtual asset to see an equipment or system’s entire maintenance and inspection history, as well as other key real-time data metrics.
Compliance tracking
Legacy maintenance management systems are built for desktop-based use and lack functionality for on-site operators—which Akila provides with a mobile-focused solution. With Asset SUITE mobile, technicians can record repairs as they happen, providing transparency and ultimately ensuring more regulatory compliance.
Akila’s Asset SUITE is just one part of the “all-in-one” platform for optimizing built environments. By integrating maintenance with the rest of the operational sectors (energy, property management, etc.) into a centralized software solution, it eliminates silos and streamlines asset and maintenance management.
With features like preventative maintenance workflows, inventory management, real-time asset monitoring, and mobile accessibility, Asset SUITE extends asset lifecycles, reduces downtime, simplifies administration, and enhances regulatory compliance. Akila’s seamless setup process and ongoing support ensure a smooth transition, delivering both short-term and long-term returns on investment. This innovative solution empowers organizations to unlock the full potential of their built environment, driving efficiency, sustainability, and operational excellence.
If you want better from your buildings, our team is here to help. Let’s set up a call to discuss your needs and show you how Akila works, from deploying digital infrastructure to optimization.
While the digital twin is the core of the Akila platform, some of the most powerful features and functions come in collections of five different packages of software tools known as the Akila SUITES: Energy, Environment, Property, Asset, and ESG. Each SUITE is a collection of modules each with its own specialized purpose—which we will look at in closer detail.
Along with real-time data and digital twin technology, the SUITES are the third pillar of the Akila platform, supporting field operators, property owners, and sustainability managers to do their jobs (just to name a few!).
The Energy SUITE is Akila’s most powerful solution for operational sustainability and decarbonization. As many stakeholders in buildings and real estate know, surfacing and monitoring energy data is a critical need due to increasing compliance and regulations, but also one of the biggest challenges in building operations. However, as you’ll see with real-time data and digital twin technology, collecting and visualizing energy data becomes much smoother and more transparent. It’s all done in the Energy SUITE.
On top of providing access to new data visualization capabilities in the platform, the Energy SUITE includes three modules to boost energy efficiency: monitoring, optimization, and microgrid.
Monitoring: Track and trace energy consumption and carbon emissions (Scope 1 & 2) within building systems and processes.
Optimization: Take direct control of your HVAC (heating, cooling, and ventilation) systems to optimize performance and reduce energy consumption in real time.
Microgrid: Monitor and manage on-site renewable energy grids such as solar panels, wind power, and EV charging infrastructure.
Third-party integration: With third-party integrations, Akila brings in existing systems that may be in use at your site, such as EMS software, into the platform using API or SDK connections. One of Akila’s core values for users is its function as a single source of truth data platform that breaks down silos between systems. By integrating your EMS or other software tools related to energy, you can see your data, control your systems, and optimize performance all in the same place.
Setting up the Energy SUITE happens in four steps, starting with the deployment of the Akila platform at your site. Because the Akila solution uses real-time data directly from the meters of your equipment, there is a setup phase for properties that have little to no “smart tech” installed at their site. For sites starting from scratch, deployment would look something like this (for single or multi-site clients):
Phase 1: Collecting and centralizing data
Technicians first look at the scope of the data needed and what devices, sensors, or integrations are needed to bring that into the Akila platform. We leverage in-house engineers and our external partners to deploy a solution that works best for each site. An instance is created for the single or multisite project, and data begins to populate the platform and Energy SUITE modules.
Phase 2: Creating the digital twin(s)
The data collected in step one is linked to a 3D BIM, either provided by the client or made by Akila engineers, to create the digital twin. Connecting the data to their sources in 3D space assists on a variety of levels, especially when it comes to maintenance management. But the true power of the digital twin lies in simulation abilities. Using simulation, we can predict system performance and identify opportunities for improvement.
Phase 3: Software rollout, training, and ongoing support
The final step is to set up the relevant users and teams to use Akila in their day-to-day tasks and responsibilities. This also includes setting up proper access and permissions based on roles or location. Once every user has access, Akila will assist your staff in learning how best to use our products and provide close support to ensure your success in reaching your energy goals.
Akila’s Energy SUITE delivers an ROI primarily in two measurable ways: reduced utility costs, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Depending on the level of optimization and baseline data at a site, clients can see results in just a few months. We’ve already helped clients cut millions of dollars in energy spending and tens of thousands of tons of carbon emissions. Akila’s impact extends beyond the direct business needs of our clients to reach stakeholders across the value chain, including employees, customers, investors, and regulators.
Employees and customers are increasingly conscious of the environmental impact of where they work and purchase products. Together with the increasingly widespread adoption of ESG disclosure requirements by investors, carbon emissions are not looked at independently from business successes. More and more, sustainability is in alignment with profitability.
The demand for organizations to be transparent about carbon emissions is only growing larger. Transparent, trackable, and traceable data related to energy use and Scope 1, 2, and 3 is key when it comes to filling out reports required by investors and regulators. Akila streamlines this process by providing real-time and historical data tracking the metrics required by standards and frameworks such as CDP, SASB, GRI, RESET, and more.
Many organizations understand this and have come to Akila for a solution for improving energy use at their facilities. Our current energy clients include major international brands like IKEA, Astra Zeneca, Valeo, and more.
The Energy SUITE is a powerful and essential solution for operational sustainability and decarbonization in buildings and real estate. By leveraging real-time data and digital twin technology, it addresses the critical need for surfacing and monitoring energy data, and streamlines reporting and decision-making processes. The Energy SUITE stands as a powerful tool for organizations looking to achieve operational sustainability, cost-efficiency, and environmental responsibility.
If you want better from your buildings, our team is here to help. Let’s set up a call to discuss your needs and show you how Akila works, from deploying digital infrastructure to optimization.
