What exactly is CAFM? (Computer-Aided Facility Management)

But what exactly do these four letters stand for? How does such a system work, and how can it be combined with modern cleaning solutions such as our Nexaro cobots? In this article, we explain everything you need to know about Computer-Aided Facility Management.

Computer-Aided Facility Management: Translation and Definition

If you’re looking for a Computer-Aided Facility Management translation, the standard German term is ‘Rechnergestütztes Facility Management’. Essentially, it involves the support and optimisation of all processes in facility management through information technology.

Computer-Aided Facility Management encompasses the digital collection, management and analysis of data relating to buildings, systems and properties. It brings together commercial, technical and infrastructural tasks (which also include building cleaning) on a central platform.

How does a CAFM system work?

A CAFM system is essentially the digital heart of building management. It is specialised software that collects data from various sources and makes it accessible to facility managers, cleaning service providers and technicians.

Typical functions of such a system include:

• Space management: Precise digital recording of floor plans, room sizes and floor conditions.
• Maintenance management: Planning and monitoring of maintenance work or repairs.
• Cleaning management: Creation of cleaning route plans, documentation of cleaning intervals and quality control.
• Inventory management: Overview of all furniture and technical equipment in the building.

The benefits of CAFM in building cleaning

The introduction of CAFM offers enormous benefits, particularly in professional building cleaning. When service providers and facility managers have access to digital data, the following benefits arise:

1. Increased transparency: All parties involved know exactly when, where and how cleaning needs to be carried out. This builds trust and ensures clarity.
2. Optimised use of resources: A CAFM system allows for the precise planning of staff deployment and material consumption. Idle time and overstaffing are minimised.
3. Quality assurance: The cleaning services provided can be digitally documented and ticked off. This simplifies audits and ensures compliance with Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
4. Cost savings: In the long term, more efficient processes and better planning lead to a significant reduction in operational costs.

Nexaro and CAFM: The symbiosis for the future of cleaning

At Nexaro, we are rethinking commercial cleaning. Our autonomous vacuuming robots, the Nexaro Cobots (such as the Nexaro NR 1700), not only provide physical support for cleaning staff but can also be fully integrated into digital ecosystems.

This is where the Nexaro HUB comes into play. Our cloud-based fleet management software is the ideal link to modern facility management systems.

• Data-driven cleaning: The cobots send real-time data to the Nexaro HUB. You can see immediately which areas have already been cleaned and where the cobot is currently operating.
• Digital floor plans: The HUB generates room maps that align perfectly with the floor area data from a CAFM system.
• Automated documentation: The cobots’ cleaning performance is recorded digitally – there is no need for manual ticking off, and quality is always verifiable.

Whilst Computer-Aided Facility Management optimises the organisation of buildings, Nexaro’s cobots provide the operational, digitally connected hardware to take floor cleaning to the next level.