The University of Amsterdam (UvA), a progressive leader in smart building innovation, aimed to optimise the utilisation of its campus spaces while improving facility management. Traditional motion sensors, while useful for controlling HVAC and lighting, only detected basic occupancy and lacked the ability to measure how spaces were actually used. To address this, UvA sought an advanced, privacy-compliant solution to gain insights into space utilisation, improve operational efficiency, and reduce energy consumption.
Solution: Sentistic Smart Motion Sensors
UvA partnered with Sentistic, deploying smart motion sensors with AI-edge technology to enhance space utilisation tracking. The sensors were strategically placed at the doors of rooms to count people entering and exiting, providing detailed insights on how many people use each space, for how long, and how spaces remain underutilised.
One of the key advantages was the plug-and-play nature of Sentistic’s solution. The existing motion sensors were simply replaced with Sentistic’s advanced sensors without requiring additional wiring or drilling. This allowed for a seamless upgrade with minimal disruption to UvA’s daily operations.
Sentistic’s sensors use heat detection to anonymously track people, ensuring privacy by design. The collected data is processed through the Sentistic Analytics Platform, which provides actionable insights like heatmaps and visitor journeys. These insights are used to optimise room allocations and energy usage, and furthermore tend to be used for efficient facility management and cleaning operations.
Results
Optimised Space Utilisation: Insights on (time) utilisation of spaces helps UvA reduce underutilisation and improve room scheduling.
Privacy Protection: Anonymous heat detection ensures that no personal data is collected.
Non-Intrusive Installation: The seamless replacement of old sensors avoided the need for additional wiring or drilling, minimising disruption.
Conclusion
Sentistic’s smart motion sensors provides UvA with valuable insights into space utilisation, energy optimisation, and efficient facility management—all through a privacy-first solution that integrates smoothly into the university’s existing infrastructure.
