ISSA 2018 Puts Innovation On Display

During the ISSA Show in Dallas this fall, attendees can visit the Innovation Marketplace and Lounge to see all ISSA Innovation Award Nominees. A winner in each of the five categories will be announced at the show, as well as one overall winner based on online votes and the input of a jury. 

Looking over the nominees, many products touch upon the same trends: robotics, Internet of Things and battery power. Although most of the products are different, these are also the same trends found in several of the Interclean Innovation Award winners named earlier this year in Amsterdam. 

This technology focus has a clear purpose: save janitors time by making them more efficient. Building executives are looking for ways to save money from their facility budgets. When it comes to cleaning, this means either cleaning fewer spaces or cleaning less often. Neither option is preferable. However, if janitors can clean faster with this new technology, facilities can save money and not give up on quality.  

Obviously, robots boost productivity by scrubbing floors while janitors focus on other areas at the same time. Building service contractors who have cut the backpack-vacuum cord save an hour per 100,000 square feet. Studies of IoT-enabled restrooms show a 20 percent reduction in cleaning hours because janitors aren’t wasting time checking full dispensers. 

Innovation in this industry used to mean being environmentally friendly or safer for workers. Today, innovation translates to saving time. And, as we all know, time is money.