In an industry where “innovation” often comes across as a buzzword, C&W stands apart—turning technology into real-world solutions that transform facility management. Our commitment has been recognized with a major industry honor: C&W Services recently won Gold for Most Innovative Integration of Technology at the 2024 Commercial Property Executive (CPE) Influence Awards. This honor highlights the transformative impact of our Digital Facility and Virtual Technician Programs—two initiatives redefining the future of facility management.
Setting a New Standard in Facility Management
The CPE Influence Awards recognize excellence in commercial real estate, with winners selected by a panel of industry leaders. This year, 50 achievements were honored across 26 categories. Our Solutions team’s submission stood out for its practical, results-driven approach to innovation. While many companies merely discuss technological possibilities, we deploy solutions that improve efficiency, enhance safety, and drive cost savings for our clients.
The Power of Digital Twins: A Game-Changer for Facility Management
Imagine a facility manager who needs to troubleshoot a boiler issue in a building thousands of miles away. Instead of booking a flight and spending perhaps thousands on travel, she opens her laptop, launches our Virtual Facility Walkthrough platform, and, within seconds, stands virtually in front of the equipment. She can examine the boiler from all angles, check its specifications, and even take precise measurements without leaving her desk.
This futuristic scenario is the reality that C&W Services has created with Matterport’s advanced photogrammetry. Our digital twin technology eliminates the need for on-site assessments, transforming how teams interact with facilities. Technicians can now locate and inspect equipment remotely, eliminating unnecessary travel. New employees quickly familiarize themselves with facility layouts through guided virtual tours. Safety inspections occur offsite, reducing exposure to hazards. And before dispatching personnel, experts can assess issues virtually to determine whether an in-person visit is required.
Our digital twin solution streamlines inspections and boosts operational efficiency. It has been particularly valuable for large campuses, where locating equipment alone can be time-consuming.
Virtual Technician: Breaking Down the Barriers of Distance and Expertise
When technicians face unfamiliar challenges, they typically endure costly travel and extended downtime while waiting for a specialist. Our Virtual Technician Program has fundamentally changed the equation. Now, when a field technician faces a complex challenge, help is literally a glance away.
Picture a technician examining an unfamiliar HVAC control system. He wears a specialized headset that integrates seamlessly with his safety gear. And within moments, he’s connected to a senior engineer hundreds of miles away. The engineer sees every wire, connection, and component the technician sees. Using augmented reality overlays, the engineer highlights specifics in the technician’s field of vision while guiding his collaborator through the repair process.
This novel approach multiplies expertise across our organization and client sites while transforming knowledge sharing: A single specialist can support technicians across different locations on the same day. Junior technicians gain real-world experience through live, hands-on mentoring. Senior experts approaching retirement can share their knowledge remotely, extending their impact and preserving critical institutional knowledge. Problems that once caused days of downtime are now often resolved in hours—dramatically reducing operational disruptions and costs.
Our Four-Pillar Approach: The Foundation of Meaningful Innovation
Behind these technological breakthroughs lies a carefully structured innovation strategy built on four pillars:
People: Our most valuable asset: 13,000+ team members who continuously share best practices and develop new solutions across client accounts. Innovation comes from everywhere—not just dedicated departments.
Partnerships: Strategic relationships that expand our capabilities: Through our Innovation Partnership Network, we collaborate with technology providers, research institutions, and industry pioneers to stay ahead of emerging trends.
Prototyping: We develop rapid prototypes and refine solutions through iterative testing before deployment. This approach ensures that every innovation delivers meaningful results in actual facility environments.
Programs: Our innovation ecosystem includes cross-account forums, ideation sessions, and comprehensive toolkits. It ensures that successful innovations can be replicated and scaled across multiple client sites.
A Finger on the Pulse of Emerging Technology
C&W Services takes a comprehensive approach to monitoring, testing, and deploying emerging technologies that benefit our clients while impacting our industry. From artificial intelligence and machine learning to robotics, automation, and extended reality, we continuously evaluate cutting-edge solutions that can transform facility management.
The Virtual Technician Program’s augmented reality capabilities and the Digital Facility’s advanced modeling are just two examples of how we harness today’s most promising technologies to solve real-world challenges. This forward-looking approach ensures that we anticipate the solutions that will define the future of facility management.
Looking Ahead: Innovation with Impact
Winning a Gold CPE Influence Award epitomizes our efforts to push the boundaries of facility management. By harnessing digital twins and remote collaboration, we’re improving operations and creating new possibilities in our industry.
These innovations are vital as building systems become more complex and the technical workforce evolves. Our digital twins provide unprecedented visibility into facility operations, while our Virtual Technician Program helps bridge the skills gap in technical trades.
At C&W Services, we integrate technology and transform facility management through innovation that addresses real-world challenges. This Gold award reinforces what our clients already know: “Innovation” at C&W Services is more than a buzzword. Contact us to learn how our award-winning innovations can optimize your facilities today.
