Allreal combines a stable-income real estate portfolio (commercial and residential properties) with the work of a general contractor, i.e. development and implementation. The value of the real estate portfolio amounts to around CHF 5.1 billion and the real estate company employs around 240 employees in Zurich, Basel, Bern and Geneva. For a commercial property in French-speaking Switzerland with a usable area of 12,448 m2, Bouygues Energies & Services was commissioned with designing a virtual reception solution. It had to pay close attention to the visitor guidance system, support the workflow and optimise the digital infrastructure for building management in order to be able to offer a holistic experience.
Due to technical advances in communication and building management, it is vital that the reception experience is re-invented for employees and visitors. The specialists from Bouygues Energies & Services were tasked with designing a digital alternative to the commercial property’s physical reception solution. The visitor guidance system was key in this case, as were innovative building management processes which optimise the workflow and ensure a seamless transition between the digital and physical experience.
The design workshops with the customer took place on the basis of the signage concept developed by the Facility Management team at Bouygues Energies & Services. This was to ensure an independent digital guidance solution that was harmonised with the commercial property’s characteristics and to create added value for the diverse range of tenants and visitors. The project’s mission was also to neutralise the omnipresence of the property’s main tenant and to, conversely, create a multi-tenant solution.
Additional customer needs were raised over the course of iterative communication with the project team. For example, the virtual reception solution should provide visitors to the building with the opportunity to communicate directly with the relevant tenant or management or to find out information about up-to-date menu plans and the precise location of the restaurant. Additionally, users should be able to send direct messages (e.g. about technical faults) to Facility Management via the virtual reception.
Once the catalogue of requirements had been worked out, an interactive prototype was presented that tenants could test extensively. The three-language avatar solution which will welcome all future visitors impressed users in particular. Any issues that needed to be optimised were then taken into consideration in the final design.
The customer benefits from cloud services from Bouygues Energies & Services to ensure maximum reliability and flexibility. The software architecture includes and integrates open interfaces which can be used to professionally implement all of the customer’s requirements. The hardware was individually designed in accordance with the architect’s colour preferences.
Visitors are able to operate the solution using an avatar-based touchscreen. The digital, interactive guidance solution can also be controlled using the screen or accessed using a smartphone or QR code. State-of-the-art technological methods can be used to adapt and develop the integrated, AI-based avatar at any time and flexibly to suit the customer’s needs.
The kiosk’s local network connection has built-in redundancy. The kiosk also has a remote support function which ensures it can be accessed remotely at any time. At the same time, the integrated intelligence ensures the power consumption can be controlled and provides an associated reduction in consumption during the night.
A wide range of ICT teams from Bouygues Energies & Services were involved in developing the solution implemented in the project and the required modifications to the building infrastructure were carried out in collaboration with the local installation partner.
Mathias Knellwolf, Head of Building Management at Allreal, was extremely satisfied with how the project was carried out and implemented in collaboration with Bouygues Energies & Services. The overall solution from Bouygues Energies & Services enhances the commercial property, radiates innovativeness and reduces ancillary costs for the tenants. The potential synergies between the various services Bouygues Energies & Services provides were able to be optimally leveraged and all defined projects goals were met in full. All stakeholders involved thought the project was a great success.
