Smart operation of facilities for sports

Purpose and goal

The project has delivered a feasibility study that investigated the possibilities with IoT to make the operation of premises in sports smarter. Through planning for tests, new needs and opportunities, skills and forms of collaboration to explore IoT were creatively identified. Tests were carried out by demand-driven cleaning of bathhouses and demand-driven irrigation of football pitches. The planned test to measure the use of sports space was not carried out due to several difficulties which, however, provided important lessons in the continued work of developing the use of IoT.

Expected results and effects

Due to pandemic restrictions, sports facilities were closed unitil late summer. The test with demand-controlled cleaning of bathhouses was carried out according to plan and will continue. The test with demand-controlled irrigation of football pitches has been carried out to the extent that the technical infrastructure has been established, but due to communication problems with the supplier, the test did not start practically before the football pitch closed for the season. The test of measuring the use of sports space could not be carried out but provided important lessons.

Planned approach and implementation

Early in the project, the risk was identified that the project could to a large extent become a theoretical exercise. In order to increase the intensity early in the project, a full-day workshop was held with business representatives and representatives of companies with IoT technology. The business presented a survey of current processes and needs and then the dialogue about existing technology and possible applications of the technology was underway. Three needs with possible technical solutions became particularly prominent and tests were planned, two of which were carried out.