Back in October, 2020 [1] NDS (Net Display Systems B.V.) and LCS joined forces to create the leading player in the Smart Digital Building market.
Philippe Bonnargent, who took up the role of NDS CEO at the time of the merger, told us “By combining the strengths of NDS and LCS, PADS4 offers the most complete answer in the field of workspace, digital signage, wayfinding and IoT. Furthermore, the expertise and international experience of NDS will enable us to act as a global player in this market. Our new platform will also enable our resellers to offer a broader scale of solutions to their customers”.
NDS has announced four modules in their upcoming software release, which will be available this February. With the four modules, PADS4 not only connects to and displays data, but also collects that data and transforms it to improve the efficiency and well-being of users in a smart digital building.
- PADS4 Digital Signage. The PADS4 Digital Signage module gives users all the functionalities they are used to having from PADS4 as a digital signage platform. The module connects to existing data sources to transform them into smart and versatile signage. All users remain up to date on the latest changes with attractive content for company related updates, daily menus in the canteen, and much more.
- PADS4 Workspace. The use of workspaces are quickly changing, and office buildings need to react to those changes. From remote working, to room booking and desk management. The PADS4 Workspace module benefits the office space with easy-to-use tools. Employees simply book a space that fits their needs via the Outlook plugin, the mobile app, or a kiosk, and desk usage is optimized with hot desking and desk hoteling areas.
- PADS4 Wayfinding. Employees are often not the only users in an office building. Visitors come in for meetings and need to be guided to their destination. The PADS4 Wayfinding module creates always relevant wayfinding for all users. From a kiosk at the reception area with interactive maps, to wayfinding throughout your building, automatic updates ensure no one gets lost.
- PADS4 IoT. Sensors and cameras help facility managers make their office building smarter. The PADS4 IoT module enables users to create data-driven space management. Sensors on desks and in meeting rooms detect when a space is taken, red and green LED lights give a clear overview of availability, and ghost bookings are a problem of the past when meeting rooms are automatically cleared if the space is not being used. It adds to an optimized user experience and provides useful reports to make more improvements.
The Building Efficiency Initiative explains a smart digital building as a place that uses ‘information technology during operation to connect a variety of subsystems, which typically operate independently so that these systems can share information to optimise total building performance’.