FM Operations with ioFM: the Montessori School Case

The Montessori School in Herzogenaurach wanted more than just plans and folder structures – they were looking for a digital foundation that genuinely supports everyday processes. Using a point cloud, a 3D model was created with ioFM, covering all 80 rooms – including their 3D scans in the actual as-built condition. Because the model can be reused in ACC, it becomes a practical bridge to the school's ongoing facility management processes. ioFM acts as a connection between the point cloud and the CDE – without the need for manual modelling. Instead of time-consumingly rebuilding an existing building in Revit, an FM-ready 3D model is created from the point cloud with minimal effort.

Interview

“The greatest thing for me is that by digitalising our school building and the assets within it, I will be able to hand everything over in an orderly manner before I retire.“     Matthias Brand   Caretaker Montessori Schule in Herzogenaurach

You have primarily worked with plans until now, but consciously wanted to integrate a 3D model into your daily work. What does ioFM bring you specifically as a caretaker?
The greatest benefit for me is that a clear, understandable 3D model is created very quickly from the point cloud, with the 3D scans of the rooms integrated directly. I can see the rooms in their actual as-built condition and orientate myself immediately. That is crucial in day-to-day work, because I need a reliable visual foundation that helps me find things and document them properly. And it makes a huge difference in communication: when I discuss something with the parents' council – where many people have no prior knowledge – it is much easier to show the situation in the 3D model than on a floor plan. It makes content immediately understandable and simplifies coordination between everyone involved.

Where was the pain point in daily work before ioFM?
Previously I mostly had floor plans and documents. That worked in principle, but it was tedious: on a plan, many things look alike, and there is no direct visualisation of individual objects. If I needed to inspect a fire extinguisher, locate a light fitting, or find a specific component in a room, it was often a process of searching and cross-referencing: open the plan, find the room, estimate the position, check on site – and hope the plan was up to date. This was particularly unreliable after renovations or when something had been moved. With ioFM, I have the visual reality of the building and can assign objects much more clearly.

And how does it work with the assets, and what happens next in ACC?
Based on the ioFM model, I define the relevant objects – for example fire extinguishers, lighting, or other equipment – and record them as assets at their actual location within the building. These assets are then imported into ACC. And this is important to me: in ACC, I continue with my usual workflows – asset management, tracking, documentation, and tasks. What matters most to me with tasks is that I can always see who a task is currently assigned to and what its status is. That makes our collaboration enormously easier.

The difference is that I now have a solid 3D foundation, and the data is not just "somewhere in plans" but anchored directly in the right place within the building.

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