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The Clarient Group Helped a Global CRE Client Turn Existing Access Control Data Into an Occupancy Proxy for Operating Decisions, Avoiding New Sensors
The Clarient Group, a smart buildings consultant, has supported its global commercial real estate customers in treating access control data as an operating dataset rather than leaving it inside the security system. Existing badge data is used as a proxy for occupancy and foot traffic without installing new sensors.
Sam Tankel, consultant at The Clarient Group, described that, for many of their clients, access control is an existing data source. Getting that data into a data layer typically requires no more than a version upgrade and no new devices.
The dataset they are pulling from access control is simple yet valuable: tenant or company name, location, timestamp, unique ID, and whether a swipe was accepted or denied. After removing personally identifiable information and validating the integrated data against access-control exports, teams could look at unique entries, total swipes, busiest weekdays, and hourly traffic patterns.
That gave facilities and property teams something they could act on. āIf Iām an FM, I can analyze if I should be starting my systems at the time that Iāve always started them,ā Tankel said. āCan I renegotiate cleaning contracts because my building isnāt fully occupied?ā He also said month-to-month tenant attendance patterns might help owners anticipate lease renewal or expansion signals earlier.
There are notable limitations to this dataset. Data is only collected at controlled entry points, usually captures ingress rather than egress, and has mostly been used for historical reporting. While the data is near real-time, the typical 10 to 20-minute delay is too long to be used for dynamic HVAC setpoint and scheduling adjustments.
For operators, the approach reflects a broader pattern in mature connected buildings: new use cases often begin by extracting greater value from systems already in place. In this case, badge data was āgood enoughā to support reporting and operating decisions without a new sensor deployment. Over time, that kind of low-lift proof point can also help justify where a more purpose-built occupancy or controls upgrade is actually worth the added cost.
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The Clarient Group, a smart buildings consultant, has supported its global commercial real estate customers in treating access control data as an operating dataset rather than leaving it inside the security system. Existing badge data is used as a proxy for occupancy and foot traffic without installing new sensors.
Sam Tankel, consultant at The Clarient Group, described that, for many of their clients, access control is an existing data source. Getting that data into a data layer typically requires no more than a version upgrade and no new devices.
The dataset they are pulling from access control is simple yet valuable: tenant or company name, location, timestamp, unique ID, and whether a swipe was accepted or denied. After removing personally identifiable information and validating the integrated data against access-control exports, teams could look at unique entries, total swipes, busiest weekdays, and hourly traffic patterns.
That gave facilities and property teams something they could act on. āIf Iām an FM, I can analyze if I should be starting my systems at the time that Iāve always started them,ā Tankel said. āCan I renegotiate cleaning contracts because my building isnāt fully occupied?ā He also said month-to-month tenant attendance patterns might help owners anticipate lease renewal or expansion signals earlier.
There are notable limitations to this dataset. Data is only collected at controlled entry points, usually captures ingress rather than egress, and has mostly been used for historical reporting. While the data is near real-time, the typical 10 to 20-minute delay is too long to be used for dynamic HVAC setpoint and scheduling adjustments.
For operators, the approach reflects a broader pattern in mature connected buildings: new use cases often begin by extracting greater value from systems already in place. In this case, badge data was āgood enoughā to support reporting and operating decisions without a new sensor deployment. Over time, that kind of low-lift proof point can also help justify where a more purpose-built occupancy or controls upgrade is actually worth the added cost.
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This is a great piece!
I agree.