Honeywell Introduces Indoor Navigation for Connected Buildings

Honeywell, a global Connected Buildings technology developer, has announced several new capabilities for its Honeywell Vector Occupant App. these features will give Smart Building occupants more control over their experiences within a building with the swipe of a screen.

The most significant new feature is indoor navigation, which uses GPS-like technology to help users find their way around complex buildings that are difficult to navigate without directions. The indoor navigation feature has been demonstrated in the Minneapolis Skyway System, a complex interlinked network of enclosed pedestrian walkways spanning 80 city blocks.

The walkways protect Minnesotans from the winter elements and summer humidity, allowing them to comfortably walk between more than 30 buildings in downtown Minneapolis.

“For anyone who’s not a local, and for even some who are, finding your way around the skyway system can be a big challenge,” said Steve Cramer, president and CEO, Minneapolis Downtown Council. “With our initial use of the Honeywell Vector Occupant App, we’ve seen an immediate impact. The interactive map makes it really easy and intuitive to know exactly where you’re going, and how to get there.”

In addition to the indoor navigation feature, the app also now includes a location-based feature to rate spaces, allowing those within a building to highlight comfort issues to building staff for quick resolution. Both features combine mobile device capabilities with IoT-enabled building connectivity to help improve a user’s experience inside a building.

“Much of a building’s success hinges on how happy and satisfied its occupants are. They’re the lifeblood of an organization, and their experience within a building is what keeps them coming back,” said John Rajchert, president, Building Solutions, Honeywell Home and Building Technologies. “The Honeywell Vector Occupant App has given users more power to shape their building experiences from their smartphones. Now, we’re adding even more features to deepen the connections between occupants and the spaces around them so they can be as comfortable as possible, and can more easily and efficiently move about a building.”

The Honeywell Vector Occupant App is part of Honeywell’s Connected Services portfolio, which leverages the connectivity of buildings to improve how they operate and the experiences they offer for those who visit and work within them.