A practical framework for assessing repetitive, hazardous and labour-intensive FM tasks before investing in robotics.

Professional illustration of a Singapore commercial facility with a staircase-cleaning robot and a mosquito-control robot, supported by an FM supervisor reviewing a digital operations checklist.

Robotics in facilities management is becoming more practical in Singapore. A recent update from the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) highlighted two applications with direct relevance to FM teams: sTetro, a robot designed to vacuum and mop different staircase types, and Dragonfly, a robot designed to support mosquito control.

The examples are useful not because every building should immediately buy a robot, but because they show how to identify work that may be suitable for automation. For facility managers, building owners, warehouse operators and SMEs, the more important question is: which repetitive, physically demanding or difficult-to-monitor tasks can be made safer and more consistent with the right technology?

What the Singapore examples show

According to SUTD, Dragonfly uses ultraviolet light, carbon dioxide, heat and pheromones to attract mosquitoes. LiDAR and bumper sensors support its navigation and mapping functions. SUTD also reported that Dragonfly has been commercially deployed by Kim Yew Integrated.

sTetro is designed to vacuum and mop different types of staircases, including spiral staircases. SUTD reported that the robot has been licensed to LionsBot for further development. These examples indicate that physical FM automation can be targeted at a specific operational problem rather than positioned as a general-purpose replacement for workers.

They also demonstrate an important point: a robot may perform a defined task, but people remain responsible for site preparation, supervision, maintenance, exception handling and service quality.

1. Start with the task, not the robot

Before reviewing suppliers, FM teams should document the task in operational terms. For staircase cleaning, this could include the number and layout of staircases, surface types, cleaning frequency, obstacles, wet areas and access restrictions. For mosquito control, the team may need to understand where mosquito activity is observed, how often the area requires attention and whether the environment changes after rain, landscaping work or other site activity.

A suitable automation candidate often has several characteristics:

  • It is repetitive and follows a reasonably consistent process.
  • It is physically demanding, time-consuming or difficult to staff consistently.
  • Performance can be measured using clear service indicators.
  • The work can be separated from tasks that require judgement, communication or emergency response.
  • The operating environment can be controlled sufficiently for safe deployment.

Not every repetitive task is suitable. A crowded public staircase, a constantly changing warehouse route or an area with frequent obstructions may require a different approach from a controlled back-of-house environment.

2. Assess site suitability and safety

Site assessment should come before procurement. For a cleaning robot, teams should review staircase geometry, landing areas, edges, floor transitions, lighting, drainage, slip risks and interaction with staff or visitors. For a mosquito-control device, teams should consider weather exposure, access, nearby equipment, cleaning requirements and how the device will be checked and serviced.

Risk controls should cover normal operation, abnormal conditions and maintenance. Questions may include:

  • What happens if the robot encounters an obstruction or loses its route?
  • How are workers and visitors alerted when the machine is operating?
  • Can the robot be stopped quickly?
  • Who is authorised to restart it after an incident or fault?
  • How will cleaning, inspection and repair be carried out safely?

Singapore’s Workplace Safety and Health guidance on technology adoption provides a useful direction for organisations considering electronic controls, hazard monitoring and workforce upskilling. Robotics should strengthen the site’s safety system, not create an unplanned new hazard.

3. Plan charging, maintenance and ownership

A robot is an operational asset, not a one-off equipment purchase. The business case should include charging arrangements, battery management, consumables, software or mapping updates where applicable, spare parts, cleaning, inspection and technical support.

FM teams should define ownership clearly. A practical operating model might assign daily checks to site staff, scheduled servicing to a trained technician and escalation of faults to the supplier or engineering partner. The plan should also state what happens when the robot is unavailable. Manual work instructions and contingency coverage remain necessary.

This is particularly important for small and medium-sized businesses. A lower purchase price does not necessarily mean lower operating cost if the site requires frequent intervention, complex integration or specialist servicing.

4. Treat connectivity and data as enabling infrastructure

Some robotic systems may use maps, sensors, activity logs or remote monitoring. Before deployment, the organisation should understand what information is collected, where it is stored, who can access it and how long it is retained. The team should also check whether the site has reliable connectivity in operating areas and whether the robot can function safely during network interruptions.

Data should support a practical management question. For example, managers may want to know whether cleaning runs were completed, where recurring obstructions occur, how often manual intervention is needed or whether mosquito-control activity is being carried out as planned. If the data cannot support a decision, collecting more data may add complexity without improving operations.

5. Redesign roles instead of simply removing labour

Automation changes work. It does not eliminate the need for site knowledge, supervision and accountability. Staff may move from repetitive cleaning or inspection activities to route checks, quality assurance, machine care, reporting, customer communication and escalation handling.

Training should cover the robot’s operating limits, safe start-up and shutdown, fault reporting, emergency stopping, basic inspection and interaction with members of the public. Supervisors also need a clear way to verify whether the automated task meets the required service standard.

This approach is consistent with the broader direction of smart FM: technology, data and people must work together. The Building and Construction Authority’s smart FM guidance emphasises data-driven operations, technology integration and structured implementation rather than technology adoption in isolation.

A practical pilot framework for Singapore sites

FM teams can reduce risk by running a controlled pilot before wider deployment:

  1. Define the problem: record current labour inputs, service frequency, hazards, delays and quality issues.
  2. Select one bounded area: choose a site with manageable access, clear operating hours and measurable outcomes.
  3. Set acceptance criteria: specify completion, intervention, safety, uptime and service-quality requirements.
  4. Prepare the site: identify obstructions, signage, charging locations, storage and emergency procedures.
  5. Train the team: assign operators, supervisors and maintenance responsibilities.
  6. Review the results: compare the pilot with the original process and document issues before scaling.

The objective is not to prove that a robot can move around a building. It is to determine whether the complete operating model—people, process, equipment, safety controls and maintenance—delivers a reliable business outcome.

How ISS can support the next step

For Singapore businesses, the right starting point may be a task and site assessment rather than a technology shortlist. ISS can help organisations discuss engineering requirements, facility management processes and AI automation opportunities in a practical way. Where robotics is appropriate, the deployment should be supported by clear workflows, human oversight, maintenance planning and measurable outcomes.

Contact ISS to discuss your engineering, facility management or AI automation requirements.

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