The MoD, which is one of the United Kingdom’s largest landowners, covering some 900 square miles and around 45,000 buildings, 55,000 houses and 135,000 Single Living bedspaces, has real estate in Germany, Cyprus and the Falkland Islands, along with facilities in Norway, Poland, Kenya, Canada, Belize, Nepal and Oman.
DIO, the operational arm of the Ministry of Defence (MoD), which is responsible for the management of some 4,000 separate sites and includes military barracks; land, air and naval bases; and military training grounds, has launched the project gain greater insight and intelligence in relation to its buildings.
The agency has awarded a contract to IBM to use the technology company’s smarter buildings software and services, in an attempt to reduce building operating costs and find ways to better utilise its existing real estate.
The project comes as defence in the UK is undergoing a major period of transformation as the government is requiring its agencies to better use resources, including real estate. DIO will use the technology to meet these defence needs by replacing its legacy IT environment and create a new centralised information management system.
The project aims to help in “transforming” the Defence Infrastructure Organisation since it will allow “us to work smarter in providing a Defence estate, which meets military needs and supports our Armed Forces,” said Andrew Manley, DIO chief executive.
The upgraded system will be launched in a number of capability releases through April 2014. These are based on analysis of future business needs, the current DIO technology landscape and engagement with industry through procurement.
