Workspace Environment: Some Like it Hot, Others Like it ‘Comfy’

Published on March 3, 2017 - By Cecilia Amador

Comfy Insights is Comfy’s new data-driven tool that provides insights into how clients and members interact with and use their workspace.

Founded in 2012, Comfy, the app, allows users and managers of buildings or workspaces to customize various elements of their environment, including the temperature. The way they explain it, Comfy is where “intuitive design meets sophisticated building technology.”

Comfy empowers workspace users to be comfortable in their environment. The app allows for users and managers to control temperatures and see how long ago they were modified and by whom. For its part, the app uses over 100 data points from requests to calculate and anticipate the needs and trends of individuals, and from there it can automatically adjust temperature levels.

So, is your coworking space too hot?

For some it might be, for others it might be too cold. The thing about comfort is that it’s very personal–and it can greatly affect and influence the overall workplace experience.

Comfy Insights

Hearn tell us that “what’s really exciting about these tools, and Comfy Insights in particular, is that they allow you to see usage trends in context.”  In a report gathered from Comfy User Data, they found that workers tend to want warmer Monday mornings, compared to other days of the week. The report also found “how varied and nuanced people’s preferences are and how a ‘one size fits all, set it and forget it’ approach to workplace strategy and design is not effective.”

Yet, thankfully, technology is coming to our aid. Thanks to a new range of apps on the market, workspace operators are now better equipped to help their members find a ‘happy medium’ that works for everyone.

One of them is ‘Comfy Insights’, a new data-driven tool launched late January, 2017, that’s designed to empower workplace and building managers. Meggy Hearn, Marketing and Communications Specialist for Comfy, explained to Allwork what’s unique about Comfy Insights and the data that it can provide.

“We are the only platform capable of analyzing data both from people and the building or workspace itself. Because of this, we are able to provide actionable, data-driven findings that reveal what people truly want from their workplaces. Previously, on occasion we had looked into our app data to discuss workplace trends broadly. Now, we’re empowering workplace strategists with a multi-layers perspective of how workers engage with their workplace in real-time.”

Comfy Insights was developed and designed “for the people responsible for managing, maintaining, and improving the workplace experience. The goal is to help these people better understand and benefit from how individuals utilize their space.”

By using software and tools like Comfy Insights, flexible workspace providers can optimize, maximize, and improve their workspace. Knowledge is power, and truly knowing when, why, and how people modify their workplace environment will revolutionize workplace strategy and design.

“Workspace managers should invest in workplace technologies that can reveal inefficiencies and provide solutions to mitigate them. Existing and emerging smart building technologies have the ability to provide a delightful experience for occupants, while simultaneously optimizing usage of energy, space, and other resources.

“These types of tools help managers make informed decisions on how and why they need to improve their space.”