Nuvolo Briefing Note
Axendia was recently briefed by Ethan Smith, General Manager, Life Sciences at Nuvolo, which was acquired by Trane Technologies in November 2023. Post-acquisition, the Nuvolo organization, including its team and business operations, remains intact. The acquisition combines Nuvolo’s leading integrated workplace and enterprise asset management workflow software with complementary Trane Technologies’ digital, building management and connected equipment and services capabilities to unlock new value and offerings for their respective customers across shared verticals globally.
Smith explained, “Trane Technologies’ purpose is to boldly challenge what’s possible for a sustainable world. As a global climate innovator, the company is at the forefront of decarbonization and sustainability solutions. With relentless investment in climate technology, the company is changing the way we heat and cool buildings and protect the cold chain to reduce global carbon emissions. For example, their expertise in Building Automation Systems (BAS) and sustainable climate control solutions for buildings is key in reducing energy and carbon footprint in the tens of thousands of buildings they manage. Additionally, their comprehensive cold chain solutions, encompassing everything from freezers to transport temperature control, are exemplary. With Nuvolo’s increased alignment over time, our offerings will enhance these capabilities and help our customers and partners achieve their decarbonization and workplace transformation goals, including through efficient asset performance management, a synergy recognized and well-received in the life sciences market.'”
Advancing GxP Asset Management and Integrated Facilities Solutions in Life Sciences
Nuvolo positions itself within the life sciences industry through its ‘Connected Workplace’ suite, specifically tailored for this sector. This suite integrates various elements including assets, real estate, space, and capital planning, with a focus on regulated assets and manufacturing spaces. Built on the robust foundation of ServiceNow, Nuvolo’s suite includes key applications like GxP Asset Management (GAM) for regulated asset management, and facilities maintenance, among others. GAM and facilities maintenance are the core applications of the suite, and Nuvolo has dedicated significant resources to continually improve these offerings. Moreover, in 2022 and 2023, substantial effort and resources were invested in enhancing and, in some cases, redesigning applications related to space, real estate, and capital planning and projects within this suite. This demonstrates Nuvolo’s commitment to evolving its solutions on the solid base of ServiceNow to meet the specific needs of the life sciences industry.
Smith commented, ‘The integration of environmental sensors and asset tags is a significant trend we’re observing. Customers are increasingly requesting QR codes for all equipment and spaces, like conference rooms, to facilitate space management—a system we fully support. QR codes effectively connect the digital and physical worlds, and we’re seeing them used extensively for high-utility assets. The emerging concept of environmental sensors, although not yet mastered by anyone in the industry, is on the rise. Our open APIs allow for seamless data integration with our asset management system, addressing issues like unoccupied yet booked conference rooms. We aim to link sensor data back to the assets’ system of record, moving beyond just analytics to tangible asset performance management. This could mean monitoring anything from room humidity to the electrical consumption of costly equipment. We’re equipped to handle such data, and we’ve even created a lab in Boston to demonstrate potential efficiencies, like reduced service needs or early detection of equipment failure. While the adoption of sensor technology is still nascent, QR coding has become widely adopted at varying levels across organizations.'”
Enhancing Asset Lifecycle and Quality Assurance with DAM-Q Solution
Since our last briefing, Nuvolo has placed significant emphasis on enhancing the reliability, compliance, and quality within the life sciences sector by developing a new application known as DAM-Q, or Digital Alignment of Manufacturing and Quality. This recently launched product is an innovative approach to integrating Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) asset data into the quality assurance process. “The primary objective of DAM-Q is to streamline the production workflow, ensuring that products not only pass through the quality review process more efficiently but also meet the highest standards of quality, with the added benefit of incorporating relevant asset data,” explained Smith.
DAM-Q complements the existing GxP Asset Management (GAM), which offers a lifecycle view of assets—from procurement to retirement, or ‘lust to dust.’ GAM focuses on the entire span of asset management, including acquisition, onboarding, validation, and the ongoing maintenance and calibration. It also delivers valuable financial insights into the costs associated with asset upkeep. Performance metrics are another crucial aspect, providing comparative analysis on asset utility and efficiency.
Where DAM-Q innovates is in its application during the manufacturing process, examining asset performance in real-time production scenarios. “It goes beyond evaluating the cost-effectiveness of equipment like blenders or tablet presses over their lifespan; DAM-Q assesses how these assets perform in specific production batches. This shift towards product intelligence allows for a more nuanced understanding of equipment readiness and availability for scheduled manufacturing tasks, ensuring that the necessary assets are prepared and reserved for upcoming production batches,” said Smith.
The readiness framework introduced by Nuvolo represents a pivotal development in asset management, aiming to ensure that each asset is not only available but fully prepared for use when needed. This system plays a critical role in supporting the planning process, guaranteeing the readiness of assets for operational deployment. The culmination of this process is the generation of a comprehensive report, which serves as a vital record for the quality assurance team during the batch review process. While the concept may seem straightforward, it is a novel addition to the industry, filling a gap that previously existed.
“This innovation goes beyond traditional asset management by significantly enhancing and complementing existing asset performance metrics. The framework allows for a more granular analysis of how assets perform under different production conditions, such as during the manufacturing of various products or in conjunction with other equipment. This provides a deeper level of intelligence on asset utilization, elevating the understanding of asset performance in live operational contexts,” commented Smith.
Life Science Milestones
“Our trajectory of growth remains robust, continuing to ascend in a manner that brings excitement to the team. In 2023, we fortified our market position by initiating strategic partnerships with JLL and CBRE, a move that significantly strengthens our capabilities within the facilities and real estate sectors,” said Smith.
Additionally, the unveiling of a demo lab that showcases sensor technology underscores Nuvolo’s commitment to innovation. Nuvolo has also formed a life sciences user community, which convenes biannually and is hosted at various customer locations—a testament to the collaborative spirit within the life sciences sector. The upcoming session is scheduled to take place at Foundation Medicine’s new headquarters in Boston’s Seaport District, with subsequent meetings anticipated on the West Coast, potentially at a customer’s new facility in San Diego.
In Brief
The key life sciences use cases outlined by Nuvolo include a comprehensive range of asset and facility management solutions tailored to the industry’s specific needs. These encompass lab equipment management, ensuring the efficient operation and maintenance of critical research tools; facilities maintenance, which guarantees the upkeep and functionality of physical spaces; GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) asset management, aligning with stringent regulatory requirements; and space management to optimize the utilization of working areas.
Furthermore, the suite offers reservation systems to streamline the booking and scheduling of resources, alongside asset reservation and utilization for tracking and maximizing the use of equipment. An upcoming feature to look forward to is the management of assets per manufactured batch, promising a granular tracking capability that will further enhance operational efficiency in life sciences facilities.
We will continue to provide updates on Nuvolo as they become available.
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The opinions and analysis expressed in this post reflect the judgment of Axendia at the time of publication and are subject to change without notice. Information contained in this post is current as of publication date. Information cited is not warranted by Axendia but has been obtained through a valid research methodology. This post is not intended to endorse any company or product and should not be attributed as such.