From concept to real industry impact, now recognised by ASHRAE
We are proud to share that the D-XPERT FM project, delivered by DIREK in collaboration with Wates Group and UCL, has received the ASHRAE UK Chapter Academic Excellence Award 2026.
This award recognises real-world impact on Facilities Management and reflects a nine-month journey supported by Innovate UK to tackle one of the sector’s biggest challenges: closing the gap between AI potential and practical, deployable capability.
Together, we developed a fully integrated AI-powered solution, not just a tool, and not just training, but a system designed to work in real operations, where decisions, constraints, and performance truly matter.
The D-XPERT FM platform combines:
- Real-time predictive analytics and a scenario-based recommender system
- Digital twin capabilities for holistic building performance insights
- Context-aware operational alerts that surface the right information at the right moment
A core achievement was the accredited AI-Driven Facilities Management CPD programme, developed and delivered jointly with UCL and Wates, and shaped directly through real-world application.
Key features of the programme included:
- Hands-on training with the D-XPERT AI Co-pilot, teaching FM professionals to use AI tools, interpret data and improve building performance
- Interactive simulations using representative building scenarios and adaptive learning paths tailored to different roles, from residents to FM managers
- A practical Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) session introduced by UCL, bridging academic research with day-to-day FM decision-making
What made this project truly impactful was the depth of collaboration. FM leaders, innovation teams, and sustainability specialists from Wates were not just participants, they were co-creators. They tested tools in live scenarios, challenged assumptions around safety, compliance and return on investment, and helped shape a programme that is now both practical and deployable.
The programme was delivered and tested in December 2025 and January 2026, with strong engagement and clear learning outcomes. Live building applications demonstrated measurable improvements in energy performance, indoor environmental quality, carbon reduction and operational efficiency. This is where real progress happens, not in isolated pilots or theoretical models, but in solutions that stand up to operational complexity and deliver measurable results.
Receiving this recognition from ASHRAE is a significant milestone. It highlights what can be achieved when industry, academia, and technology come together with a shared goal: turning innovation into real operational value. This level of validation is what bridges the gap between innovation and real adoption.
We are now continuing this journey by expanding the D-XPERT FM CPD programme to the wider sector. If you are looking to equip your teams with practical AI capabilities and translate data into measurable performance improvements, we would be very happy to connect:
https://www.direk.io/about/contact-us
Grateful to Mahroo Eftekhari and William McQuade from ASHRAE UK Chapter, and to CIB and Innovate UK for their continued support.
A sincere thank you to all who made this possible.
Wates Group: Dr Zainab D. and Adetunji Lawal for their leadership and real-world engagement
UCL: Dr Shen Wei for academic excellence.
Every participant and supporter who attended and brought sharp questions and real-world insights: Jack Prady I Deep Mahida I Steven Clarke CMgr I JP Stoker I Phil Clyne I Liam Porter | Sam Rees-Boughton | Nathan Madzwanya | Rory Brown | Cohner Chaffey | Kehan Ma | Qin Lu| Tong Yang | Gulay Ozkan | Terri Dale .
The entire DIREK team for turning research into a market-ready solution: Amirhossein Bayat, Steven Penny, Sahar Zeinali, Sobhan Radfar, Sina Haj Mehdigholi, Paria Babolhavaeji, Sepideh Razeghi.