Transforming
Area X.O's Industrial Innovation Hub with B-Line

Area X.O, located in Ottawa, ON, is a high-tech facility operated by Invest Ottawa, focused on smart mobility, security, and innovative technology testing. With its large space of 350,000 square feet, Area X.O needed a solution to streamline operations, enhance security, and manage visitors seamlessly across their vast environment which includes office, industrial, and educational use cases for staff, tenants, and visitors.

As a center of innovation, Area X.O needed to solve several operational challenges:

Visitor Management: Efficiently managing visitors was crucial for a site that hosts numerous companies and test projects, some requiring strict security protocols.

Security Enhancement: With sensitive technologies and autonomous vehicle testing, Area X.O required an advanced, centralized platform to ensure security across the facility.

Smart Automation: The team wanted to incorporate smart building features that automate workflows based on real-time occupancy. This would not only improve the security but also offer a personalized tenant experience by adjusting resources and services dynamically.

Area X.O implemented B-Line’s platform to address these challenges. The B-Line solution provided the following benefits:

‍Intuitive Visitor Management: B-Line’s platform enabled seamless scheduling of visits and meetings, improving the overall visitor experience. It provided an easy-to-use interface for managing guest access, checking visitor history, and allowing contactless sign-ins.

‍Automated Security Management: The platform integrated with Area X.O’s security systems to enhance access control for sensitive areas. It dynamically adjusted the level of access based on occupancy and tenant-specific requirements, ensuring that security measures aligned with ongoing activities.

‍Occupancy-Based Workflow Automation: Using occupancy sensors, B-Line’s platform automatically adjusted building resources—such as lighting, HVAC, and shared spaces—based on the real-time usage data of different zones within the facility. This enhanced both efficiency and comfort while minimizing energy waste.

By integrating B-Line’s platform, Area X.O saw immediate improvements in daily operations, which Rachael Lough, Business Operations Manager, noted in her feedback:
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"Our office recently started using B-Line, and we couldn’t be happier with its product and the wonderful customer service we receive from the team. Booking meetings is now such a seamless process.

The platform is intuitive, easy to use, and has made our daily operations much more efficient."

Key outcomes included:

‍Improved Operational Efficiency: Meeting scheduling and visitor management, which were previously time-consuming, became automated, reducing the administrative load on staff.

‍Enhanced Security: With automated access control and occupancy-based adjustments, Area X.O is now able to maintain high security standards without compromising on operational flexibility.

‍Optimized Resource Utilization: Smart automation of building systems, like HVAC and lighting, based on occupancy data led to reduced energy costs and a more sustainable operation.
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