Safehub: Transforming structural damage assessments in smart buildings 

In regions prone to earthquakes, commercial buildings are particularly susceptible to structural damage. These powerful natural phenomena can threaten the safety and functionality of critical business spaces, while also potentially impacting the local economy.  

Therefore, it is vital to promptly assess any damage caused by earthquakes to ensure the safety of occupants and ensuring ongoing business continuity. Once the immediate emergency is passed, accurate assessment is critical to determine the necessary steps for restoration, preventing further deterioration, and managing insurance claims. 

The challenge with assessing earthquake damage is that much of the initial assessment is done visually, even when a structural engineer is involved, there may have been some damage to the building that could not have been visible during the inspection. Sometimes structural damage can be hidden behind non-structural elements.  

JLL Spark portfolio company Safehub, provides an innovative solution to this challenge, with their sensors that measure real-time, building-specific information on the potential for damage, recovery time estimates, and projected financial loss. 

Sensor data can support the decisions of engineers and decision-makers about the need for a more detailed inspection of the building. Following destructive events, ground shaking or dynamic data provided by sensors can significantly reduce the bias and uncertainty. 

JLL has installed sensors in offices in the US, Japan, Mexico and New Zealand, which gives us first-hand experience with the insights generated, and is working actively with Safehub to explore a variety of use cases with our clients. 

How does this benefit building owners and occupants? 

Prompt information on structural damage in commercial buildings after earthquakes is essential to ensure the safety of occupants and identify potential hazards that may pose risks to their well-being. This allows for an immediate response such as evacuation or temporary relocation, to prioritize occupant safety. 

Rapid assessment is crucial for protecting business continuity in commercial buildings. After an earthquake, property owners can face three to six months of business interruption as structural engineers inspect the building. By understanding the extent of damage and expediting restoration efforts, property owners can minimize downtime for tenants and assist with a swift return to normal operations, thus reducing financial losses with Safehub’s sensor data. 

Further deterioration of commercial buildings can be prevented if damage information is able to identify minor issues before they escalate into major problems. Timely repairs or reinforcement measures can then be implemented to halt the progression of damage and preserve the integrity and the value of the building. 

Providing accurate data on the damage after an earthquake also enables property owners to expedite the insurance claims process. Insurers need to understand the extent of damage and ensures that property owners receive adequate compensation, covering the costs of recovery and restoration. 

To specifically address the insurance need, Safehub recently partnered with Liberty Mutual Reinsurance to launch a parametric earthquake Insurance product. Safehub sensor data is then used as an independent building-specific index for parametric insurance policies, where predefined levels of PGA (peak ground acceleration) trigger an agreed percentage of payout. 

Disaster preparedness is of value to property occupants, owners, and insurance providers, enabling each party to mitigate risks and reduce costs. Safehub is enabling organizations across the globe to reduce potential error in decision-making following an earthquake with a low-cost sensor solution they can easily install in all their buildings. 

Written by Carolyn Trickett, Growth Principal at JLL Spark

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