About the author
Richard Evans is Chief Solutions Officer at Ideal, helping customers to use the latest technologv to solve real problems and realise their visions for improved workplace performance on every level.
Ideal, is the UK’s leading Converged Network Systems (CNS) provider for Smart Buildings and winner of Cisco’s Smart Building Partner of the Year, two years running.
By teaming up with UMA, the collaboration experts, the aim is to offer a fully integrated solution across new build construction through to retrofits and tenant-led projects.
Working together, Ideal and UMA can now deliver fully integrated solutions for data-led workspaces with exceptional usability, management and insights.
From commercial office space, to hospitals, universities, venues and retail spaces, the combination of an advanced CNS with an integrated front end booking and analytics system provides enormous potential. Think optimal space utilisation, improved light and energy consumption, data-led decision-making and much more.
UMA provides the all-in-one platform, ‘ask UMA’, which digitises everything from room and space bookings to actual usage. Innovative tools and features empower individuals and teams to collaborate effectively, regardless of their physical location.
The platform also provides access to various room analytics data from a wide range of sensors. This includes temperature, humidity, live occupancy, air quality (TVOC), sound level, and ambient noise, giving facilities and estate managers real-time control and invaluable insights to tackle the common issues below:
API integration enables through an Ideal CNS makes it possible to monitor space occupancy, automatically adjust environmental controls for improved comfort and create usage visibility.
This can enable:
Whist the two companies are already working on tender responses together, there are plans to launch the partnership with events to bring the vision alive, starting with the health sector.
7 October 2026 at 150 Holborn, London
Richard Evans, Chief Solutions Officer at Ideal, says the two companies offer a great fit.
“We are both renowned for our technical innovation and our agility in making things happen fast. I have worked with UMA in the past and I’m looking forward to the new opportunities we can create together.”
Nathan Rogers, Sales Director at UMA, says:
“A Smart CNS is the perfect foundation for digital services like ours. Planning and implementing together will give clients maximum potential from the outset, making workspaces more efficient, more sustainable and easier to manage.”
Richard Evans is Chief Solutions Officer at Ideal, helping customers to use the latest technologv to solve real problems and realise their visions for improved workplace performance on every level.
Richard Evans, Chief Solutions Officer
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