How to Choose Desk Occupancy Sensors for UK Offices 2026

Power, connectivity and installation

Practical details affect total cost and feasibility.

• Power options: battery, PoE (Power over Ethernet) or mains. PoE is reliable for permanent installs; batteries reduce cabling but add maintenance.
• Connectivity: Wi‑Fi, LoRaWAN, Zigbee, BLE, or wired options. Choose based on building size and IT policy.
• Ease of installation and calibration reduces deployment time.

Questions to ask:

• What are the power and connectivity options and expected battery life?
• Can sensors be installed without major rewiring?
• Is there a tool for commissioning and monitoring device health?

Analytics, alerts and reporting

The value comes from actionable insights, not raw signals.

• Look for dashboards that show utilisation, peak times, and hot-desk occupancy trends.
• Support for custom reports, CSV exports and automated alerts is helpful.
• Real-time vs aggregated data: both have uses (real-time for desk booking, aggregated for long-term planning).

Questions to ask:

• What out-of-the-box reports are available?
• Can data be exported or pushed to BI tools?
• Are there built-in alerts for issues (e.g., sensor offline, anomalous usage)?

Scalability and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

Plan for growth and long-term costs.

• Consider per-sensor cost, installation, cloud fees, maintenance and battery replacements.
• Evaluate how easily the system scales to thousands of desks.

Questions to ask:

• What are expected per-desk costs over 3–5 years?
• How does the platform handle scaling across multiple floors and sites?
• Are software updates included or charged?

Security and compliance

Devices connecting to networks must be secure.

• Firmware update mechanisms, encryption and authentication are essential.
• Ensure vendor supports security best practices and can supply compliance documentation.

Questions to ask:

• How are firmware updates delivered and signed?
• Is data encrypted in transit and at rest?
• Can the vendor provide SOC / security audit summaries?

Sensor placement and deployment tips

Good placement improves accuracy and reduces false readings.

• Mount sensors above desks (ceiling or high wall) where possible to see entire workspace.
• Avoid obstructions (screens, storage units) that block line-of-sight.
• Use one sensor per desk or per desk cluster depending on size and field of view; typical ceiling-mounted thermal sensors can cover 1–4 desks.
• Calibrate sensitivity for open-plan vs partitioned desks; partitions reduce sensor range.

Run a pilot on a representative floor to validate placement, detection thresholds and integration.

Privacy and legal considerations in the UK

Follow these practical rules to stay compliant and build trust:

• Conduct a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) if personal data could be processed.
• Use privacy-by-design: choose camera-free or anonymised sensors where possible.
• Publish a clear privacy notice and signage explaining the purpose of sensing.
• Minimise retention and only store aggregated or anonymised data for analytics.
• Ensure contracts identify data controller and processor roles and responsibilities.

Use cases and integrations

Common applications that influence sensor choice include desk hoteling, space utilisation analysis, energy control and health & safety. Match sensor capabilities to your primary use cases when selecting a vendor.

Procurement checklist

• Detection technology and accuracy numbers provided?
• Privacy-first approach (camera-free or anonymised)?
• Edge processing available to limit raw data transfer?
• Supported integrations/APIs and protocols documented?
• Power and connectivity suited to your building?
• Pilot available and low-friction installation?
• Clear pricing for hardware, installation and software over 3–5 years?
• Security certifications and update policy provided?
• Local support and SLA options?

Score vendors on these points and prioritise pilots before full roll-out.

Future-proofing your investment

• Choose modular systems with OTA firmware updates and an active roadmap.
• Prefer vendors that support edge AI for evolving detection capabilities.
• Ensure open APIs so you can swap analytics providers or integrate new apps.
• Consider sustainability: long-life devices, recyclable materials and low-energy operation.

Choosing a privacy-first provider example

Privacy-first vendors—those providing thermal, camera-free sensing with edge analytics—are increasingly common and align with UK data protection expectations. Request a demonstration, pilot data, and technical documentation. One example vendor is Butlr (https://butlr.com); evaluate similar vendors against the checklist above.

Next steps

• Define your primary goals (desk booking, energy savings, utilisation analytics).
• Run a small pilot in a representative space to validate detection, placement and integration.
• Perform a DPIA and prepare privacy notices and signage.
• Score vendors with the procurement checklist and factor total lifecycle costs.
• Scale in phases while monitoring performance and staff feedback.

Conclusion: Choosing desk occupancy sensors in 2026 requires balancing detection accuracy, privacy, integration and total cost. Prioritise pilot testing, privacy-by-design solutions, and open, secure platforms to ensure a successful, scalable deployment for your UK office.