At a Glance – Key Benefits

• $384,000 in Immediate Cost Savings
  Digitising and analysing the full asset portfolio for $16,500 instead of $400,000 — a 24x ROI in the first phase alone.
• Data-Driven Decision-Making Across 492 Facilities
  Council now has full visibility of asset condition, enabling prioritised investment into high-risk buildings and better lifecycle planning.
• Meets NSW Local Government Reporting Standards with Ease
  Simplifies delivery of reports like Special Schedule 7, Asset Management Strategy/Plans, and Long-Term Financial Plans — all directly from a live, up-to-date asset register.

The Challenge

Managing 492 council-owned buildings and structures is no small feat. Historically, asset data was fragmented or out-of-date, making strategic decisions reactive rather than proactive. Manual asset condition assessments were time-intensive, expensive, and inconsistent, and compliance reporting became an administrative burden.

Blue Mountains City Council needed a digital-first solution to give their teams a clear, centralised, and accurate picture of their portfolio.

The Ai Assets Solution

Ai Assets deployed its digital asset register and lifecycle platform to map and assess the council’s entire property portfolio. Over 90,000+ assets were captured, barcoded, and condition-rated. Each building now has a real-time Facility Condition Index (FCI), lifecycle forecast, and asset risk profile — all accessible via an intuitive dashboard.

The council can now:

• Identify and prioritise buildings in poor or very poor condition
• Plan maintenance and upgrades with full CapEx/Opex forecasting
• Instantly meet reporting requirements for:
• Special Schedule 7 (asset condition and cost to bring to satisfactory standard)
• Local Government Code of Accounting Practice
• Integrated Planning & Reporting Framework (IP&R)
• Asset Management Plans and Long-Term Financial Plans

Key Results

• 90,000+ assets digitised
• 4,600+ maintenance issues identified
• 500+ health & safety risks flagged
• $100,000 saved in asset data capture and analytics costs alone
• 24x return on investment from initial implementation

Long-Term Strategic Value

Beyond cost and compliance, the council has unlocked several long-term benefits:

• Risk Reduction: Timely identification of WHS issues supports improved public and staff safety.
• Maintenance Optimisation: Real-time data reduces reactive works and helps prevent asset failures.
• Financial Clarity: FCI and lifecycle forecasting inform smarter budget allocations and asset renewal strategies.
• Audit Readiness: Always-on access to asset documentation, condition scores, and photo evidence simplifies audits and inspections.

 

What This Means for Local Government

The Blue Mountains City Council case demonstrates how digital asset management isn’t just about data collection — it’s a foundation for smarter governance. With Ai Assets, councils get more than a register. They get clarity, control, and confidence.