Hybrid work changes everything about space planning. Offices that used to run at 80% capacity now bounce between 30% and 60% depending on the day. Some days see morning rushes, quiet middays, then busy afternoons. This pattern shifts all the time. Badge swipes and calendar bookings can't show you what's really happening - who's in each zone, right now, and for how long.

Your network already has the answers. Every laptop, phone, and tablet that connects to Wi-Fi leaves a digital footprint. Aruba access points spot these devices easily. Modern analytics use those footprints to estimate live occupancy - no cameras, no tracking people, and no extra hardware. This is occupancy intelligence: real-time, privacy-safe insights about how you use your spaces.

If you work in real estate, facilities, IT, or sustainability, network-based occupancy intelligence is your practical way forward. You get a campus-wide view, room-level accuracy when you need it, and data to help you make smarter choices for HVAC, lighting, and space. This guide breaks down the architecture, from edge sensors to dashboards.

Why You Should Use Networks for Occupancy Intelligence Now

Hybrid work means unpredictable demand. Weekly office occupancy averages just 52%. Over 60% of office space sits unused. Buildings designed for full use now have uneven loads that old systems can't follow. Badge data logs entries but not where people go. Calendar bookings show what you plan, not what really happens. Camera tracking raises privacy questions and most organizations want to avoid it.

Networks solve this at scale. Wi-Fi access points passively detect Bluetooth and Wi-Fi signals from everyday devices - laptops, phones, wearables. Machine learning turns these patterns into live occupancy counts, minute by minute. It doesn't track personal info or monitor individual devices.

This method gives you fast, broad coverage. It lights up your whole campus in days - not months - using what you already have. Privacy is built in. There's no hassle with cameras or personal tracking.

How HPE Aruba-Based Occupancy Systems Work

An Aruba occupancy system has five parts:

• Edge devices
• Network control
• Data management
• Analytics
• Building automation connectors

At the edge, Aruba access points with built-in Bluetooth act as both hubs and sensors. Newer Aruba APs have Bluetooth radios to detect nearby devices. You can extend older APs with USB Bluetooth beacons. For higher precision, add camera-free occupancy sensors - thermal or mmWave sensors that spot people without video. Put doorway counters at entries to get accurate in-and-out counts.

Aruba Central monitors everything. It watches AP health, collects data, and offers APIs so you can export occupancy metrics. You control access. Role-based controls keep data secure inside your organization.

Your data flows from APs to a central broker or data warehouse. It collects signal strength, dwell times, and device counts. You can add other sensors through MQTT or REST APIs - easy and unified.

The analytics layer takes these streams and creates maps, trend reports, and key KPIs. Everything is organized by site, building, floor, and room. You get quick, near real-time views. Daily summaries capture longer trends.

Finally, connectors link occupancy data to building systems. BACnet/SC gateways or middleware send live counts to your building automation systems. That info triggers lighting, HVAC, and ventilation adjustments automatically.

Making Sense of the Signals

Great occupancy intelligence blends multiple signals. Each has strengths, so you combine them for accurate, reliable data.

• Wi-Fi presence data gives you broad activity across large spaces. Wi-Fi signal strength shows how close devices are and how long they stay. You'll get big-picture analytics - how many visitors, visits, average dwell, and the rate at which people come inside. It's great for floor trends, not small rooms or device-to-person accuracy.
• Room occupancy sensors fill the gaps. mmWave and thermal sensors count people, not devices, in smaller rooms. No video needed. These deliver exact counts for spaces like conference rooms and focus areas.
• Doorway counters are your ground truth. Overhead sensors count everyone in and out at main entries. Compare those numbers to Wi-Fi estimates and fine-tune your setup.

Want to go further? Mix in calendar and badge data to match demand with access. Add indoor air quality sensors to learn how occupancy links to comfort. Everything stays camera-free and anonymous.

How Data Flows from Edge to Dashboard

Data moves from your sensors to one smart platform for analysis and automation.

Aruba APs stream events to Aruba Central. It collects and serves occupancy metrics through API or webhooks. Room sensors and door counters send data through brokers, typically MQTT or REST, right into the same data lake.

You get one stream, all organized by area. Data is shaped into quick snapshots - 5 to 15 minute chunks - for dashboards. Daily summaries help you spot usage trends. Metrics include average occupancy, utilization, and peaks for every area and time. Raw data is kept only briefly. Aggregated numbers stay available long-term.

This keeps your setup simple. There's no need for complex pipelines or endless custom integrations. Normalize everything at the broker, then send it to your warehouse or BI tool.

Privacy Comes First

Privacy isn't just an option - it's required. Your goal: count people and dwell time, no tracking.

• Camera-free sensors are your base. They count people in real time with zero video.
• Wi-Fi sensing keeps things anonymous. MAC addresses are hashed instantly, right at the sensor. No personal info ever leaves the device.
• All your data is aggregated by zone, not seat. You see floor heatmaps and space occupancy, never movement trails. When fewer than five people occupy one zone, the system hides the count for added privacy.
• Raw data sticks around only for validation. Aggregated info stays long-term. Everyone gets a clear statement on what's collected, why, and who sees it.

Accuracy and Trust - How You Keep Data Solid

Accuracy means tuning, checking, and always improving.

• Tune Wi-Fi thresholds to your site design. Calibration sets the right device-to-person conversions. Watch people and connected devices for a week or so, then use the ratio.
• Check door counts daily. Entry and exit numbers should match. If not, check your sensors or coverage.
• Validate room sensors with quick audits - just a few headcounts at different times fine-tunes accuracy. Short manual audits go a long way.
• Monitor system health. APs and sensors should stay online and in sync. If something slips, you'll know immediately and stay on top of data quality.

How Aruba Networks Stand Out

Aruba deployments make occupancy intelligence easy at scale.

• Our partnership with HPE Aruba combines top Wi-Fi with Occuspace analytics.
• Aruba Central APIs bring all site data into one place. Fetch occupancy stats across your portfolio instantly. BLE beacons give you zone-level details, no need for sensors in every space.
• Aruba's identity controls sync with occupancy data, so you keep sensitive zones private and compliant.
• Scaling is simple. Certified integration means you set up faster and get clean data. Manage dozens of buildings from one place, instead of juggling tools.

Combine Network Signals for the Best Insight

The smartest approach? Blend Wi-Fi, room sensors, and entry counts. Each type fills a specific need.

• Use Wi-Fi presence for broad, fast coverage. Leverage your existing access points for the core data. Get started in days, not months.
• Place room sensors where you want detail. Deploy first-party sensors for conference and focus rooms. Minute-by-minute visibility makes bookings more accurate.
• Count entries with doorway sensors. Use overhead devices to confirm totals and fix drift. You'll get live, reliable numbers that you can trust across weeks.

Turning Occupancy Data into Action

Occupancy intelligence matters most when it drives smart building systems. Real-time counts feed HVAC, lighting, and ventilation for better comfort and lower costs.

• Push occupancy data to BAS using BACnet, MQTT, or REST APIs. Controllers adjust lighting, ventilation, and temperature instantly. Empty zones? The system turns things back. More people in a space? Air and lights step up right away.
• Demand ventilation saves from 9% to 33% on energy, cutting HVAC costs. Lighting control focused on occupancy shaves off 24% to 30%. When you run both at scale, energy drops by 30% to 40%.
• Track energy per occupied hour and any CO₂ spikes. These metrics show clear ROI - dollars saved and carbon cut. You make your case for future investment with confidence.

Dashboards Leaders Love

Easy dashboards turn your data into insights that matter.

• Start with a campus map and live counts per building. You see who's inside by building, instantly.
• Check floor heatmaps (tiling protects privacy) to spot busy and quiet zones.
• Review weekly visitor stats - visitors, visits, dwell, and conversion. See week-to-week changes fast.
• View room cards to compare booked versus actual usage and the number of "ghost" meetings - reserved but unused rooms. Reclaim no-show spaces. Boost booking accuracy.
• See interactive charts, searchable tables, and simple CSV exports. Visualize any space or time. Place digital signs that update live "how busy" counts, helping guests find open spots.

FAQs

How do Aruba networks support privacy and deliver useful occupancy info?

Aruba networks use Wi-Fi as a presence sensor, not an identity tracker. Your Wi-Fi sees who’s present, without ever collecting personal details. MAC addresses are hashed on the device immediately - never stored in full, ever. Data is rolled up to the zone, not the seat. You see counts and times, never movement trails. This camera-free, privacy-first setup gives you insights you can trust.

How do Wi-Fi access points, room sensors, and door counters compare for accuracy and cost?

Wi-Fi access points cover your portfolio quickly and efficiently. They're great for floor trends. Room sensors give exact, live counts in key areas like meeting rooms when every seat matters - up to 95% accuracy. Door counters are the gold standard at entries, making sure your Wi-Fi numbers stay sharp. Best approach? Combine all three - Wi-Fi for speed, sensors for detail, doors for validation.

How do you connect Aruba Central data to BAS for lighting and ventilation?

Use BACnet and MQTT to connect across your BMS and workplace systems. Aruba Central serves occupancy data over REST API or webhook. Middleware or gateways move it to building controls, which update lighting, ventilation, and temperature live. Empty areas get reset; busy zones adapt on the fly. BACnet/SC brings cloud-ready, secure control to smart platforms.

Get Started with Aruba-Connected Occupancy Intelligence

Occupancy intelligence is a must for every modern campus and portfolio. It turns your network into insight - live counts, trends, and demand patterns - so you plan better, save energy, and operate more efficiently.

If you run on Aruba, Occuspace and HPE Aruba make connecting analytics effortless. Deploy across your buildings in days. Enjoy privacy, AI-driven accuracy, and reliable data that never crosses organizational lines.

Occuspace delivers insights at the right scale and detail for you. It's powered by AI and totally privacy-safe. Dive into our guides and documentation. See how our platform fits with your Aruba networks, building systems, and workplace tools. Use our APIs to send occupancy data straight to BAS, IWMS, and smart building apps - unlocking operational wins and sustainability rewards.