Riaz Adam

Senior Consultant
Advanced Technology Services

Riaz Adam is a seasoned professional with a background in general administration and business operations. With a BA degree from the University of the Witwatersrand, he specialises in Organisational Psychology and Human Resources. Riaz has a robust background in the following areas: leadership collaboration, communication report writing, industrial and employee relations, and increasing consumer lifetime value. 

As the Deputy Director of Venue & Space Management at the University of the Witwatersrand, he was accountable for the leadership of three units and the alignment of these units with the university's strategic vision. Riaz has also been involved in the formulation of annual budget plans, the migration of manual processes to digital platforms, and the enforcement of compliance with the OHS Act. He has experience in project administration, which includes the establishment of the university's online venue booking system and the implementation of the IWMS system.

Riaz has a variety of interests, including horticulture, interior decorating, woodworking, sewing, and designing, in addition to his professional experience. Additionally, he has acquired expertise in CAD (Computer Aided Draughting) and HR industrial relations.
 

Conference Breakaway session:
The Smart Campus of the Future – Command Control Centre (CCC)
“What if your campus could think, respond, and save automatically?”

South African universities are under growing pressure to achieve more with fewer resources:

• Energy costs: Eskom tariffs rose by over 18% in 2023 alone, with universities among the hardest-hit institutional users. Energy can account for as much as 25% of a campus operating budget.
• Space inefficiencies: Studies show that up to 40% of lecture venues are underutilised at any given time, while others are consistently overbooked — driving unnecessary new building costs.
• Security blind spots: Many campuses rely on fragmented systems, leaving critical gaps in surveillance, access control, and coordinated response.

The Smart Campus, powered by a Command Control Centre (CCC), provides a solution. By integrating sensors, cameras, booking platforms, energy systems, and security feeds into a single real-time nerve centre, the CCC enables a campus to operate with intelligence and precision.

What you’ll learn in this session:

• How IoT and AI can significantly reduce electricity consumption through smarter pump, HVAC, and lighting controls.
• How occupancy sensors integrated with booking systems can optimise space usage and defer millions in capital expenditure.
• How a centralised CCC transforms campus security from reactive to predictive and proactive, closing the gaps that traditional systems overlook.

For institutions striving simultaneously for sustainability, efficiency, and safety, this is your roadmap. Step into the future where your campus is not just smart, but strategically intelligent.