Dr. Paul Schmitter

Work at ZHAW

Position

Lecturer and Researcher

Focus

• Smart Building Management
• Digital Transformation in Real Estate and Facility Management
• Facility Management in Healthcare
• Generative AI and Design Science in Facility Management Innovation
• Digital maturity assessments

Network

Membership of networks

• Alumni ZHAW
• ZHAW Digital Health Lab
• International Facility Management Association

ORCID digital identifier

ORCID ID: 0009-0008-8530-720X

Awards

• City & Country Clubs Council Scholarship Award
  IFMA Foundation
  10 / 2020
• Francis J. Kuhn Fellow Scholarship Award
  IFMA Foundation
  10 / 2019
• Best Master Thesis
  IFMA Switzerland
  03 / 2018
• Best Master's Degree
  ALUMNI ZHAW
  03 / 2018

Social media

LinkedIn

Projects

• Human-AI Interaction in Autonomous Buildings / Co-project leader / ongoing
• Development of the basis for the digitalisation roadmap for facility management at the Winterthur Integrated Psychiatry (IPW) / Project leader / ongoing
• Smart Digital Real Estate Management: A Platform for Evidence-Based Knowledge Exchange and Analysis, enabling the integration of data, technology, and operational insights / Co-project leader / ongoing
• Evaluation and Analysis of Strategic Management Indicators for Healthcare Properties / Co-project leader / completed
• A National Survey and the SBM Index (RE&FM): Smart Building Management Maturity in Switzerland / Team member / completed
• Food Waste Measure in Airline Catering / Project leader / completed
• Smart Building Information Service (SBIS): Using AI to dynamically find information / Team member / completed
• FM 4.0 / Co-project leader / completed
• DC4HC – Digital Competence for Healthcare / Co-project leader / completed
• Determining the strategic need for action in the digitalization of hospitals on a normative, strategic and operational level / Co-project leader / completed
• SmartCareNet / Project leader / completed
• AALBridge / Team member / completed
• ActiveAdvice: Decision Support for Independent Living / Team member / completed
• iCareCooperatives: Fostering Care Cooperatives in Europe by Building an Innovative Platform with ICT-Based and AAL-Driven Services / Team member / completed

Publications

Articles in scientific journal, peer-reviewed

• Schmitter, P., Shahgholian, A. and Tucker, M. (2024) 'Towards an understanding of the digital transformation of facility management in healthcare : perspectives from practice', Digital Transformation and Society, 3(4), pp. 395–409. doi: 10.1108/DTS-10-2023-0098.
• Renyi, M. et al. (2022) 'Lessons learned : the multifaceted field of (digital) neighborhood development', The Journal of Community Informatics, 18(1). doi: 10.15353/joci.v18i1.4427.

Books, peer-reviewed

Schmitter, P. (2024) Digital transformation of facility management : a mixed methods study to develop a conceptual model to derive critical success factors for facility management in hospitals. Doctoral dissertation. Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool Business School. doi: 10.24377/LJMU.t.00024652.

Book chapters, peer-reviewed

• Schmitter, P. (2025) 'Digital transformation of healthcare facility management services', in Liebowitz, J. (ed.) Digital Transformation in Healthcare. Singapur: World Scientific Publishing, pp. 77–103. doi: 10.1142/9789819813506_0005.
• de Sousa, R. T. et al. (2020) 'Advisory on ambient assisted living solutions : towards an advisor concept and training curriculum', in Ziefle, M. and Maciaszek, L. A. (eds) Information and communication technologies for ageing well and e-health. Cham: Springer, pp. 41–61. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-52677-1_3.

Written conference contributions, peer-reviewed

• Gatziu Grivas, S. et al. (2024) 'An intelligent platform-based tool for the development of digital transformation strategies', in Procedia Computer Science. Elsevier, pp. 344–353. doi: 10.1016/j.procs.2024.05.114.
• Schmitter, P. and Ashworth, S. (2023) 'Digitally transforming facility management in healthcare : a systematic review of key digital technologies and systems', in IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. IOP Publishing, p. 012012. doi: 10.1088/1755-1315/1176/1/012012.
• Hanne, T. et al. (2022) 'Artificial intelligence and machine learning for maturity evaluation and model validation', in ICEME 2022 Proceeding. Association for Computing Machinery, pp. 256–260. doi: 10.1145/3556089.3556102.
• Kirecci, I. et al. (2022) 'Reifegradmodelle als Grundlage für den digitalen Veränderungsprozess im Facility Management in Healthcare : eine integrative Literaturrecherche', in Journal für Facility Management. Wien: Technische Universität Wien, pp. 9–26. doi: 10.34749/jfm.2022.4634.
• Bertel, D. et al. (2019) 'The best of both worlds : combining digital and human AAL advisory services for older adults', in Bamidis, P. D., Ziefle, M., and Maciaszek, L. A. (eds) Information and Communication Technologies for Ageing Well and e-Health. Heidelberg: Springer, pp. 66–82. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-15736-4_4.
• Tavares de Sousa, R. et al. (2019) 'Back to the roots : the perspectives of multiple stakeholders about a seamless physical-virtual AAL advisory service', in Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies for Ageing Well and e-Health ICT4AWE. SciTePress, pp. 146–155. doi: 10.5220/0007762201460155.
• Kofler, A. et al. (2019) 'Service innovation for new care landscapes : a case study on safety in senior living and care', in Smithwick, J., Sullivan, K., and Bown, M. (eds) ASFM - Associated schools of Facility Management Proceedings, pp. 9–16. Available at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1c_tzSuHW3lZTfHv4nnpuiGVAhkIdckK_/view.
• Teles, S. et al. (2018) 'ActiveAdvice : a multi-stakeholder perspective to understand functional requirements of an online advice platform for AAL products and services', in Röcker, C. et al. (eds) Information and Communication Technologies for Ageing Well and e-Health. Heidelberg: Springer, pp. 168–190. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-93644-4_9.
• Schmitter, P. and Kofler, A. Ch. (2018) 'FM services get digital : key prerequisites to integrate intelligent personal assistants in Swiss hospitals', in Tucker, M. (ed.) Research Papers for the 17th EuroFM Research Symposium EFMC 2018, 5-8 2018 June in Sofia, Bulgaria. Schiphol-Rijk: EuroFM, pp. 119–126.
• Bertel, D. et al. (2018) 'High tech, high touch : integrating digital and human AAL advisory services for older adults', in Bamidis, P., Ziefle, M., and Maciaszek, L. (eds) Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies for Ageing Well and e-Health. Setúbal: SciTePress, pp. 241–249. doi: 10.5220/0006799002410249.

Other publications

• Gonzalez Martinez, A. et al. (2026) Smart Building Management 2025 : Zukunft Gebäudemanagement: Chancen, Nutzen und Grenzen von Smart-Building-Lösungen. Wädenswil: ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-35504.
• Schmitter, P. (2025) 'Digital transformation of facility management : a mixed methods study to develop a conceptual model to derive critical success factors for facility management in hospitals', in 7th Digital Health Lab Day, Winterthur, Switzerland, 3 September 2025. Wädenswil: ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-34917.
• Schmitter, P., Coenen, C. and Ulrich, C. (2025) 'Zwei Perspektiven auf Generative KI : Lehren und Lernen am Institut für Facility Management', Lehren und Lernen. Available at: https://blog.zhaw.ch/lehren-und-lernen/generative-ki-in-der-hochschullehre-chancen-fuer-lehren-und-lernen/.
• Plüss, T. and Schmitter, P. (2024) 'Smart Building im Gesundheitswesen : betriebliche Risiken und Anforderungen', fmpro service, 2024(5), pp. 25–27. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-31589.
• Schmitter, P. and Gatziu Grivas, S. (2023) 'Die Messung des digitalen Reifegrads', Clinicum, 2023(3), pp. 58–59. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-28509.
• Schmitter, P. et al. (2023) Transformation Compass für nicht-medizinische Supportprozesse (DE). ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-27958.
• Maier, E. et al. (2021) 'Technik im Quartier aus der Perspektive der Sozialraum-Akteure', in Kempter, G. and Ritter, W. (eds) Grenzüberschreitende Reallabore für Assistenztechnik : Beiträge zum Usability Day XIX. Lengerich: Pabst Science Publishers, pp. 163–172.
• Schmitter, P. et al. (2021) 'Technik im Quartier : Lessons Learned', in Kempter, G. and Ritter, W. (eds) Grenzüberschreitende Reallabore für Assistenztechnik : Beiträge zum Usability Day XIX. Lengerich: Pabst Science Publishers, pp. 173–182.
• Kunze, C. et al. (2021) 'Chancen und Herausforderungen der Digitalisierung in der Quartiersentwicklung : Ausgangsbasis und Fragestellungen im Projekt "Technik im Quartier"', in Kempter, G. and Ritter, W. (eds) Grenzüberschreitende Reallabore für Assistenztechnik : Beiträge zum Usability Day XIX. Lengerich: Pabst Science Publishers, pp. 145–152.
• Gerber, N. and Schmitter, P. (2021) 'Es werde Licht im dunklen Digital-Urwald', fmpro service, 2021(4), pp. 20–21. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-23064.
• Kirecci, I. and Schmitter, P. (2021) 'Lost in Transformation', fmpro service, 2021(5), pp. 32–34. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-22833.
• Gerber, N. et al. (2020) Service- und genesungsorientierte Leistungserstellung in Gesundheitsorganisationen : ein Plädoyer für mehr Kooperation von medizinischen und nicht-medizinischen Berufsgruppen. Wädenswil: ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-21153.
• Schmitter, P. et al. (2019) 'Smart infrastructure - smart services : focus on non-medical support services in hospitals', in Proceedings CIB World Building Congress. Hong Kong: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
• Kofler, A., Gerber, N. and Schmitter, P. (2018) 'Versorgung Digital : AALBridge', Transfer, 2018(1), p. 11. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-3636.
• Kofler, A., Awuku-Sao, G. and Schmitter, P. (2017) Baseline report on AAL advice, decision and authorization. Available at: https://project.activeadvice.eu/deliverables/deliverable-2-1-baseline-report/.
• Kofler, A. and Schmitter, P. (2017) ''Siri, wie komme ich in die Cafeteria?'', fmpro service, 2017(4), pp. 18–20.

Oral conference contributions and abstracts

• Schmitter, P. and Ashworth, S. (2023) 'Digitally transforming facility management in healthcare', in CIB W070 Conference on Facility Management and Maintenance, Trondheim, Norway, 8-11 May 2023.
• Schmitter, P. (2022) 'Flexibilität durch Digitale Transformation', in 12. Fachkonferenz – Das Spital der Zukunft, Blezinger Healthcare, Luzern, Schweiz, 20.-22. Oktober 2022.
• Gatziu Grivas, S., Schmitter, P. and Kirecci, I. (2021) 'Die ABILI-Methodik : Navigation bei der digitalen Transformation', in FM Perspektiven: FM Innovationen in HC digital, Wädenswil, 26. November 2021.
• Gerber, N. and Schmitter, P. (2021) 'Gefangen im dunklen Digital-Dschungel? Gedanken zur Erhellung', in FM Perspektiven: FM Innovationen in HC digital, Wädenswil, 26. November 2021.
• Schmitter, P. and Kirecci, I. (2021) 'Lost in Transformation : was sind die Grundlagen einer erfolgreichen digitalen Transformation?', in 11. Fachkonferenz – Das Spital der Zukunft, Blezinger Healthcare, Luzern, 21.-23. Oktober 2021.
• Ballmer, T. M. and Schmitter, P. (2019) 'Mobil im Quartier Workshop', in Impulstagung Soziale Innovation: #1 Fokus Ageing Society, Bern, 6. - 7. September 2019.

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