Esri Brings the Science of Where Inside Buildings with Indoor GIS

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have long transformed how organizations interpret spatial patterns, analyze relationships and make location-based decisions. While traditionally associated with outdoor environments, GIS is now extending its analytical power indoors. Esri has introduced a comprehensive indoor GIS solution designed to bring the Science of Where into buildings, campuses and complex facilities.

Indoor environments present unique operational challenges. Managing office layouts, optimizing space utilization, coordinating maintenance tasks and guiding visitors through multi-floor buildings require precise spatial awareness. Esri’s indoor GIS addresses these needs by enabling the creation of detailed, floor-aware 2D and 3D indoor maps that integrate seamlessly with existing enterprise data.

At the core of the solution is a unified indoor mapping framework. Organizations can model floor plans with spatial accuracy, link rooms and assets to operational datasets and maintain up-to-date representations of dynamic workspaces. These maps serve as the foundation for advanced capabilities such as space planning, asset tracking and occupancy analysis.

Space planning tools allow facility managers to assess how work areas are allocated and identify opportunities for optimization. As workplace strategies evolve—whether through hybrid work models, shared seating arrangements or departmental reorganizations—indoor GIS provides visibility into how changes affect capacity, workflow and resource allocation.

Indoor positioning and real-time wayfinding represent additional capabilities. By leveraging positioning technologies and sensor integrations, users can navigate complex buildings with turn-by-turn guidance. This functionality benefits employees, visitors and maintenance personnel alike, reducing time spent locating rooms, equipment or service points. For large campuses, hospitals, airports or corporate headquarters, improved navigation enhances both efficiency and user experience.

The platform also supports data capture and sharing within indoor environments. Maintenance teams can log issues directly against spatial features, track service requests and monitor asset conditions within the mapped facility context. Real-time information sharing ensures that operations teams remain aligned and responsive.

Through demonstrations and practical use cases, Esri showcases how indoor GIS integrates with broader enterprise systems. Organizations gain a consolidated environment for understanding their facilities, optimizing workflows and making data-driven decisions about infrastructure investments.

Esri, founded in 1969 and headquartered in Redlands, California, is the global leader in GIS software, location intelligence and mapping technology. Its solutions are used by more than 350,000 organizations worldwide, including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, nonprofits and academic institutions. By extending GIS into indoor environments, Esri continues to advance digital transformation initiatives, support Internet of Things (IoT) integration and enable advanced spatial analytics across both outdoor and indoor domains.