Data Analytics & Smart Building Science Articles | Buildings IOT Blog

Commercial buildings account for about 35% of all electricity consumed in the United States, and about 30% of the energy used is wasted. That means there is enormous untapped potential for savings. Exploring the latest energy conservation techniques in buildings can help you discover the best ways to harness that potential and reap the benefits of improved efficiency in your Building Energy Management programs.

Technology has changed the way buildings function. From predictive heating and cooling to smart lighting, tech is making buildings more agile and responsive than ever before. But it’s also changing the way buildings are managed and maintained. Smart building technology and wireless connectivity mean you are no longer tethered to your properties. Building management system remote monitoring gives you more freedom and more control than ever before.

According to the 2020 Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction, building operations account for 55% of global electricity consumption and 38% of total global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. Building-level energy metering can change that and help you implement an effective Building Energy Management program that creates a cleaner, greener future. 

While government incentives have encouraged electric utilities to deploy smart metering systems, the same has not happened for natural gas and water utilities. But lower-cost connectivity is accelerating demand for water and gas monitoring systems. In fact, the number of connected nodes for natural gas and water is expected to reach 150 million by 2028—a staggering 82% increase over a decade.

HVAC maintenance is key to optimizing energy efficiency. Older studies showed that best practices in building maintenance and operations reduce energy use by 10-20% and cut energy bills by 15-20% in commercial properties. With advances in smart technology, those numbers can be significantly higher. 

Building maintenance has traditionally relied on time-based inspections, with older equipment receiving more frequent intervention. But only 18% of equipment failures occur due to age. For the 82% of failures that cannot be attributed to age, time-based maintenance inspections offer little value and waste time.