These days, just about anything that happens in a building can be automated. That said, not everything that can be automated should be.
The fault detection and diagnostics (FDD) features in building analytics software are powerful tools to eliminate energy waste and reduce costs. A 2020 report by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Smart Energy Analytics Campaign found that FDD produces a median energy savings of 9%. In commercial properties and public buildings, this adds up to significant savings.
More than 30% of the energy consumed in the United States each year can be attributed to HVAC systems in buildings. And much of that energy is likely wasted because most of those systems don’t work as efficiently as they could. Optimizing HVAC systems and fixing faults could reduce overall energy consumption by 5-15%.
The introduction of smart technology has rapidly improved the sophistication of integrated building management system architecture. With building management increasingly dependent upon connected devices and systems, the role of automated building systems and the need for advanced system architecture will continue to expand, too.
Industrial buildings account for 37% of natural gas, 42% of electricity and 73% of coal used globally. These numbers are powerful evidence that factories and other industrial structures have a major role to play in efforts to control climate change and cut carbon dioxide emissions.
Analytics software with machine learning (ML) algorithms is an invaluable asset for facilities managers. These platforms make sense of the raw data the sensors collect from a building’s various systems to detect anomalies, trends, and opportunities for improvement. They drive advanced automation strategies and act as the brains of cutting-edge smart buildings.
Modern automated building management systems (BMSs) offer significant benefits for both building owners and tenants. They improve capabilities for monitoring, maintaining, and managing equipment to reduce energy usage and associated expenses, improve comfort, and maintain a healthy indoor environment. They not only add to the value of an asset, but can increase the income it generates. However, building management systems involve specialized installation, programming, and maintenance. This requires capital investment.
Prior to 2020, building occupancy management was often an afterthought for smart buildings, even though the technology was widely available. Then Covid-19 happened. Global economies shut down, businesses shuttered, and public spaces became off-limits. When the world began opening back up, social distancing restrictions required strict limits on the number of people who could occupy a building. Suddenly, building occupancy management became a top priority.
Smart technologies are changing building management system standards. The days of building managers and maintenance teams simply monitoring operations and reacting to problems are over. Today, optimizing operations, providing the best occupant experiences, meeting efficiency goals, and remaining profitable requires that building systems work together seamlessly.
Limiting access to software applications, building systems, and IT infrastructure is critical for building security. This means it’s important to put in place an identity management system that identifies and authenticates users to ensure only authorized individuals can access building systems and data. Today, such systems can be integrated directly into your building management system (BMS). These systems can include passcodes or passwords, radio frequency identification (RFID), MFA devices, and biometrics.
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