Analytics Encourage System Updates
Down Under

UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE

Project start: November, 2017

Completion date: Partnership ongoing

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Goals: Cost saving, energy efficiency, data integration, occupant comfort

Technologies: onPoint

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Controltech and Buildings IOT deploy a winning combination of analytics and preventative maintenance to help the University of Melbourne achieve its carbon neutrality goals

Controltech, a leading master systems integrator in Australia, has worked closely with the University of Melbourne since 2013 on improving their systems, analytics and data integration.

With over two hundred buildings across five campuses and an overall footprint in excess of 8 million square feet (740,000 square meters), the University of Melbourne has a strong focus on continued improvements across their buildings and facilities. Controltech has been a major partner of the University, initially starting work through a patchwork of on-premise systems in order to upgrade and consolidate across to the trusted Niagara platform.

Since the initial engagement, the University has also expanded its energy management and conservation goals. In 2016, a requirement for comprehensive analytics to assist in monitoring and reducing carbon dioxide use, lowering preventative maintenance costs, improving stakeholder comfort and in 2019 assistance in evaluating mechanical contractors against performance contracts was identified.

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Following extensive research and testing, Controltech selected onPoint analytics for its full analytics suite including rule set, customization options and reporting capabilities.

After the success of an initial two-building pilot project in 2018, the Controltech and Buildings IOT teams were engaged to continue the roll-out of the market leading analytics to the newer, Green Star buildings across the University.

Challenges

  • When Controltech started work at the University there were nine different, mostly proprietary systems in use across the campuses with no uniform tagging or naming conventions.
  • Much of the initial work focused on determining the tags and naming conventions using Haystack standards so that future deployments had improved efficiency.
  • As analytics utilize a cloud-based system, Controltech worked closely with University IT for data transfer. Additionally, the BMS had recently been migrated to the University's data center, increasing the importance of ensuring that data transfer was secure and in line with IT standards.

Successes

  • Through the initial two pilot deployments of onPoint, Controltech identified a number of issues to be addressed across the BMS that would not have been uncovered without comprehensive analytics. As a contractor and MSI, this has assisted Controltech determine where to direct their maintenance efforts by only inspecting devices that show faults.
  • Out of five campuses, two are now complete with onPoint analytics. As a result of the standardized tags and naming conventions, upgrades have improved efficiency providing the University with the ability to work towards their goal of continually upgrading their building systems.
  • onPoint analytics enable historical data to be captured, streamlining the data flow for future projects.

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