A smart building uses connectivity, software, and data to enable efficient operations and economical use of resources, while creating a safe and comfortable environment for occupants. Smart buildings may use a mix of a wide range of existing technologies, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, building management systems (BMS), analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI).
To take full advantage of IoT in buildings, we must add a software layer that brings all the functions and data from disparate, siloed devices and systems together for enhanced performance, unified control, and analysis. However, this is much easier said than done.
First, you need the right technology solution that connects with primary internal and external data sources. And, when accomplished, the building can leverage the full potential of smart technology.
Buildings are expensive to maintain, and still, they are constantly underperforming. They waste energy, contribute to excessive CO2 emissions, and fail to deliver quality comfort conditions consistently. Manual monitoring is still commonplace, requiring enough experienced staff to monitor multiple properties continuously. The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) estimates that data-driven operations can expect a 50 percent increase in cost efficiency, including energy, maintenance, and other recurring costs with active controls and IoT-enabled technology.
Becoming data-driven starts with situational awareness, knowing the status right now and when something happens. Then comes the benefits from running operations remotely that adapts, automates, optimize and enable premium services.
Data-driven operations require access to data
Sensative's Yggio DiMS provides access to any IoT device from any supplier and technology
Tap into our vast experience in providing enabling IoT technology for digitalization and business development
With IoT sensors, you can acquire a trove of new valuable data. For instance, the temperature in all spaces, water usage, vacancies, and more. Just adding one new set of data can make a huge difference. See this example of combining different sensor data to acquire essential insights into the usage of a classroom.
Data-driven operations with IoT and legacy systems are complex environments for which Sensative has developed Yggio to integrate and manage it all.
You don’t have to start with a comprehensive project involving all systems in many properties across the nation to realize a fast payback. Instead, your first IoT project can and should be small, allowing you to learn from your implementation experience. Then build on your success.
A Sensative customer measures temperature in all apartments and shared spaces with Strips MS +Comfort for LoRaWAN sensors to gain energy efficiency insights from their extensive property portfolio. Yggio is then used to consolidate the data.
The expected result is 4% savings on energy cost per 1˚C lowered temperature by manually adjusting heating based on this new knowledge.
4%
4% savings on energy cost per 1˚C lowered temperature. The same savings can be expected for increasing the temperature in cooled spaces.
Read about our partner Imek and how we help Akelius reduce energy costs
Meet the Strips MultiSensor +Comfort for LoRaWAN in the iconic Strips form factor. The architect's choice.
How to prevent water damage in your property
Strips Drip 800 for Z-Wave
Strips MultiSensor +Drip for LoRaWAN
US$2.5B
The annual cost to insurance companies from water damage and mold in the U.S. alone
You get an alert that there is water under the sink in one of your tenant’s apartments. Previously, you would (hopefully) receive a call from the tenant once they’ve discovered the leak, but often there is already considerable damage done. Now, since you have installed water leak sensors under all sinks, the alarm reaches your customer service, and you can dispatch maintenance immediately.
Of course, it would have been even better to have the possibility to turn off the water remotely to prevent further damages before the maintenance staff could repair it.
Data-driven operations mean knowing when it happens and taking immediate action.
LEED certification holds organizations accountable for meeting sustainability standards about building materials, water savings, energy efficiency, waste management, and overall sustainable development.
This is an example of the certifications and regulations changing how we think about how buildings and communities are planned, maintained, and operated.
8-10%
A 10-year study shows that LEED-certified properties enjoy an average of 3.7% rent premium and a 4% gain in occupancy. This translates into an 8 to 10% increase in asset value over comparable non-certified properties.
Data-driven operations means acting on data
Remote multi-site data-driven operations immediately deliver payback when you avoid having to send a person to see what’s going on or act on a maintenance call. In addition, less staff can monitor more buildings, decreasing the cost of staff traveling between facilities.
You will also have actionable data in real-time, reducing risks and improving performance.
The next step is immediate action through remote control. Either by interfacing existing control systems remotely or by installing new remote control equipment.
Customer services can often manage calls directly, not waiting for a technician to arrive at the site.
System integration is fundamental for creating efficient remote and data-driven operations, a standard interface to everything. When you automate, you often need to take data from one system or sensor from one vendor and trigger an action in a different system. For instance, a water leak sensor must trigger a remote valve, even from other suppliers.
Sensative's Yggio DiMS platform enables real-time data access from all devices and any supplier
Meet our partner Axis Communications
24%-32%
A study led by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy finds a cost-saving
of 24-32% when using smart HVAC and lighting
High levels of CO2 in a room make people tired and reduce productivity. The easy solution would be to exaggerate ventilation, but that comes at the cost of higher energy consumption in the HVAC system. So instead, to optimize ventilation, you should balance the airflow against the number of people in the room.
One exciting solution comes from Sensative’s partner Axis Communications. By mounting a camera equipped with People Counter, that signals the entry or exit of a person to Yggio. Then, through Yggio’s Rules Engine, the signal is converted into a pre-programmed control command and sent to the room’s HVAC controller.
As an extra feature, the system can turn off lighting when the last person leaves the room.
In the life cycle of a building, maintenance costs vastly exceed the construction costs.
IoT will drastically reduce operating and maintenance costs thanks to all the new actionable data. For example, sensors placed on equipment can monitor status that can be analyzed and used for planning maintenance to prevent failure and downtime. As a rule of thumb, predictive maintenance is 3 to 9 times cheaper than waiting for when the damage has already occurred.
20%
The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) estimates that IoT capabilities allow building managers to implement predictive maintenance and analytics technology, allowing facilities to save up to 20 percent per year on maintenance and energy costs.
Ventilation fan motors typically operate 24 hours a day in a commercial building, and by using IoT sensors, you can monitor their health. For example, an emerging problem can be detected early by using a heat sensor that detects a rise in engine temperature or a vibration sensor that detects increased vibrations. Then, order spare parts and schedule maintenance at the most convenient time before a more significant problem emerges.
Meet Örebroporten and learn about why they chose Yggio for property management and predictive maintenance
Meet the Strips Sensors — the architect's choice
When introducing the new IoT devices, you should also consider the maintenance cost of these devices. In addition, you need to consider that most sensors are battery-driven and will have a life span. Long battery life makes a huge difference.
Batteries are cheap; replacing them is not. Sensative’s sensor batteries last up to 10 years without maintenance.
E.g.: 1,000 sensors * US$150 per battery replacement (battery and labor costs) = US$150,000
A normal battery life span can be 3 years, so a 10-year life span means you don’t have to replace the battery 3 times = US$450,000 in savings.
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