4 Steps to Boost Building Ops with IoT & Continuous Commissioning
Before continuous commissioning (otherwise called Automated Continuous Commissioning) and IoT (Internet of Things), business structures after construction actualized a onetime calibrating or building advancement process. At the very best, these structures were just being "improved" occasionally (Bi every year, yearly, and so forth) according to plan.
This strategy for commissioning posed significant questions amongst business building proprietors/administrators, some of which were: What occurs in the period between scheduled commissioning? How might we make certain that the yearly or month to month "improvement" done could maintain the building in a similar capacity before the actual continuous commissioning process?
The implementation of IoT has also been known to revitalize building operations completely. In this post, we will be discussing how can implement Continuous Commissioning and IoT can revitalize building operations. But first, we would be discussing the terms, ‘Continuous Commissioning’ and ‘IoT.’
What is Continuous Commissioning?
Continuous Commissioning—as characterized by the Energy Systems Laboratory (ESL) is a process to resolve on-going operational issues, enhance comfort, and improve energy utilization in existing buildings.
Because of the concerns raised by business building proprietors and operators to maintain existing buildings, Continuous Commissioning was created as an answer to the many questions plaguing building operations.
Essentially, continuous commissioning aims at striking a balance between the prerequisites of two noteworthy partners in the building business – building proprietors and tenants, whose goals appear to be similar. Business building financial specialists or proprietors like any business have goals to amplify profits through cost minimization and income amplification. More often than not, cost minimization encroaches into the domain of the building occupant’s comfort. Then again, business building tenants in typical consumer fashion are dependable on a sincere mission to boost an incentive for each dollar spent, and subsequently, do not tolerate any comfort encroachment in an open and aggressive market as that of business operations. Continuous Commissioning seem to provide an answer to these conflicting priorities.
What is Internet of Things (IoT)?
The Internet of things, otherwise known as IoT, is an advanced technology that uses processing gadgets, mechanical and computerized machines, or even individuals that have the ability to exchange data over the Internet.
For example, a thing in the Internet of Things can be a man with a heart monitor implant or a vehicle that has built-in sensors to caution the driver when tire weight is low. Essentially, any system with an IP addresses and connected to a network that can exchange information forms the basis of the Internet of Things.
Progressive organizations are utilizing IoT to work efficiently, to convey upgraded client benefits, enhance systems and increase the value of the business.
Revitalizing a business operation through continuous commissioning and IoT
The implementation and execution of IoT and continuous commissioning takes into consideration both occupant and investor prerequisites. It is implemented in a way that enhances tenant comfort as well as the value of a business building through streamlining the operations that is focussed on cost minimization.
While other commissioning techniques look to advance business structures concerning expected designs, IoT and continuous commissioning helps to focus on business-building tasks on a 24x7x365 basis. Here are four ways through which one can revitalize your building operations with continuous commissioning and IoT:
The Internet of Things can assume an essential part in support of basic building hardware like HVAC, lifts, and elevators. When this hardware goes down, the impacts can extend from basic discomfort to lost income for both building administration and the inhabitants themselves. The uplifting news is prescient upkeep abilities empowered by IoT can enable you to avoid downtime.
Also, sensor information can monitor changes in key pressure points like temperature or pressure variations. On the off chance that anomalous patterns are identified, building support can be immediately notified to take remediate before a real issue happens. This can diminish your aggregate spend on both preventive and emergency support and furthermore help keep your tenants cheerful.
2. Savings
One must regularly visit and check building operations to evaluate potential damages that can dip into investment funds. This underlying step is extremely important to the whole continuous commissioning process, as it constitutes the basis for every other step, especially the implementation of IoT. In this step, the management visits the business property and does an underlying assessment of every one of its frameworks, particularly relating to IoT and HVAC. This empowers the firm to find those regions in which they could reduce cost through the use of continuous commissioning and IoT.
Continuous commissioning and IoT also helps in monitoring all energy-consuming equipment continuously both from building management systems as well as other sensors and data loggers installed. This helps building operators and owners to find the energy costs on a frequent basis, determine total energy usage, thereby providing enough detail to make energy saving decisions. The other important way that it helps buildings save energy costs is by automating various activities like turning switches on/off and automatic controls during peak periods.
3. Identification
The best part of combining the continuous commissioning and IoT processes is that they help in identifying various issues, challenges or even under-utilized systems that will add up to efficient building operations. For example, the Internet of Things can enable operators to see how space is being used. Different sorts of sensors, including RFID labels, reference points, and infrared movement identifiers, would all be able to give data about what number of individuals possess a space at any given minute. When you break down this information, you can start to recognize designs in use that can advise the future ways you utilize those spaces.
One example that has been cited by the Amercian Council for Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) shows how the CC and IoT processes helped a high-tech office. In this office, a chilled water valve did not close completely and would not have been identified by the regular BMS since the supply of cool air were being delivered. However, fault-detecting algorithms used by the IoT systems as well as due to the continuous commissioning project, this issue was brought to the attention of the operators. A simple repair to the valve produced an annual savings of $9000. This was made possible only because of the continuous commissioning was monitoring the sensors on an on-going basis.
4. Advanced Analytics
Continuous commissioning with the help of IoT produces a land mine of information and data. Since these use sophisticated software as well as easy access to the data on the cloud, it enables advanced analytics to be performed. You can easily get data needed for your key performance indicators (KPIs) for your building operations. For example, you can view the performance of your HVAC systems over the last few months and see patterns that might be potential causes in the near future.
The data analytics also provide in-depth recommendations by prioritizing issues as well as providing low-cost and no-cost measures that help with preventive maintenance. They help with tracking project costs and savings across a multitude of energy consumers – electricity, water, centralized air heating and cooling systems etc.
Conclusion
In conclusion, continuous commissioning by itself is a powerful process that helps in revitalizing your building operations. Add to it the advanced technology of the Internet of Things and you get a powerhouse of effective building operations that will help you to meet your annual energy savings and cost reduction goals.
