By Mark Freeman, Offer Manager – Digital Buildings at Schneider Electric
Efficiency comes in many forms. In the case of building owners, efficiency is often realised by a building management system (BMS). With a BMS a myriad of efficiency options are available such as intelligent control of HVAC systems and lighting.
These efficiencies lead to more sustainable buildings, by systematically ticking boxes that ultimately lead to smart, green buildings all contributing to countries’ net zero objectives.
However, to establish efficient buildings, many owners have to take the first step. Analysts estimate that in 2013 less than a third of all buildings had the requisite digital controls in place. Nine years is a long time ago, but it does place the spotlight on the realities of working with the parameters of older buildings. Building owners first need to embark on a journey that includes digitising their assets to truly benefit from efficiently run buildings.
Like our counterparts in North America and Europe many of our buildings are decades old. And whilst some of these buildings might already have some sort of BMS in place the chances are the systems are already outdated and in need of upgrade.
MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE
With a new or upgraded BMS in place, the next step is moving towards sustainability. The BMS and other systems such as PMS (Power Management Systems) will enable building owners to automate and control their buildings efficiency and sustainably. BMS allows access to systems that offer daily reporting on energy usage and through analysis, facilities managers and building owners can implement actions where there’s room for improvement
Digitisation of your HVAC infrastructure will integrate data from connected smart devices, with your BMS application for fast diagnoses and resolution of events and help keep buildings running smoothly.
These systems go a long way in creating awareness amongst tenants and staff, establishing a culture that considers energy usage. Employees can be made aware that certain areas of a building are consuming a lot of energy.
An example of a BMS is Shindler Electric’s SmartStruxure solution which has been designed specifically with older buildings in mind. It allows for the integration of legacy data alongside new data.
A BMS upgrade strategy will undoubtedly future proof assets and building owners can benefit from added functionality without too much of an increase to their bottom line.
