Author: Paul Hargest

A building management system or commonly known as a BMS, is a control system that can be used to monitor and manage the mechanical and electrical services in a building or facility. Such services can include power, access control, lifts and lights, heating, ventilation, air-conditioning. More specifically, they link the functionality of individual pieces of building equipment so that they operate as one complete integrated system. New generations of BMS are now based on open communications protocols and are IoT-enabled allowing the integration of multiple system vendors.

Energy Management software programmes can collate all of your building systems energy data into a single application.  HVAC, Lighting, Security Systems and other plant equipment can all be included within the system presenting it in a visual dashboard.   This allows energy users to view a buildings energy use and gain insight into the energy consumption of each system.

Whilst this is very helpful, it doesn’t take into account weather data, the quality of your data streams (controls and sensors), your facility, the condition of the plant equipment and building design.  Many of the solutions available on the market will only provide tools to report on energy consumption, with very little consideration given to the end user who then faces the challenge of making sense of the energy data presented to translate it into actionable energy saving opportunities; this is where we differ.  Our Technical Energy Centre (TEC) team not only reports on energy consumption but also provides guidance and expertise to make improvements to operational inefficiencies.

In my opinion, software should be viewed as a tool, very clever and able, but a tool nonetheless. You will go to a mechanic you trust because they are good at what they do, you do not care what type of spanners or diagnostic equipment he uses, it’s his knowledge that you buy.

The same applies to energy management software, you need to trust the analysis of the energy data presented.  This trust is built through the analyst understanding the data streams, your facility and the equipment that is consuming the energy. Only then can meaningful and lasting interventions be made to reduce consumption.

In these difficult times, businesses are being forced to adapt and adjust their day-to-day strategies. For some, this involves making temporary staffing arrangements and adjustments to how they operate their buildings, shutting some of their properties down in the short term.

When shutting down a building, whether partially or fully, it’s important to ensure you do it appropriately and in a way that minimises any costs and energy spend. Two key points to consider are how long the shutdown likely to the last for – will it be long-term or short-term? – and how many people will continue to occupy the building. Undertaking a full shutdown of a property when it’s not needed can make it more difficult and time-consuming to reactivate it when we’re through this current period.

There are several things that property managers can do to ensure their buildings are shutdown appropriately and energy use is minimised to save cash during this period. You can find our recommendations below.

HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) issues are common across buildings new and old. Even where new buildings are designed with high-level performance credentials in mind, such as BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ and LEED Platinum, this does not mean they are free from problems. More often than not, these highly accredited buildings come with significant heating, cooling, and control issues that only become apparent when they are finally handed over to the client and are fully operational. Older buildings often face the same problems – though for different reasons.

Understanding why these problems arise and how best to approach them is essential for ensuring your building is running at an optimal level. In many cases, the best approach is to partner with an energy expert who can guide you in the right direction.

In recent years, we have seen significant shifts in how companies approach facilities management. There has been a broad transition towards data-led strategies, reflecting how businesses have access to more data sources than ever before. Because of this, companies can be predictive rather than reactive, able to spot negative trends ahead of time rather than combating problems after they arise.

Another key transition is towards automation. Smart buildings are quickly becoming the norm, allowing businesses to harness data quicker and with a greater sense of accuracy. As there is less reliance on manual processes, facilities management providers can reduce costs – both in terms of money and time.

However, some may see drawbacks in these new advancements. Despite removing older challenges, it can be argued that they replace them with new, modern challenges for facilities management providers. Perhaps the most pressing of these is the rate of which these transitions are taking place; if companies are slow to adapt, they are likely to be left behind by competitors. It is more important than ever for facilities managers to stay on top of the latest trends.

The terms ‘Smart Building’, ‘Intelligent Building’, and ‘Building Automation’ are often used interchangeably, and the variation in the definition of these terms and their interpretation can be confusing for businesses when assessing the range of energy saving and ‘sustainable’ technologies available on the market.

With the ever-increasing scrutiny on the sustainability and environmental performance of property assets, and the seemingly inexorable rise of the ‘smart cities’ agenda, the notion of the smart building has gained increased exposure over recent years. However it is clear that smart building tech can include everything from automated building management systems, to HVAC plant monitoring platforms, to meeting room booking systems.

At its most basic level, a smart building can be said to use a combination of technologies to automate building management, removing the requirement for the manual control which can often cause inefficiency and poor environmental performance – although clearly one would hesitate to deem a building as being ‘smart’ simply because a BMS is in place!

Over time, and as technology in this space develops, the notional benchmark of what constitutes a ‘smart building’ also shifts – with expectations about the aspects of the property that should be ‘optimised’  and ‘connected’ including more and more factors.

However, in general, smart buildings are those where technology provides granular monitoring and control over plant and systems to optimise energy efficiency, occupant health & wellbeing, comfort levels, and security systems.

To achieve this, smart buildings increasingly exploit IoT connectivity, sensors, metering and controls to remotely monitor and proactively respond to occupant requirements by adjusting the buildings systems accordingly.