Begin with the End in Mind
The saying goes: “Begin with the end in mind”. Its good advice, one of the 7 habits of highly effective people. But it can be difficult to interpret. The implication is that before setting out, we should know where we’re going, but how do you interpret where to go? This question haunts many businesses…
Read MoreSmart buildings offer valuable building services, such as controlled lighting, optimized temperatures, and top indoor air quality. They may be designed from the ground up with building intelligence in mind or retrofitted with integrated systems. Although this sounds similar to a building automation system (BAS), smart buildings expand a BAS by offering additional tools, such as 24/7 remote monitoring and proactive maintenance based on analytical insights.
Read MoreAs more building owners and mechanical service providers (MSPs) deploy smart sensors on equipment, there’s a growing need for effective remote building monitoring systems. As a result, the market research firm, MarketsandMarkets predicts the global market for Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled remote asset management solutions will grow from $16.5 billion in 2020 to $32.6 billion by 2025…
Read MoreIt’s 2021 and in the last decade, we have experienced unprecedented technology changes that have effectively re-engineered how we live our daily lives. However, there are still industries, like commercial buildings, that are struggling to adopt and implement new technology…
Read MoreIndoor Air Quality Seems Easy to Understand, But (without an automation system like BOB) It’s Really More Complicated than You Think
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) serves occupants with both physical and emotional comfort. Humans are constant temperature creatures with a normal internal body temperature of 98.6 F [37 C] and are continuously producing…
Read MoreWhen faced with budget shortfalls and rising expenses, facility managers may feel pressure to reduce operational costs. One approach is to optimize the building equipment to increase efficiency gains which can lead to decreased energy expenses. But finding and diagnosing inefficiencies, or even knowing where to start, can be challenging.
Read MoreEliminating commercial building energy waste can enhance comfort levels, reduce equipment wear and tear, and lower monthly energy costs. However, not all energy conservation measures (ECM) are obvious or created equal. Ryan Lewton, Director of Energy Consulting & Certified Energy Manager at Key2Act, encourages facility managers to identify the underlying causes contributing to energy waste and incorporate lesser-known ECMs to prevent reoccurrence.
Read MoreIn the ever-expanding world of building data and analytics, a common question that arises is not if Fault Detection and Diagnosis (FDD) has value, but rather how to best maximize the value of FDD with the least amount of upfront cost and effort? To harvest and intelligently utilize all the data a building has to offer, businesses must evolve the way they work, along with the process of ingesting…
Read MoreAlthough up to 30% of building energy is wasted, you can’t know where your facility stands without historical data. ENERGY STAR benchmarking turns your raw information into a baseline, making it easy to compare, understand, and explain energy use.
But your benchmark is only as good as the data you put into it, and manual entry can be tedious. Fortunately, tools exist to automate the process and ensure you’re working with the latest, error-free information.
Read More24/7 Remote Building Monitoring Cuts Costs
A Building Operations Center (BOC) is similar in many ways to a Network Operations Center (NOC). The primary difference is instead of focusing on network performance, it focuses on the building performance of any number of building operations ranging from energy management to mechanical systems and comfort control to performing monitoring-based commissioning.
Read MoreCutting Costs and Headaches with FDD
In the ever-expanding world of building data and analytics, a common question that arises is not if the increased use of building data and Field Detection and Diagnostics (FDD) has value, but rather how to best maximize the value of FDD with the least amount of upfront cost and effort? To harvest and intelligently utilize all the data a building has to offer, businesses…
Read MoreRecently, I listened to a very insightful and interesting podcast from Smart Building Academy. During the episode, Phil Zito, Founder and CEO of Smart Buildings Academy, interviews Maureen Ehrenberg, CEO of Blue Skyre IBE, about commercial real estate (CRE) and the strategies a listener could consider as they navigate the ever-evolving post-COVID world.
Read MoreImagine this scenario: You are a building owner and you receive a call from a tenant that their space is too cold. It’s the middle of the winter and you need to react quickly before the comfort complaint becomes a dangerous situation. You check your building automation system and it confirms that the space is indeed cold. But what exactly is causing the problem? Is it a piece of equipment? Which one? And what other units might be affected? Who is going to call to complain next?
Read MoreIf you’ve spent time in our documentation, you may have noticed a reference to securing your ports with an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate for applications like MobileTech or Schedule, or a note that some devices won’t allow you to even connect without one. Information like this sometimes appears to be just another ingredient in the…
Read MoreUniversity buildings are designed and operated differently than those in other markets, making building optimization a unique challenge. With multiple structures that serve different needs and have different energy requirements, it requires diligence and lots of data to muster energy savings while maintaining occupant comfort.
Read MoreEfficiency is always good when it comes to maintenance and repairs of building energy systems, but it became especially critical in 2020. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing became a necessity. To reduce the risk of virus exposure, essential building work needed to be completed as quickly as possible.
Read MoreEnergy Expert Smashes Energy Myths
You are probably wondering why in 2020, confusion still paralyzes action to achieve building energy savings. The dilemma is confounded by bold energy savings claims that are often unfounded and in the real-world lead to subpar results. The facts are that:
- 23% of energy conservation measures fail three to four years after implementation*
- Energy savings from retro-commissioning reduced by 25% after four years**
Read MoreThere are many opinions on what should be done to prevent viruses from spreading within the classroom, but the elephant in the room is what is being done to prevent HVAC systems from accidentally spreading the virus within and between rooms. ASHRAE has laid out detailed plans in five different areas to make sure that all risks are accounted for to strategically address Indoor Air Quality (IAQ).
Until there is a widely available vaccine, let’s look at the ASHRAE guidance to determine what can be done in the interim to provide peace of mind and protection for both students and staff to achieve the goal of keeping minimizing transmission.
Read MoreE. Robert Kent of Poole & Kent Corporation back during the building boom of the Eisenhower Administration era created a Job Status Report for project managers and management at Poole & Kent. Mr. Kent used this report not only to review projects monthly with PMs during his tenure at the Company but also promoted its use for mechanical and facility services contractors outside his firm before and after retirement. Below is the basic format of the Job Status Report advocated by Mr. Kent for use within and outside his Company (the numbers used are rounded to the nearest thousand and data specific to this presentation):
Read MoreThe challenge: Rarely are current reports answering simple client questions.
Be Prepared to Answer This Simple Question - What have you done for me lately?
It’s a common question asked of any service provider by their clients. The question can take many similar forms, such as:
· How do you provide value?
· How do I know this is fixed?
· Or the often implied but rarely said, Why should I trust you?
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