By Jason Pohl
It’s no secret that commercial buildings have high energy demands. Without energy optimization, this demand puts enormous strain on local power grids, has a significant environmental impact, and eats into profits. That’s why forward-thinking building operators are turning to unified IoT for energy management.
Using IoT for Energy Management
Many buildings already rely on IoT for Building Energy Management in some form. From smart thermostats to motion-activated lighting, standalone IoT devices are an increasingly common sight in commercial properties. But while these technologies will increase energy efficiency, they are typically siloed systems with limited capabilities.
Siloed IoT devices are not able to make complex adjustments or offer insights outside of their narrow scope. They also require building operators to maintain manual control over multiple disparate systems, which leads to missing out on valuable automation opportunities.
Truly realizing the potential of IoT for energy management requires unifying building systems and devices, and breaking free from siloes. It also requires going beyond installing standalone IoT devices. That’s where an intelligent building management platform (IBMP) comes in.
How an IBMP Powers Energy Management
An IBMP can take your smart building to the next level by consolidating data from all connected equipment and devices and turning that data into insights, predictions, and action. In other words, it allows you to use IoT for energy management in a whole new way.
A state-of-the-art IBMP brings intelligent automation to your operation that goes far beyond the capabilities of individual smart devices. This can translate to an average energy savings of 30-50%—or even more.
Key features of an IBMP include:
Command & Control
An IBMP gives you single-pane-of-glass control of all connected building systems. With a mobile-friendly dashboard, you can check equipment status, manage schedules, adjust setpoints, and troubleshoot from your smart device.
Continuous Monitoring
An IBMP continuously monitors data from all connected equipment and devices to immediately detect anomalies, inefficiencies, and performance issues. It also tracks energy use to ensure you understand how, when, and why energy is used throughout your portfolio.
Advanced Insights
An IBMP discovers opportunities to optimize efficiency, reduce waste, improve operations, and enhance the occupant experience. With customized reporting, benchmarking, forecasting, and fault detection and diagnostic capabilities, you gain deep insight into system performance and building conditions. These insights go beyond telling you what’s wrong; the right IBMP also provides strategies for moving forward.
Energy Automation
An IBMP allows you to implement efficiency-focused automation strategies that make sense for your building. For example, HVAC can be driven by variables like real-time or anticipated occupancy, time of day, natural light, season, and even weather forecasts to eliminate waste and minimize costs.
Of course, energy costs don’t just correlate to how much energy is consumed but also when energy is used. An IBMP can use real-time and historical data to automatically adjust energy consumption based on peak demand to take advantage of lower energy rates.
Creating a Better Future
IoT opens up exciting new opportunities for creating more efficient, eco-friendly buildings, but it is only one part of a truly future-focused tech stack. A powerful IBMP, is the key to using IoT for energy management for a greener, more efficient future.
