Building analytics is a tool used in intelligent buildings for their maintenance. Buildings have a large amount of data in their systems. They are only resourceful if they are used appropriately, building analyzers analyze these data combined with smart technologies in the building such as censors, the Internet of Things (IoT), building management systems (BMS), and integrated workplace management systems (IWMSS).
From these analyzed data the building analytics software notifies the building owners and managers about the current performance of the building infrastructure and also it notifies them about the future concerns that they should take care of.
What is an Intelligent Building?
The term intelligent building was 1st used in 1981 by the united technology building systems corporation in THE US. 2 years after that they introduced the world’s 1st intelligent building in the city place building in Hartford, Connecticut (Us). The building’s services were managed by a fiber-optic network (Data highway) Running through its core, but still, it was not a perfect one.
At present intelligent building (Smart building) refers to the integration of various systems in buildings such as HVAC, lighting, alarms, and security into a single managed network infrastructure. All these various systems are constantly analyzed by building analytics software.
These systems found in smart buildings are constantly analyzed by building analytics with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) And machine learning (ML). The analytics can make automated actions or give updates to the employees based on the results they got.
The advanced building analytics software encompasses building data ingestion, data lakes, and warehouses, stabilizing data pipelines, as well as leveraging cloud-native data and analytics services. Increase in capabilities, advanced performance, and improved scale at lower cost all can be done by cloud-native analytics systems.
11 Roles of Building Analytics Software in Building Maintenance
- Building analytics software can detect the performance of any system in the building. They can review equipment performances and diagnose the problems found in them from its root and give proper instructions to solve the problem. This will help the management to work efficiently without any errors in the system.
- The software can find the pattern of energy consumption in the building and it can suggest ways to reduce energy waste or improve energy efficiency.
- It can provide recommendations for optimal settings, schedules, or controls for the building systems and equipment.
- Building analytics software can use the historical and present data from the systems to predict the future performance of the systems in the building such as equipment, sensors, and devices. And it can warn the maintenance team about the malfunctions that could happen even before it’s happening.
- It can also help maintenance staff in planning their tasks and also notify them where to prioritize.
- Building analytics can give employees/tenant-friendly environments by making updates to the management according to the feedback received from them.
- The consumption expenses can be accurately estimated and assessed by the building analytical software. Which will result in the enhancement of the operating budget of the building.
- Even building analytics software algorithms are helping managers to measure the productivity of the employees, and also in making important decisions in hiring, training, promotion, compensation, etc.
- HR professionals are using AI technologies to review resumes and employee backgrounds. With these, they are saving time and are accurate.
- With AI-automated building analytics, the monthly and annual inspections which are time and money-consuming can be avoided.
- Analytics software can transform the building into a more comfortable space. Smart systems can track and regulate temperature, humidity, and air quality inside the building. AI-powered building analytics can adjust energy usage with climate changes.
For example, they can adjust the temperature in response to the occupancy level in the building. This can result in energy savings and improved comfort feel for occupants.
Importance of Building Analytics
Building analytics ensures the perfect running of a building by bringing together all the systems. The revolution of AI has also changed the way buildings are maintained in a way that they are adaptable to the future. AI has changed how intelligent buildings are designed, developed, and implemented. It uses the analyzed data to discover problems in the systems, predict unknown outcomes, and take automated action.
The software is used to find meaningful patterns in data and uncover new knowledge based on applied mathematics, statistics, and AI. It improves the energy and financial success of building to increase the value of the organization’s assets.
Building Analytics in Making Workplace Secure
In the recent years of the COVID-19 pandemic, we all have seen how much care should be taken towards public health. People need to feel secure in their workplaces. For this building, analytics have been playing a huge role.
Building analytics can track people’s body temperature with the help of thermal scanners. Since fever is a symptom of many diseases such as COVID-19, it would help people to get diagnosed earlier. Analytics can also keep an eye on physical distancing, hand hygiene, indoor air quality, and restroom hygiene.
Employees doing these things manually may not be able to keep track of everyone like building analytics software. As the world is getting to know about new diseases for a while these AI-integrated building analytics will enable people to have a secure workplace.
Building analytics are also able to detect any safety hazards such as fire outbreaks, and gas leaks, and automatically send the fire alarm. They can also call for external help from the fire station if it is necessary.
Disadvantages of Building Analytics Software
- The expense of analytics can be 10-15% of the entire BMS.
- Irrelevant alarms can create confusion.
- Chances of a cyber security risk if the proper security system is absent.
- It requires people with specific skills for its service.
- To operate properly it will need annual servicing of the software which again is expensive
To Sum Up
At present building analytics software is an integral part of building maintenance systems. With the proper software installed, your building can be transformed into a place of perfection. Adding analytics to an integrated building management system can be a headache if you choose the wrong system. The cheapest systems won’t be offering the capabilities needed to address the building’s specific issues. At the same time, many features in an expensive system can remain unused.
Even though there are several disadvantages to building analytics software, it is necessary for the efficient running of a BMS only if it is the right one to be installed. When installing building analytics software make sure that you will go through both its advantages and disadvantages.