Modern Building Services

FEATURE SMART BUILDINGS 32 MODERN BUILDING SERVICES MARCH 2021 SMART BUILDINGS L ike every other sector, buildings management has scope to make a significant contribution to the reduction of the UK’s carbon footprint. The built environment currently contributes around 40% of the UK’s total emissions. Within that figure, operational emissions accounts for approximately 28%. Although some of this can be countered with sustainable construction practices and the integration of efficient facilities, smart materials and features, 80% of the UK’s buildings that will be occupied in 2050 have already been built today. That leaves us with a vast building stock to strategically manage. While some impact will be made by the decarbonisation of energy, and other government-led initiatives, it remains the responsibility of the individual facilities manager to maximise the efficiency of the properties in their care. But while we all share an ethical duty to reduce the environmental impact of our businesses, integrating sustainable practises within daily processes also has the potential to make other appreciable gains for your business. Why sustainability matters in modern buildings services Beyond the obvious environmental responsibilities that we all carry; recent research has enhanced the general understanding of the impact that the quality of the indoor environment has on employees. A recently published PLOS ONE report concluded ‘healthy’ buildings employing more sustainable practices ‘show a significant improvement in the perceived indoor environmental conditions and health of the relocated workers,’ increasing the level of employee satisfaction while observing ‘significant improvements in the health status of individuals.’ With sickness-related absenteeism costing the UK economy £77.5 billion a year, and presenteeism costing UK employers between £26bn and £29bn annually through lost productivity, enhancing the health of buildings through the application of sustainable practices can deliver direct gains to employers. The ongoing evolution of the Internet of Things (IoT) holds the potential to fundamentally transform the way that we manage and use both new builds, and older building stock, through the application of remote monitoring. Remote monitoring and sustainability in buildings and facilities management Powered by IoT, remote monitoring has the potential to provide buildings managers with vital, real time data on a variety of integral topics, from building health and asset lifetime, to energy efficiency and waste. Enabling informed decision making, automating accountability, and building sustainability into a business’ very operating model. Howdoes remotemonitoringwork? With the development of tiny wireless IoT sensors with long battery-lifetime, you can control almost any aspect of any room of any building, from anywhere. Wireless sensors are not just for new builds, they can be retrofitted to older buildings, reducing waste and enabling any building to become a smart building. An example of this technology is the Disruptive Technologies sensors, which monitor six key features of a building, including temperature, proximity, water and humidity. Each sensor monitors a particular attribute of your assets. Wirelessly linked to a cloud connector, the data is then securely transferred to an API platform for customer analysis. Automatic alerts or triggers are sent out when urgent action needs to be taken – if a particular section of pipework has not been flushed in line with legionella compliance, for instance. Managers have access to all the data they need to make informed decisions about other aspects of buildings management. Uwe Klatt, Vice President of Sales at Disruptive Technologies looks at the Role of Remote Monitoring in the Future of Sustainable Buildings Management Do you understand the impact?