Building automation systems and so-called “smart” controllers are nothing new. Building owners have been implementing remote monitoring and control systems for HVAC and lighting for decades. But with the cost of IT components like wireless sensors dropping and technologies like smart meters and cloud-based building management solutions coming on the market, a new era of connectivity and data generation is upon us.
The question becomes: How can commercial building owners leverage real-time, building-related data to more efficiently operate and maintain buildings? Can data analytics, for example, warn facilities teams about problems with equipment before they reach the point of failure? Can it detect subtle changes in fan speed, air temperatures, and energy consumption to trigger continuous adjustments to optimize equipment performance?
Real estate services giant Jones Lang LaSalle set out to answer these questions when it partnered with Pacific Controls to develop IntelliCommand, a 24/7 real-time remote monitoring and control service for its commercial real estate owner clients.
The service—which was pilot tested last year by Procter & Gamble on 12 of its buildings around the world, totaling 3.2 million sf—utilizes Pacific Controls’ wireless sensors to collect and send building performance data from various building automation systems to a remote command center operated by JLL. There, facilities operations experts who are well versed in data analytics and information technology are able to spot and diagnose anomalies that indicate a building system is not running efficiently.
The command center tracks data around the clock, allowing facilities experts to make constant adjustments to fine-tune building performance and address equipment problems before they become serious.
“We can do everything from test equipment to fix building controls remotely,” says Leo O’Loughlin, JLL’s Senior Vice President of Energy and Sustainability, who presented on the topic at BD+C’s BUILDINGChicago/Greening the Heartland conference in September. “For example, our command center has the ability to remotely test 500 VAV boxes in multiple buildings in multiple locations at 2 a.m. and then submit a work order for the 15 or 20 that need fixing.”
O’Loughlin calls JLL’s new service the future of commissioning—continuous, monitor-based commissioning versus the traditional approach of assess/diagnose/fix/let deteriorate. “It’s all about getting ahead of the maintenance curve,” he says.
The results from the P&G pilot test were impressive: energy costs were slashed by 10% across the 12 buildings in just 11 months, and the investment paid for itself in three months—all without implementing any major building system upgrades.
Managers were able to identify problems that manual inspections could not detect, according to O’Loughlin, including inaccurate thermostat default settings, a temperature anomaly indicating that a heater was operating when not needed, and room-to-room temperature differences that indicated malfunctioning dampers, triggering unnecessary air conditioning. The service saved 8% in energy costs at one pilot location simply by reducing HVAC activity on nights, weekends, and holidays.
“It makes smart buildings smarter,” says Larry Bridge, Global Facilities and Real Estate Governance Manager at P&G. Bridge is currently working with JLL to deploy IntelliCommand throughout its global real estate portfolio of 76 buildings. “Smart building technology is not just about energy cost savings,” he says. “We also get reliability improvements and more efficient work order production.”
Related Stories
Hotel Facilities | May 9, 2023
A new camping destination near Utah’s Zion National Park offers a variety of all-season lodgings and amenities
Outdoor lodging brand AutoCamp has opened a new camping destination near Utah’s Zion National Park. A 16-acre property, AutoCamp Zion is located between the Virgin River and the desert of Southern Utah.
Headquarters | May 9, 2023
New Wells Fargo development in Texas will be bank’s first net-positive campus
A new Wells Fargo development in the Dallas metroplex will be the national bank’s first net-positive campus, expected to generate more energy than it uses. The 850,000-sf project on 22 acres will generate power from solar panels and provide electric vehicle charging stations.
Regulations | May 8, 2023
Supreme Court case likely to have huge impact on Clean Water Act
A case before the Supreme Court will likely determine how the Clean Water Act is interpreted and the ruling could open up new areas for development within or adjacent to wetlands.
Senior Living Design | May 8, 2023
Seattle senior living community aims to be world’s first to achieve Living Building Challenge designation
Aegis Living Lake Union in Seattle is the world’s first assisted living community designed to meet the rigorous Living Building Challenge certification. Completed in 2022, the Ankrom Moisan-designed, 70,000 sf-building is fully electrified. All commercial dryers, domestic hot water, and kitchen equipment are powered by electricity in lieu of gas, which reduces the facility’s carbon footprint.
Multifamily Housing | May 8, 2023
The average multifamily rent was $1,709 in April 2023, up for the second straight month
Despite economic headwinds, the multifamily housing market continues to demonstrate resilience, according to a new Yardi Matrix report.
University Buildings | May 5, 2023
New health sciences center at St. John’s University will feature geothermal heating, cooling
The recently topped off St. Vincent Health Sciences Center at St. John’s University in New York City will feature impressive green features including geothermal heating and cooling along with an array of rooftop solar panels. The geothermal field consists of 66 wells drilled 499 feet below ground which will help to heat and cool the 70,000 sf structure.
Office Buildings | May 4, 2023
In Southern California, a former industrial zone continues to revitalize with an award-winning office property
In Culver City, Calif., Del Amo Construction, a construction company based in Southern California, has completed the adaptive reuse of 3516 Schaefer St, a new office property. 3516 Schaefer is located in Culver City’s redeveloped Hayden Tract neighborhood, a former industrial zone that has become a technology and corporate hub.
Mass Timber | May 3, 2023
Gensler-designed mid-rise will be Houston’s first mass timber commercial office building
A Houston project plans to achieve two firsts: the city’s first mass timber commercial office project, and the state of Texas’s first commercial office building targeting net zero energy operational carbon upon completion next year. Framework @ Block 10 is owned and managed by Hicks Ventures, a Houston-based development company.
Market Data | May 2, 2023
Nonresidential construction spending up 0.7% in March 2023 versus previous month
National nonresidential construction spending increased by 0.7% in March, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published today by the U.S. Census Bureau. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $997.1 billion for the month.
Life of an Architect Podcast | May 2, 2023
Life of an Architect Podcast Ep. 124: Show Me the Money
I get asked a lot about how much money an architect makes. Without understanding a few parameters, that’s like trying to buy a car by the pound. I spend a fair amount of my time discussing the architectural marketplace, where we can find value, what’s the going salary rate based on skill set and experience, and how badly we need this spot or that spot filled.