Influence of Data Analytics in Building Automation

The growing trend in energy management is the influence of data analytics within building automation systems. Analytical building automation is one of the driving forces behind the way energy managers are using their systems to make decisions within their organization.

Building automation continues to evolve in technology as well as how it impacts the organization’s operation. If the data shows one course of action will have more of a positive impact on the organization than another, then the organization will more than likely follow that path.

Data Analytics can guide operating procedures

As budgets tighten throughout most sectors of our economy, it is important to understand the impact of every aspect of that organizations operations. The more information that can be presented to managers and other decision makers the better.

Energy management is about reducing utility usage and cutting costs. Large commercial buildings can easily consume large amounts of energy. Utility services are not provided free of charge for most organizations and those costs can carry a large financial impact.

One example of using data analytics within a building automation systems is comparing the reduction in energy consumption after implementing zone scheduling changes.

Recording the impact of the changes within a building automation system is necessary to judge the effectiveness of those changes. I’ve seen large campuses change normal operating hours due to the energy savings it produced.

The change in operating schedule allowed more time for buildings to be switched into unoccupied mode which significantly reduced utility consumption and cost. The impact was easily seen in the recorded data as well as in the utility bills.

Good data can help you justify expanding your building automation system

The first question I usually hear when discussing installing new equipment or replacing older devices is “how much will it cost?” The second question is usually “what happens if we don’t?”

By showing the relationship between the cost savings which can be produced by upgrading or making other changes within a system, you can more easily justify the initial investment.

Suppose you want to install zone controls within a building that had always run with a constant volume system. By comparing the data of a building that already has individual zone control to the current building you want to upgrade, you can give an estimation of the payback from that investment.

As your organization starts seeing cost savings as a result of the initial investments, those savings can be used to invest in additional upgrades or repairs to older systems.

Tracking the data can help you troubleshoot problems

Keeping good records of how your system is operating under normal conditions will also help you troubleshoot any problems which may develop over time. A recent example of the benefits of tracking your system with data trends involved a chilled water system we are upgrading.

One of the chillers within the system has been very reliable ever since it was installed. An older chiller within the system was in the process of being replaced and programming modifications were made.

After some of the programming changes were completed, we noticed that our very reliable chiller became much less reliable. Analyzing the data trends we were able to pinpoint the issue to the program modification. If we were not tracking this information it would have been much more difficult to diagnose the problem.

Data analytics can be very useful and a building automation system that gives you the ability to track that data is one of your most significant tools.