Troubleshooting utility equipment setbacks is a necessary task for commercial spaces. Yet, there are many examples of commercial complexes and facilities that struggle with resource wastage, logging errors and maintenance schedules, among other problems. Most of these issues arise from a lack of complete and total visibility of the utility equipment and its operations. Understanding the scope of these issues can assist in finding solutions for them.
Utility and building management issues differ from place to place, but the following are some common problems BMS faces that businesses and industries should be aware of.
1. Inefficient asset management
It is natural that machines and equipment face wear and tear over time, even if properly maintained. Malfunctioning utility equipment is one of the leading causes of concern for any building management system. HVAC, Gensets, water tanks and pumps are essential pillars of any building or facility, and their careful management is often overlooked. If left disregarded for a long time, it leads to problems like leakages, faulty supply lines, overloaded circuits, ventilation issues and general equipment malfunctioning. When such damages remain unchecked, they can cause total impairment of the entire utility equipment system, rendering it disabled and with an added burden of disposing of it and purchasing a new one.
2. Unfriendly environmental and resource management
Resource consumption and management are crucial matters that any business or industry must address. Resource usage by the utility equipment is often overlooked, leading to wastage or overuse of energy, fuel and water. Such negligence regarding resource management is counterproductive. It does not optimize resource use, leading to indiscriminate resource consumption and environmental hazards from lack of proper disposal of waste products and overall poor utility functions. Extensive resource use does not equate to a higher functioning ability and productivity.
3. Cost control
Many commercial spaces often face the issue of malfunctioning or poorly maintained utility equipment. This leads to unexpected downtowns, causing unplanned and costly repairs. Apart from maintenance costs, several factors like negotiating prices with resource suppliers and third-party vendors and investing in possible technological ventures also require careful budgeting to optimize the funds. Unplanned or sudden maintenance costs of the utility equipment due to breakdowns or outages can become a burden on the budget set aside for the same.
4. Poor record keeping
Data tracking and analysis of the assets are needed to understand whether the assets are up to the mark. Data monitoring and logging are often done manually and on paper, leading to minuscule errors. These minor slip-ups then snowball into massive errors that hamper the productivity of the entire asset system, thus affecting the overall building management by an abrupt breakdown. Apart from this, poor data tracking and analysis often translate into incomplete and mediocre insights into the essential parts of the utility equipment, which can cause misguided analyses of the equipment operations. Furthermore, old buildings and commercial spaces often use legacy software and hardware systems that may take too much time and effort to manage or are incompatible with modern technology. This can cause delays and errors in data tracking.
5. Safety and emergency measures.
Every utility equipment system requires a proper emergency response structure. Emergency responses may vary but typically include first responders, evacuation protocols, safety instructions and maintenance contacts. Apart from being prepared for untimely fiascos, it is essential to look after the security of assets and how their data is handled or accessed. Though there are general guidelines for the safety of the buildings and their help, it is mainly directed toward the human workforce rather than the utility systems which run the facility. There are not enough security measures and alerts to notify in case of sudden equipment failure or malfunction. This can lead to excess expenditure and loss of energy.
Conclusion
Integrating IoT systems with the existing facilities and asset structure makes management of utility equipment more effortless through granular visibility that lets you get an end-to-end view into the overall functioning of the utility equipment of your building management system. It is possible to work out the utility equipment’s macro and micro-level issues as it allows the user to make informed decisions based on the data acquired. Companies and industries have roles that provide tailor-made IoT services designed specifically for utility equipment management.
Our customized utility management suite: Tor Shield, is one such end-to-end solution that affords total control over the. This solution gives complete visibility and control of energy, water, and fuel consumption across commercial and residential complex setups. With such an array of possibilities and services at your fingertips, intelligent building management is now a reality.
