Data and Energy Management Software – What Really Creates Smart Buildings

At first glance, IoT and “smart buildings” may seem like just the new generation of meaningless, jargon-heavy buzzwords and in some cases they are just that! That said, with innovative, easier to adopt, increasingly cost-effective technologies, building teams can use actionable data to create measurable financial and managerial benefits.

Driven by increasingly cost-effective Internet of Things (IoT), and increasing demand for interconnectivity and data analysis woven into everyday use, designs and operations are responding, from smartphones to wearable workout gadgets to a city’s electrical grid. The workspace is no exception to this trend, and building management professionals are meeting their tenants’ demands for a smart building.  For example, the emerging workforce desires a modern office space environment. This holistic environment is expected to encompass features like a collaboration-conducive open floor plan, a technologically integrated workspace and finally a building itself optimized with data analytics software. This last part is where the IoT and Energy Management Systems (EMS) converge to enhance the smart building.

The Internet of Things includes software that connects and interconnects sensors to machines and other objects. The cloud based software can analyze information from data points and respond back to the equipment to improve usage. EMS in particular uses data points to assess the functioning of various energy sources, data and even building equipment systems, including lighting, HVAC, controls, etc. Essentially, EMS enables easier building analytics with reliable and accurate data, and this helps transform a property into a “smart building”.

As another example, EMS identifies cost-saving opportunities and reliably projects future utility usage. Furthermore, EMS such as MACH's software makes the job easier for a building or property manager through automated tenant billing, budget forecasts and automated reporting.

Just like your favorite app on your smartphone, MACH’s software mobile App has a smart and intuitive, user-friendly interface where a practical breakdown of your building’s energy data is accessible at your fingertips. The MACH app makes building management more measurable by offering a calendarized breakdown of usage and opportunities for savings. With a fast ROI and low risk, EMS can be installed in most properties and across building portfolios. Time-draining tasks like tenant billing and budget forecasting are automated, so that building professionals can focus on more meaningful work such as improving tenant satisfaction, excelling in local and state benchmarking requirements/regulations, and providing intelligent commercial real estate services. In this way, EMS and data are key to “smart buildings”.