Smart Retail Controls: Proactive Facility Management Through Real-time Metering and Remote Control Monitoring

Our client, one of Canada’s largest financial institutions has approximately 2,500 retail and corporate locations distributed across the US and Canada. BGIS provides turnkey facility management services for this institution, including managing the energy performance and operational spend for all locations. To help manage spend and optimize energy performance, BGIS piloted a scalable control system to provide real-time energy monitoring, remote control and fault detection and dispatch across 10 locations in Canada and the US.

TECHNOLOGY
Remote monitoring & control automation

ENERGY SAVINGS
10 - 30%

The pilot program
Without real-time monitoring capabilities and a means to impact change, the real estate industry will continue to operate in a market with continued rising costs. To mitigate the operational costs and risks through BGIS’ recommendation, this institution agreed to carry out a 10-site pilot to determine the viability and benefits of a web-based and smart building solution to move to a fact-based and proactive facility management delivery model.

The solution
The solution includes a collection of web-enabled devices that provide real-time monitoring and control of the building HVAC and lighting systems. Installed technologies include a micro building automation system (embedded within the thermostat), zone temperature sensors, electric baseboard controllers, static pressure sensors, IAQ sensors, lighting controls, and a collection of current transducers. All of the data is transmitted

in small data bundles via a secured cellular network and consolidated to the web based portal. Within the web portal, all energy metering and control data points can be viewed providing a holistic and comprehensive means to proactively manage the performance of a distributed real estate portfolio. Alerts, warmings and optimization measures are automatically triggered (based on client’s desired outcomes) and proactively responded to by the BGIS remote command centre. All measures are integrated into the BGIS work order system management protocol

to effectively manage and prioritize response time and resources.

The installed solution provides real-time monitoring and remote control of building assets. Through the ongoing monitoring and remote modifications to building sequences, 10-30% of energy cost savings have been identified from changes to HVAC setpoints, runtimes, lighting controls and reducing unoccupied plug loads.

This technology is ideal for portfolios that span multiple regions, with large teams

and non-uniform HVAC and lighting control systems. This system provides a means to not only view and modify performance data remotely, but also consolidate existing building automation systems platforms into a common portal/access point.

Working with the local electric utility
Currently, the local utility is interested in supporting this program but because it is new to the market, the utilities want to use the pilot results to inform the incentive structure.