More data, same manual work – is the buildings industry misunderstanding digitalisation?
By Charles Coetzee, Buildings & C&SP KAM |
SSA at Schneider Electric
The more buildings technology evolves, the more some building remain the same; mirroring the immovable foundations they were built on. Facility teams continue to rely on walk-around inspections, manual meter
readings, spreadsheets and reactive maintenance to keep buildings operating.
The reality is many organisations still believe digitalisation means adding more sensors, dashboards or software. This couldn’t be further from the truth as most buildings already generate significant amounts
of data.
The challenge is converting that data into actionable insights and decisions. True digitalisation integrates building management, energy and power systems to improve performance, efficiency and resilience,
not simply collecting more information.
The above disconnect also highlights another fundamental challenge in the industry;
buildings account for around
30% of global final energy demand and more than half of electricity consumption.
The opportunity therefore lies in improving energy performance, but this requires a rethink of how buildings are operated. Simply adding more technology, is not the answer.
The limitations of manual operations
As mentioned, manual processes remain deeply embedded in building management. Inspections, meter readings, maintenance scheduling, fault-finding and compliance reporting can consume considerable time, particularly
in facilities with ageing infrastructure and limited resources.
And these practices endure; they are familiar and established which can be difficult to change. For many operators, continuing with existing processes can seem like the safer option.
However, familiarity should not be confused with efficiency – manual inspections provide snapshots of performance rather than continuous visibility while meter readings may identify excessive consumption only
after it has occurred.
Additionally, maintenance teams can struggle to detect gradual equipment deterioration without reliable performance data. Problems that could have been identified earlier may therefore remain hidden until
they affect operations.
Digital monitoring provides an opportunity to make a decisive change – tracking equipment performance and identifying abnormal operating conditions will enable teams can make better-informed decisions about
maintenance, repairs and replacement priorities.
This doesn’t mean every asset must be replaced or that every fault can be foreseen, but rather making smarter use of the information already available
Beyond the dashboard
As mentioned, many buildings already have building management systems, power monitoring solutions and electrical control technologies. The problem is that these systems frequently operate independently, with
information spread across different platforms and teams.
And the solution is not to add another dashboard. The solution is integration – connecting building systems to realise a more complete view of facility performance. Operators can therefore identify relationships
between energy consumption, equipment behaviour and operating conditions.
This visibility supports faster fault identification, more informed energy optimisation and better-coordinated maintenance. It also gives facility managers a stronger basis for prioritising interventions and
turns fragmented information into a more coherent operational picture.
The new performance manager
Key to the success of digitalisation process is the evolving role of the facility manager. Facility teams are increasingly expected to improve energy efficiency, support sustainability objectives, strengthen
resilience and demonstrate operational performance.
Indeed, the modern facility manager is becoming a performance manager. Today’s facility managers and their teams are expected to:
- Blend skills for impact – Technical knowledge, data literacy, and operational judgement must work together.
- Interpret performance data – Facility managers need to read and contextualise information effectively.
- Understand consumption patterns – Spot trends in energy use and identify areas for improvement.
- Work with automation confidently – Engage building automation technologies to optimise operations.
- Translate improvements into outcomes – Ensure operational gains deliver measurable organisational value.
In a nutshell, this people-and-process relationship is vital, not even the most sophisticated digital infrastructure will be able to deliver its full value if team continue work in silos and integrated information
is not incorporated in everyday decision making.
In the end, the success of digitalisation should be measured not by the number of sensors installed or dashboards available, but by the quality of the decisions those tools enable.
The future of building management will depend on the industry’s ability to connect technology with people and processes. More data is only the beginning. The real value is when data helps teams anticipate
problems, optimise performance and make buildings more efficient, resilient and sustainable.
