Using a building monitoring system is the most critical aspect of any complex building maintenance program. For a building to continually run at its peak performance, it’s vital that those in charge of the building continually know what is running well and what is having problems. Building monitoring is an essential component of building security and that without it the purpose of any monitoring program is defeated. Building monitoring can provide valuable insight into many operational performance matters such as building performance, ventilation systems, energy efficiency, and noise exposure.
Energy Efficiency
The key issues include achieving energy efficiencies, cost reductions in operations and increased building productivity. The key technological advances in the last decade have been historic in scope and impact. The modern commercial building health monitoring system utilizes highly integrated and technologically scalable software applications. These software programs are designed to deliver real-time information from the monitoring sensors to the managers. This information is provided in the form of reports, dashboards and visualizers, which can be used to make insightful decisions about building operations and provide the necessary monitoring data to support strategic decision making.
Understanding Cause and Effect
The building monitoring system will allow managers to understand the cause and effect of temperature changes and to establish the source of such changes, in order to take appropriate corrective action. One of the main benefits of using this technology is to establish the efficiency of operations and identify areas for improvement. The chilled water system, for example, can be monitored to identify the presence of leaks or faulty connections and, by extension, to establish the amount of refrigerant required to ensure proper operation of the systems, including the temperature sensors and chilled water tank.
Regulating Air Flow
Another important application of the building monitoring system can be applied to the manufacturing sector, where a monitoring system can determine the rate of air flow in a machine. Air flow is used to regulate the temperature of machine parts, including those in a machine part called the follower wheel. The rate of air flow determines the speed at which the motor is rotating and, in turn, the speed at which it draws power from the battery. The readings from the sensors can be compared with the specifications provided by the production manager to determine whether any errors are being made, which can result in costly rework, overtime and even defective parts.