Building system managers are becoming familiar and invested in Master Systems Integration. It makes sense to integrate and automate the systems in a building to work together more efficiently. Another benefit of this smart building technology is that data gathering has become easier.
Enterprise Asset Management (EAM)
Software technology that manages the lifecycle of assets is called an Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) system. EAM software focuses on maximizing the lifetime of the asset by monitoring preventative maintenance, maintenance planning and scheduling. EAM can include the scope of assets across the facility but it does not consider inefficiencies in energy consumption.
Energy costs are often the largest expenditure for an organization, and managing waste closely can save a company significant money. There is a new approach to making the most out of smart building technology and the data collected from these systems called Global Asset Sustainability (GAS).
The GAS approach establishes a strategy that considers the relationship between the energy consumption and the performance of critical assets. Four main elements are considered; Availability, Performance, Quality and Consumption.
The availability of systems is a main goal of GAS. An enterprise relies on its systems and managers must minimize downtime. Performance of the equipment is compared to the specifications for its operation and is expected to run as close to this performance rating as possible. The quality of the output ideally should meet or exceed specifications. Energy consumption data can be monitored so that spikes in energy use are identified. These anomalies can be symptoms of issues like failing parts or that maintenance is due indicating further investigation before actual failure.
GAS helps companies manage business conditions to reduce costs and increase output but it also makes an entity more community friendly by showing environmental consciousness. Reducing the carbon footprint of the operation can strengthen the brand in the eyes of customers, investors and staff.
GAS Index
A metric of the four factors called the GAS Index has become a key performance indicator that can gauge operational success.
Availability x Performance x Quality x Energy Consumption
Each factor is the percentage value based on the best possible performance of the system. The GAS index will allow asset managers to include energy consumption in their program and to select an approach which focuses on assets with the poorest values to which attention will have the largest impact.
GAS is used over the whole lifecycle of an asset and can provide companies with better data to drive decisions around purchasing, operating, maintaining and retiring their equipment. The GAS index can reveal energy savings that can support the investment into more efficient equipment or a more robust maintenance plan. Prolonged high stress periods can be identified and strategies developed around back-up systems and energy procurement.
The beauty of GAS is that it can be implemented with a legacy management system and produce actionable solutions and immediate results. GAS can improve process and control strategies, physical maintenance activities, and replacement or retrofitting decisions. Companies that do not have EAM can use GAS to address the largest of their costs, their energy consumption, with immediate results. The savings can then be applied to a better EAM implementation or other improvements throughout the business.
Start with GAS
Energy costs are taking a large bite out of profits. Successful companies are taking action now to manage and reduce their energy consumption. The good news is that there are steps that every enterprise can take right now to impact their usage and create savings. Understanding the metrics and their meaning can be daunting. Finding a partner that has the technology solutions and the industry knowledge is an investment that can result in large savings for the life of the critical assets of the company. Albireo Energy brings all of the experience and energy know-how to the table in a friendly, team-spirited way. Albireo offers a wide variety of solutions and services to provide improvements to building systems management. Customizable options are available to integrate with legacy systems and company goals.
Smart buildings are more sustainable because they are responsive to changes in environment, system performance, and business goals. GAS is one more tool in the systems manager’s toolbox to support energy saving initiatives and overall profitability.
