10 Reasons to Engage a Master Systems Integrator

Green building practices include more than just energy efficiency and eco-friendly materials. Requirements around indoor air quality and occupant health are part of many green certifications. In an article from May of 2019 in Connected Real Estate Magazine, the author mentions that “improving occupant health was among the highest-rated social reasons for the adoption of green technology.” And that nearly 78% of respondents to a World Green Building Trends SmartMarket Report selected improved health and well-being as a top reason for building green. After the pandemic, it is likely that virtually everyone will be prioritizing healthy spaces as a major consideration when determining where best to spend their work and personal time.

This means that building owners, designers, and managers are prioritizing the health, safety, and welfare (HSW) of their building’s occupants as well. They are taking into consideration the mental as well as physical health of the occupants while striving to be as environmentally friendly as possible. If that sounds like a tall bill, consider that solutions must be economically sound too.

Most building owners are experts in their line of business but not building science. With complicated systems, smart tech, and massive amounts of data being collected in buildings, their whole building health should be in the hands of a building science expert. It makes sense, if the business is large enough, to engage and support a full-time building science expert on staff, but for smaller businesses that may not be feasible. For those businesses, partnering with a Master Systems Integrator (MSI) is the best solution.

Albireo Energy’s MSI methodology utilizes tools and processes that allow for the aggregation of traditionally disparate functions/technologies required to operate a building and translates that data into an actionable, intuitive experience. As an MSI provider, Albireo creates a more operationally and energy-efficient building that also improves the user experience.

Here are 10 ways that an MSI will keep buildings on track throughout their lifecycle.

1. Audit and Evaluation: The MSI can step in at any stage of a building’s life cycle and perform a whole building evaluation. Using the data collected, the MSI will perform a comprehensive analysis to identify measures required to meet the goals for the building.
2. Coordination and Communication: The MSI can handle coordination and communication between stakeholders, internal departments, and the workforce. They will ensure all systems communicate properly.
3. Education: The MSI will keep maintenance and installation staff informed of best practices around the highest performance of building systems.
4. Integration: The MSI will develop software layers responsible for the integration, aggregation, and communication of the building systems.
5. Support Occupant Health: The MSI employs integrated solutions involving indoor air quality, optimal lighting, and comfortable temperatures.
6. Employee Productivity and Retention: The MSI can design solutions to improve occupant experience such as developing a workable plan to transition to Human Centric Lighting. Or installing wayfinding apps for large campuses to reduce the stress of employees. Deploy sensors to monitor space usage and schedule HVAC around it.
7. Manage and Monitor Foot Traffic: The MSI will install and monitor sensors to determine occupancy and foot traffic patterns that will inform decision making for safe building occupation.
8. Energy Management and Efficiency: The MSI will continuously work to reduce costs and usage with automation, energy procurement, and efficient systems.
9. Central Dashboard: The MSI installs software that allows the user to view data with a “single pane of glass” dashboard.
10. Operational Excellence: The MSI will integrate multiple technologies to create a connected and sustainable, healthier building and simplify management.

An MSI can be called in at any stage of a building’s lifecycle. Ideally, the MSI is involved in the design of new construction buildings. The holistic view provided by Albireo enables cost avoidance, increased savings, end-to-end efficiency, and optimizes the occupant experience. Although teaming with an MSI during new construction is the best scenario, whenever an MSI is engaged, they will bring value to the table. The MSI will facilitate informative discussion that allows them to engage at any level of involvement so that they can be helpful to any business’s needs and budget.

Albireo Energy has the depth of expertise to bring the best solutions customized to the business that the building contains and the needs of its occupants. You should think of the MSI as your General Physician for the health of your building. Checkups are regularly scheduled to assess things, you involve them in the planning stages of any major or minor operation, and you bring them in to any emergency situation. The economics speak for themselves.

Contact the team at Albireo to start your building on the road to the best health.