What are Operating Cost Management Systems (OCMS)? Explore how these new cost management systems deliver relevant, financially driven data to help you properly invest in your building. Browse through our articles and discover the next evolution of automation and how it can drive every decision from energy upgrades to preventative maintenance!

Building Analytics Debunked

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Everything you should know about the next evolution of building technology!

By definition building analytics simply means data analysis. So how are companies using this to their advantage and what do you gain from the investment?

By: Zach Denning

Analytics – The next evolution of building technology. Analytics gives your building a voice. Analytics will save you a fortune on maintenance and operating costs. Analytics can find problems you never knew were there!

Most building owners and managers have heard these punchlines and understand that technology is sweeping though through the building management industry. After years of being over-shadowed by HVAC building technology is taking it’s turn in the spotlight. Much like the cell phone industry, building technology has matured with the emergence of open platforms and interchangeable hardware – Mimicking the rise of Google’s Android platform.

Much the same as Android and iOS, software now embodies new advancements in building technology with the likes of web-based applications and dashboards – Information at your fingertips! So what about analytics? What is analytics? By definition analytics just means data analysis, so how can it be advantageous for managing HVAC?

Let’s look at some common issues surrounding building analytics –

  • Building analytics will save me money on maintenance costs….
    • Analytics are designed to analyze building data and find patterns in equipment usage. Once HVAC equipment deviates from that pattern the system assumes that it’s an abnormality which leads to a proactive alarm – An alarm normally overlooked. Yet, it’s still up to the operator to understand the alarm and make an educated financial decision as to whether it should be repaired or ignored. Although predictive technology can help cut maintenance costs, in most cases it requires an astute level of knowledge to not become an overpriced nuisance!
  • There are many companies that provide analytics, how do I choose one?…
    • When pursuing a higher form of technology for your building think about the gaps in your current HVAC management strategy. Perhaps a software that can accomplish a new proactive maintenance strategy, help track equipment operating costs, or forecast maintenance and upgrades. Evaluate the holes in your business and ensure that the technology you invest in will help to reduce costs, decrease overhead, and help you focus on what matters in managing your building!
  • I want analytics in my building, but it has a long return on investment…
    • Most companies that provide analytics struggle with two things – How to price it and providing estimated returns. Historically, analytic platforms have been a high-priced addition to building technology due to heavy computing requirements and complicated setup. Newer companies are emerging with unique sales models that drive down the initial investment and are based more on subscription type services; Allowing for a quicker return on investment with the ability to opt out if users don’t perceive value. Investing in analytics should be a calculated, financial-based decision not one born from a hunch.
  • Analytics are advanced and use “machine learning” to alert me when equipment isn’t working efficiently..

    • Be careful of your assumptions when it comes to analytic platforms. Most companies tout the advanced capabilities of their platforms, but deliver a much more primitive solution. Deploying advanced statistical analysis or “machine learning” in a building can be extremely challenging for a company who’s core business is building automation or HVAC design – They’re drastically different! Improperly vetting analytic solutions typically leaves managers with a simplistic product that mirrors the capabilities of your existing building technology.
  • Finding and solving HVAC problems will be much easier with analytics…
    • 90% of all analytics deployments are designed to be interpreted by a technical resource. Evaluate how you were using existing building alarms to your advantage when considering an analytics upgrade. Did you dig deeper into the alarm to try and solve the issue, or did you simply ignore it? How many alarms do you currently have backlogged in your current building technology? How much deferred maintenance is in your next budget? If your looking to derive financial explanations for HVAC issues and life-cycle costs you may be more interested in investing in an Operating Cost Management Platform (OCMS). One that utilizes analytics to drive life-cycle cost awareness and delivers actionable, financial intelligence around HVAC issues.

Analytics can be a wonderful tool for the well-versed manager looking to make a technological leap in their HVAC management style. Yet, in most instances, the information these systems derive is highly technical in nature unless utilized in a broader, more financial-based platform like OCMS. If you want to make a leap in understanding how your building operates, start with building a list of issues you want to address – Reducing operating costs, tenant satisfaction, reduced overhead, etc. Ensure your next investment fulfills these voids in your current strategies to facilitate a successful venture.

My name is Zach Denning and I’m the CEO and owner of EnerDapt, Inc. We’re an HVAC engineering firm that utilizes cloud-baesd technology to bridge the technical and financial gaps commonly found in HVAC management strategies. Our OCMS EnerVise platform keeps customers knowledgeable about their building from life-cycle costs to forecasted maintenance, upgrades, andequipment replacements.   You can reach me at zdenning@enerdapt.com or visit our website at www.enerdapt.com

OCMS; Building Operating Cost Management

Tapping Into Your Building’s Potential

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When Cost Management Systems drive your financial decisions!

An OCMS platform sits on top of your existing building automation and HVAC equipment. By absorbing and analyzing existing data OCMS is capable of delivering actionable financial data to close the gap between technical HVAC knowledge and investments

By: Zach Denning

 

How many times have you been told that you need to upgrade your HVAC equipment? Or been informed your old building automation system is no longer supported. Many building owners and tenants find themselves in a peculiar place when it comes to antiquated HVAC components – Mainly how much they cost!

Should you invest in the new state of the art building automation? Can your old boiler hang on for a few more years? Financial validation of HVAC equipment replacements and upgrades continues to be a difficult process for building owners and tenants – Even consultants. What if your building automation had the answers? 

We’re told that building automation can save energy and help operational processes, yet it remains the most untapped financial resource in a building. Currently automation controls on average 35-40% of all energy consuming equipment in a building  – Everything from daily runtime to sophisticated temperature control. With all of this data your existing building automation can be made into a powerful financial tool – Without needing to be upgraded!

Operating Cost Management Systems (OCMS) overlay existing building automation systems and absorb the equipment data to analyze, predict, and quantify:

  • Maintenance Costs
  • Energy Costs
  • Total Cost of Runtime
  • Equipment Failures & Warnings
  • Equipment Replacement & Upgrades
  • Much more…..

Most IP-capable building automation systems absorb and archive thousands of points, only to be used in a state of emergency. OCMS constantly monitors and analyzes these same points in order to curb emergencies through proactive, action-driven information. Proactive energy and maintenance strategies have proven to reduce overall operating costs of buildings 8-16% – That’s nearly $1-2.00/sq. ft. in annual reduction for the average commercial building!

Before committing to your next HVAC overhaul analyze your current system to see what analysis it is capable of delivering. When you choose to do your equipment upgrades OCMS gives you the intelligence necessary to insure your investment.

 

My name is Zach Denning and I’m the CEO and owner of EnerDapt, Inc. We’re an HVAC engineering firm that utilizes cloud-baesd technology to bridge the technical and financial gaps commonly found in HVAC management strategies. Our OCMS EnerVise platform keeps customers knowledgeable about their building from life-cycle costs to forecasted maintenance, upgrades, andequipment replacements.   You can reach me at zdenning@enerdapt.com or visit our website at www.enerdapt.com

OCMS; Building Operating Cost Management

Energy Savings – Your Next Blind Investment!

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Blind investments into energy

Would you make an investment without a guarantee? Why are building energy projects any different?

Minimize investment losses with OCMS

By: Zach Denning

 

You build your team of industry experts – All-star contractor, the best energy firm and your aggressive utility rep. Everybody working together to get the highest Return on Investment (ROI) coupled with the latest utility rebates for your latest energy investment. The project looks like a winner – 1 1/2 year payback and your utility covering 50% of the total project costs courtesy of your team’s ingenuity. What could possibly go wrong?

Six months post-project and you get an energy report that doesn’t make sense – You’re $15k off from the projected energy savings! What could it be? You invested hundreds into advanced energy dashboarding and cutting edge monitoring, so how did this happen? You put your team into motion and after several meetings and thousands in consultations they find the culprit is a few failed parts on retrofitted units. Crisis averted! Or was it?

Lost energy, emergency repairs, and consulting fees have cost you tens of thousands of dollars for what could have been an easy fix. Introducing Operating Cost Management Systems (OCMS) – Your insurance policy for energy investments! These systems are capable of finding and quantifying issues before they impact your savings – Turning emergency maintenance costs into planned, strategic investments.

By predicting and quantifying potential failures in your building your able to proactively reconcile these issues and understand how your savings are affected; Giving you complete financial visibility into your operating costs and the tools to properly manage your energy investment. Utilize these systems in your next energy project to reduce your risks and gain valuable financial insight in how your building operates!

 

My name is Zach Denning and I’m the CEO and owner of EnerDapt, Inc. We’re an HVAC engineering firm that utilizes cloud-baesd technology to bridge the technical and financial gaps commonly found in HVAC management strategies. Our OCMS EnerVise platform keeps customers knowledgeable about their building from life-cycle costs to forecasted maintenance, upgrades, andequipment replacements.   You can reach me at zdenning@enerdapt.com or visit our website at www.enerdapt.com

OCMS; Building Operating Cost Management

OCMS – Operating Cost Management Systems

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Making your operating costs transparent!

OCMS forecasting for building owners and tenants

EnerDapt’s OCMS platform enables building owners and tenants to forecast equipment maintenance and co-manage energy consumption.

By: Zach Denning

 

When was the last time your building automation system sent you a report detailing repairs – As an investment? Many times building owners and tenants are faced with the same decisions on whether or not to repair equipment. Has it failed yet? Probably not. So why repair it?

Your most loyal mechanical partners are urging you to replace the equipment with persistent weekly emails as the proposals stack up on your desk. Valves are failing, motors need to replaced, belts are worn yet you carry on with your fingers crossed that nothing fails. In the back of your mind, you know that the next failure could cost you thousands in replacements and you could lose that one tenant who only has a few months left on their lease.

Welcome in the era of Operating Cost Management Systems or OCMS – The next evolution of building management. Your current building automation (a.k.a DDC, EMS or BMS) gives you limited monitoring capabilities where deciphering issues takes days or weeks and requires a high level of mechanical expertise – Without any quantification! What if that system could tell you how much that valve replacement cost and how much energy it was consuming? What if it could tell you when your air handler was running too much or was at max capacity with a quantified output?

OCMS are cloud based systems designed to integrate with existing building automation to analyze data in order to:

  • Breakdown operating costs to identify and quantify weaknesses in current operation
  • Predict and quantify failures
  • Manage complex energy sequencing based on actual building load
  • Deliver ongoing, quantifiable reports on building operation

Traditional building automation is limited in it’s ability to convert data to actionable intelligence that’s invaluable to owners and tenants responsible for operating costs. Most of these antiquated systems negate the energy saving algorithms that could be wasting thousands a month in operating costs. Energy sequencing is typically complex to develop and even harder to install due to current hardware limitations.

OCMS manages complex operations like energy savings and maintenance forecasting to drastically reduce operating costs while providing valuable data for owners and tenants to make informed decisions about their building. These systems shift control of operating costs into the hands of the true decision makers with data they can understand in order to properly maintain their building.

 

My name is Zach Denning and I’m the CEO and owner of EnerDapt, Inc. We’re an HVAC engineering firm that utilizes cloud-baesd technology to bridge the technical and financial gaps commonly found in HVAC management strategies. Our OCMS EnerVise platform keeps customers knowledgeable about their building from life-cycle costs to forecasted maintenance, upgrades, andequipment replacements.   You can reach me at zdenning@enerdapt.com or visit our website at www.enerdapt.com

OCMS; Building Operating Cost Management