How utilising Analytics can change your approach to BMS maintenance

BMS maintenance is essential to ensure the continued performance of the building and the comfort of its occupants. Using analytics can streamline and enhance this maintenance approach.

Building management systems integrate with a wide range of systems from heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) to lighting to life safety and security devices. As such a BMS often controls and monitors around 60% of the energy consumed in a building, as well playing an important role in the comfort and wellbeing of those who visit, work and learn there.

Ensuring effective BMS maintenance is essential. However, a traditional approach—based on scheduled servicing and reactive issue resolution—has its drawbacks, including a higher risk of poor building performance, increased system downtime, and greater overall costs.

One effective alternative is to adopt an approach based on using data and analytics to prioritise maintenance activities and optimise the use of resources. With this approach, an analytics platform will use sensor and system data to monitor equipment performance in real time to identify anomalies or issues. This not only allows maintenance tasks to be carried out in order of need, but it also enables urgent intervention before the issue leads to a failure. For example, a recorded reduction in airflow levels in the ventilation system may point to an issue with a filter or a fan unit that needs replacing. In addition, identifying and addressing any emerging issues before they escalate can also help extend the lifespan of equipment by preventing unnecessary wear on key components.

Specially designed analytics solutions can also use a broad range of data and advanced algorithms to help pinpoint the source of an issue, which may not be obvious based on manual checks alone. This can significantly reduce the time required to diagnose and address the issue.

Another benefit of an analytics-based solution is that it can provide the opportunity for remote monitoring. For example, if needed our engineers can securely access and review the data relating to a potential maintenance issue without the need to visit the premises. This means they can provide guidance on the level of priority it should be given, and work scheduled accordingly.

While the use of data and analytics has many benefits, it is only effective when combined with the right knowledge and expertise to take advantage of the insights it delivers. It is therefore essential to partner with a leading BMS specialist such as ABEC. We monitor and maintain the BMS for over 800 buildings and work closely with each client to ensure the solution implemented is tailored to the exact requirements of the building. For example, the needs of an office building are very different from those of a specialist environment such as a laboratory or data centre.

Find out more about the tailored BMS maintenance plans we offer here.