Siemens has been awarded a major project in a tender by the University of Birmingham. The core of the project is the IoT networking of the university campus with the aim of increasing efficiency and saving costs.
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Lack of insight into real estate use
Universities usually have a very large real estate portfolio. Their properties are often characterized by a mix of sprawling undeveloped areas alternating with large buildings. Rarely, however, do university administrators have an all-encompassing view of their use and energy efficiency. But as even state-maintained institutions are increasingly required to account for their cost structures, a closer look is increasingly recommended.
Siemens: IoT for insight and optimization
Siemens has apparently been able to provide a remedy to this problem. The German company installed 23,000 IoT devices on its Birmingham campus to obtain more accurate data than before. In addition to insights into occupancy and utilization of the university’s properties, the implementation of the new technology was also expected to provide more potential for optimization.
Among other things, the goal was to achieve a significant reduction in CO2 emissions, a gain in safety for the staff and student body, solutions for dealing with Corona in day-to-day teaching, cost savings while increasing revenue, and knowledge gains for faculty and students.
Siemens Enlightened IoT suite: building usage data.
In the first step of the project, the biggest energy guzzlers among the buildings were equipped with smart technology. 25 of them received networked thermostats, LED lights and IoT sensors and were linked to Siemens Enlightened IoT-Suite.
This solution not only allows lighting conditions to be controlled. It also collects numerous values about building usage, which it then transmits to clouds. It can be used to make statements about which buildings are being used and how. What flow rates they have or what their infrastructural integrity is like.
Desigo CC: Property Management
Another cornerstone of campus networking is still to be a completed smart application that connects to Siemens real estate management software Desigo CC. The center of the IoT installation will enable its users to reserve workstations, invite outsiders to the campus, and control lighting and temperature.
At the same time, the installed sensors support energy optimization efforts by switching lighting on and off according to users’ needs. Systemic outages and efficiency suggestions are generated and relayed to supervisors in real time.
