At BuildingIQ, we’ve built strong partnerships around the world to provide the best available services to our clients and spread the benefits of our 5i intelligent energy management platform. One such partner is BUILDINGSENSE. Located in Perth, Western Australia, BUILDINGSENSE is a systems solution partner of SAUTER Building Control International Ltd., GAMI, and Pettinaroli Valve Assembly. The company takes a holistic approach to designing building environments, which includes the implementation of the cloud-based BuildingIQ 5i Platform and technology-enabled services at the very beginning of a building’s lifecycle.

We recently had the chance to sit down with Hari Singh, founder and CEO of BUILDINGSENSE, to get his thoughts on the industry, our technology, and his vision for the future.

What inspired you to found BUILDINGSENSE?  

After working 23 years in the building automation and energy efficiency industry, I received the opportunity to become a distributor of the Swiss-brand, SAUTER control. It was difficult to say “no” to this offer. To stand out from the crowd, I’ve always strived to differentiate myself from the market by providing a defect-free project that utilizes quality and precise products, factory-fitted controls, and advance analytics in one offering.

What evolution have you seen in the energy management space since you started your career?  

The building maintenance and service industry is moving toward more automated technology, such as those that focus on data analytics and predictive maintenance. These advancements in automated, machine-learning technologies are augmenting the role of facility managers and creating new savings opportunities for building owners that previously didn’t exist.

What pain points are there within the industry when it comes to commissioning and energy management?

The common pain points revolve around point-to-point commissioning, errors between installation and software code, and the lack of data visualization. We overcome these hurdles by utilizing SAUTER Controls featuring user interface panels that can be used by electricians to test each point without requiring the help of an engineer. BuidlingIQ’s commissioning management tool is also an important component to reducing time and error in building commissioning, as it provides ongoing anomaly detection, root cause detection, and proactive control strategy recommendations.

What benefits are there to partnering with BuildingIQ and integrating the 5i Platform in a building’s BMS during the early stages of the construction process?

Our partnership with BuildingIQ is a key differentiator for us within the industry. Our offering is a fully commissioned defect-free project utilizing BuildingIQ’s commissioning management tool and data analytics package. The partnership allows us to use an industry-proven, optimized code in the controller to start saving energy from the first day that the building is commissioned. Most controls companies currently use the Defect Liability Period as an extended time to commission building controls and fix inefficiencies. In our case, our customers don’t have to wait 12 months for this to be completed and the kinks to be worked out. Our commitment is a fully-commissioned, defect-free project at Practical Completion.

Can you speak to what comes after the commissioning?

Commissioning needs to be treated as a continuous process where a machine must learn the behavior and economics of a building by collecting internal and external data, such as temperature, humidity, power and weather data. Analytics software, such as BuildingIQ’s cloud-based platform, continuously runs calculations to determine the best control set points for optimal operational performance. BuildingIQ’s HVAC Continuous Commissioning creates 24×7 support that ensures the BMS is delivering the best results possible day in and day out.

What are some advantages of being able to gather building data on a granular level?

When it comes to saving energy, it is very important to first know where energy is being consumed. The more granular we get, the more information a machine-learning platform like BuildingIQ’s will be able to use in combination with its predictive analytics capabilities to provide better results toward energy reductions for customers.

What is your vision for the future of energy management and room automation?

My vision is to make cities smarter by using analytics and predictive optimization at a city level in contrast to how a building would. This will help the power grid to run as efficiently as possible and to better incorporate new renewable and storage technologies to create a low carbon, or even, a carbon-free atmosphere that will make the world more sustainable.

Hari Singh is founder and CEO at BUILDINGSENSE AUSTRALIA. A leader in the industry in Western Australia with over 23 years of experience in Building Management Systems, energy optimization and building tuning, he favors a hands-on approach to tackling projects and accomplishing goals.