Let’s take a trip to Canada to see how a forward-thinking building can implement smart building solutions without the need for developing a massive project timeline.
The 20-story, 156-unit luxury high-rise condo named Syndicat M9 was just built in 2015, but since its construction, its owners were already considering ways to combat future operational issues by implementing things like automation and monitoring solutions in order to prevent costly damages, streamline operations, and improve the residents’ quality of life.
The Syndicat M9 board had a number of issues it wanted to tackle early on. None of which were major on their own, but when combined, the board found that both time and efficiency were being lost because of these “minor” nuisances. Syndicat M9 partnered with BuildingLink to provide their residents with the ability to track mail delivery and receive package delivery notifications.
But even more, BuildingLink, with its Aware Buildings team at the time - which is now a fully independent company - was able to provide IoT sensor solutions for parking violations, overheating machinery and mechanical rooms, failing pumps, boilers, water heaters, and so much more for their building staff.
In addition to BuildingLink’s drive to improve operations by increasing efficiency and reducing costs for property managers and building owners, BuildingLink has found that what their customers need in addition to a cutting-edge BMS platform, are technical solutions for their daily obstacles.
The problems faced by Syndicat M9 and solved by Aware Buildings, were as follows:
1. Parking Violations – The condo had a problem with people parking in no-parking zones within their garages. This was not only a fire code violation; it was also an annoyance for legitimately parked cars because violators would block their ability to exit. Aware installed sensors to inform building management if/when a car was parked inappropriately, effectively mitigating the number of violations.
2. Mail Delivery – More residents working from home has driven the need to know when mail has been delivered. The mail can often contain critical documents or payments that may be important to your residents and knowing when it has arrived can eliminate frequent resident trips to the mailroom and repeat phone calls to the front desk staff. Embracing this new-age change to the workforce, Syndicat M9 has deployed Aware’s mailbox monitoring solution so both staff and residents can receive delivery alerts.
3. Package Drop-Off — Syndicat M9 uses a package drop-box with a hinged door for larger parcel pick-ups/drop-offs. Aware has added sensors to the drop-box to detect when building personnel has placed parcels in the drop-box, when it is retrieved by the mailperson, and vice versa. This solution also provides a status dashboard, accessible though desktop and mobile for both staff and residents.
4. Environmental monitoring – The building had an electrical utility room that would often overheat, so Aware deployed its environmental sensors. These sensors help monitor and regulate the equipment room environment and reduce response time when high temperature or humidity spikes are perceived.
Many think that IoT products - and making buildings “smart” - is too complicated and expensive. But it isn't. Aware Buildings has closed the gap in the market between standalone, un-managed sensor solutions, and expensive and complex building management systems and platforms.
To learn more contact us at info@awarebuildings.com
