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Sustainability through Technology Adoption
Sustainability through Technology Adoption

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With the world experiencing vagaries in weather conditions, ranging from untimely rains resulting in flooding, increasing temperature resulting in glaciers melting, etc., people and global leaders are taking cognizance of the need to address the climate change. One can notice that there is an urgency to address climate change. Conference of the Parties (COP) with 26 countries as signatories at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in November 2021 has given impetus to this need and of course, this needs to be embraced at all levels. At the Glasgow- UK conference Indian PM Narendra Modi announced an ambitious goal to be net-zero by 2070

But what does this mean for companies, what they can do to achieve this through sustainable ‘Sustainability Practices’ and as custodians of the Workplace and its managers, the Facilities Management Team can play a very significant role?

With India’s commitment toward Mission Zero – 2070, it would soon be necessary for organizations to participate in this initiative. It is, therefore, imperative for building occupiers to monitor, collect and analyze consumption data of power to monitor CO2, Water and Waste.

IoT Enabled Engineering Operations:

The last couple of years has seen the tremendous advent of technology development in the workplace management, adoption of which provides opportunities for reducing environmental impact due to building operations. While one believes that with BMS a lot of control can be achieved, they have the limitation of providing the necessary analytics.  With old generation BMSs this limitation is even higher. Today technology solutions such as ‘Digital Blankets’ provide opportunities to acquire data from the BMS and provide Dashboard reports which could help in monitoring and optimizing power consumption.

Many technology platforms offer Sensor-based solutions to monitor, say for example the HVAC operations, which enable data acquisition and using customized dashboard to identify wasted energy by monitoring occupancy and hot spots which allows one to regulate and have need-based HVAC operation.

Technologies such as ‘Digital-Twin’ which mirrors the physical equipment, allow one, the component level monitoring. Not only do these technologies allow for power monitoring, but they also enable and allow for ‘Equipment Condition Monitoring’, which again prevents wastage of energy on account of equipment inefficiency.

These tools can also be used for monitoring water parameters in cooling towers, thereby regulating cooling tower Blowdown / bleed-off.

CAFM tools allow for monitoring day-to-day operations and operational parameter recording, which could then be used to create customized ‘dashboards’ enabling the managers to make informed decisions. This data can then be used to identify areas for rationalization and identify inefficiencies of equipment. Our experience has shown that not only do these tools allow for data monitoring/analysis, but it also contributes towards a Reduction in Paper usage by way of eliminating hard copies of checklists. In one case we have been able to eliminate about 120 reams of paper/annum which is equivalent to 7 trees, this is significant.

Mechanization and Method Changes in Housekeeping:

Mechanization helps with inefficient cleaning and helps inefficient water use. However, companies should look at having long term contracts with the service providers to enable them to amortize the cost of investment. This also allows organization to have lower OPEX.

The use of Sensors for monitoring footfall, ammonia (odor) and even thermal imaging cameras for water spillage allows for Need-Based as against fixed schedule cleaning which calls for excess water usage which can be avoided.

Adopting Pre-wet system of cleaning brings in a complete Method Change.  The use of pre-wet dusters & mops for surface cleaning / floor mopping will avoid excessive use of water. Further use of machines for washing pre-wet dusters & mops results in less water usage.

The above, while using less water, also can reduce cleaning chemical wastage, reduce janitor fatigue addressing the EHS requirements and improves productivity allowing manpower rationalization and improved cleaning and hygiene.

- By Kuttappa PK, Senior Director, Real Estate Management Services, Colliers India


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Colliers India
Sukanya Dasgupta, Head Marketing and Communications - sukanya.dasgupta@colliers.com

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