The adverse impact of global warming is becoming increasingly severe, and it requires collective efforts from all sectors to search for new ways in reducing carbon emissions. Ir Thomas Ho, Chairman of the Construction Industry Council, recently visited the Schneider Electric's Innovation Hub located in Quarry Bay to learn how the industry can utilise advanced technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, and artificial intelligence (AI) to assist in building management to reducing cost, and to achieve better energy efficiency as well as reducing carbon emission.
With the motto of "Life is On," Schneider Electric aims to enhance energy efficiency through technology and digitalisation. According to Shirley Wong, Head of Global Marketing Hong Kong, it is the main focus of the company to combine digitalisation and electrification to create a more sustainable environment. With these two aspects combined together, it would help to promote sustainable development and to provide a more environmentally friendly and smarter future for the next generation.
Utilising IoT to Assist Building Management
Digitalisation forms a crucial element of the development of the construction industry. Schneider Electric connects hardware and software through the application of its “EcoStruxure”, to establish an integrated management platform and provides energy-saving solutions for four major markets: buildings, data centres, infrastructure, and industries. Cynthia Mo, Business Development & Innovation Hub Manager, explained that EcoStruxure consists of three layers. The bottom layer comprises connectable hardware devices such as sensors that collect data based on the IoT. The second layer would be edge control, which enables real-time monitoring of data for building and energy management systems. The top layer consists of apps and analytical tools that utilise AI and machine learning in conjunction with digitalisation to provide advisory services to customers. Mo emphasised that the framework is applicable to other companies' products as long as they are open protocols.
Preventive Maintenance to Save Costs
The construction and building sector accounts for nearly 40% of global carbon emissions. Energy-saving and emission reduction in the building management phase have drawn concern from the industry, particularly in Hong Kong, where it is well-known as a “Vertical City”, the potential impact of energy-saving measures will be significant. Marcus Hung, graduate trainee at Schneider Electric, mentioned that the company's EcoStruxure Building Advisor tool is designed to help customers proactively plan and identify energy-saving opportunities through the cloud-based management platforms and AI data analysis. He further pointed out that the system is able to provide a comprehensive monitoring of buildings in an integrated platform, which would assist in identifying areas for improvement and potential cost saving opportunities and would submit regular energy usage analysis reports to customers. Hung stated, "Instead of waiting for the air conditioning systems to break down before repairing them, why don’t we carry out regular maintenance to detect issues before problems occur? We help customers to collect data from different buildings, transform them into information, and provide professional analysis to offer insightful advice for achieving a sustainable future." Citing an example of a large property developer in Hong Kong, the team said that the developer has successfully saved 10-15% of energy consumption annually by using their solution, with over 80% of issues being resolved remotely.
The pandemics have brought huge changes to office space planning. In addition to energy-saving solutions, Schneider Electric is also involved in space management. The Innovation Hub showcases various hardware devices such as advanced sensors that improve the indoor environment and enhance well-being of the workers. Peter Mo, Head of Marketing at Schneider Electric, mentioned that their sensors are easy to install and require no wiring. They can be connected to Wi-Fi and upload data to the cloud via specific software, providing management with information on office people flow, meeting room occupancy and air quality, etc. Furthermore, some sensors are able to monitor temperature and detect harmful gases which can contribute to fire prevention.
Technology advances rapidly, our industry would become a significant driving force to sustainable development if digital transformation is adopted in addition to the help of technologies like IoT and AI in upgrading conventional buildings and energy management methods.
