Occupant demands are evolving, and the current priority for safe building re-entry requires investments at a time of real economic hardship. Building owners understand they must showcase how they are making their indoor spaces healthy and safe to get business back up and running.
Real estate managers are making immediate changes to demonstrate a commitment to improving sanitization, adjusting ventilation, enhancing indoor air quality and modifying space configuration to enable social distancing. These near-term needs can seem like trade-offs against long-term goals including energy efficiency and sustainability that were high priority pre-COVID. A data-driven and intentional approach to re-entry can ensure the occupants feel safe, without jeopardizing long-term organizational objectives however.
A plethora of cost-effective IoT solutions that can enable safe re-entry are flooding the market. These investments can be quickly deployed and offer targeted insights on space use, indoor air quality or even cleaning schedules. The challenge comes in the longer term, one more smart building solution can be just another silo that blurs the picture of overall building or even portfolio performance. This issue can be especially challenging for service partners, with longer-term performance and energy contracts committed to energy efficiency and sustainability goals.
Switch Dx3 offers ESCOs a new tool for transparency, monitoring and verification of project performance within customer sites or even across the entire business portfolio. The Switch Dx3 dashboard gives ESCOs visibility into building system connectivity, potential security vulnerabilities and overall network health.
This foundational insight can help ESCOs meet evolving customer demands for data-validated proof of system performance and energy efficiency because of a truly comprehensive view of energy consuming equipment and systems associated with facility operations. The Switch approach goes beyond legacy tools that access data from proprietary BMS systems with BACnet IP integration, ingesting data through APIs that capture any new IoT solutions.
This is a fundamental differentiator against other smart building solutions available today. Rather than a smart point solution that optimizes a single IoT system or enhances understanding specific to an installed BMS, the Switch approach offers a holistic view of facility performance and business operations. We understand the comprehensive nature of ESCO engagements and have curated the data ingestion, aggregation and analysis approach to align with goals of performance contracts. The success in achieving energy efficiency savings from the broad bundled measures of equipment upgrades and system installs is dependent on adherence to engineering specifications, and the continuous network visibility offered by Switch Dx3 is a new approach to support M&V requirements.
Switch also offers a flexible approach to support ESCOs, enhancing Switch Dx3 with additional Platform analytics and controls or offering integrations for other established data platforms. For many ESCOs, the Switch Platform offers significant additional value by providing a single pane of glass through which users can view all their building systems, IoT devices and an ever-expanding set of data streams that reflect facility performance.
We partner with world-renowned technology companies including Dell, Microsoft and Intel to power this powerful, open and secure smart building Platform. This intuitive, cloud-based solution includes configurable tools with advanced business intelligence, machine learning, automation and remote control capabilities.
The Switch Platform integrates with a vast range of sensors and systems including, but not limited to:
While able to perform the role of a BMS, Switch is not a replacement for your BMS or facility manager, but rather a toolkit to leverage the data from existing facility investments and help drive efficiency and insight for FMs’ day-to-day goals. The Platform is also highly cost effective, offered through a SaaS model that typically achieves a one-year payback.
Talk to a smart building expert to learn more about how Switch helps portfolio managers reach their sustainability goals.
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Global crises demand streamlined operations as property value comes under pressure. Find out how smart building functionality is essential.
These days, a number of green certifications and programs exist, each with its own focus area and sustainability goals. Learn about the top 5.
In this final installment of the series we discuss how a well-executed smart building program can ensure airtight CRE cybersecurity.
The GRESB Data Quality Assessment is paving the path to digital facilities management for the CRE industry. Switch Automation VP Patti Mason weighs in.
Welcome to Switch Spotlight, where we share our journeys in the smart building industry and what it’s like working at Switch!
With increasing reliance on artificial intelligence to support businesses, data science is key in turning data into actionable insights to optimize operations and impact risk management and decision-making. Artificial intelligence (AI) techniques and solutions often operate like ‘black boxes’, leaving organizations open to new AI risks.
As climate change intensifies, the urgency to act on one of our biggest levers—energy use in commercial and retail buildings—has never been clearer. Every kilowatt saved is a step closer to sustainability, slashing greenhouse gas emissions while moving us toward essential climate goals. Whether you’re overseeing a retail portfolio or managing a single commercial space, boosting energy efficiency doesn’t just cut costs—it creates healthier, more comfortable spaces for everyone. Now is the time to act.
Smart building technology is constantly evolving and improving, and there are several trends that are expected to take center stage in 2023.
When it comes to being a building owner or operator, you have a lot to balance.
