With the Covid-19 Virus taking hold and employees being forced to work from home, all businesses are extremely reliant upon Data Centre and Computer Room cooling systems to maintain a stable and reliable IT infrastructure, but what happens if something goes wrong?
Data Centres and Server rooms by their very nature have a small quantity of staff on hand to deal with equipment failures and they are heavily reliant on both FM/M&E and specialist A/C sub-contractors to be available to attend to emergencies and fix their issues.
The recent announcements by YouTube, Netflix and other mainstream media companies that they are scaling back their bandwidth so that we can all cope with homeworking shows the strain that is being placed on networks – See Article here
BMS (Building Management Systems) are great if they are remotely monitored, but most operate as a standalone system that rarely gets used on a daily basis. However, many buildings don’t have a BMS nor remote monitoring, so how do you know when something has or is about to fail?
IoT - aka Internet of Things is a great low cost quick way of Monitoring Key pieces of HVACR Equipment, especially for items that aren’t currently connected to any other system. Small battery powered sensors can be attached quickly and easily to any item of key cooling equipment to monitor typically things like excessive temperatures, water leaks, refrigerant gas leaks, pressures etc. and many other processes that can benefit building owners and operators.
If any one of those sensors identifies anything operating outside of pre-determined parameters, it sends an immediate alert via SMS/Email to key stakeholders for them to take immediate action.
The ENVIROLOGIK IOT system has been specially developed to remotely monitor critical cooling systems in Data Centres and Server rooms. Our IOT system is an important aid in achieving this, we recognise that how you apply the HVAC IOT hardware, the Dashboards, Alarms and Reports is where you obtain value from it.
The ENVIROLOGIK IOT system is a fully developed independent (open protocol system) that is a proven tried and tested system that is already monitoring key HVACR equipment across the entire Facilities sector, such as in General Office Air Conditioning/HVAC, Hospitality and Retail Environments.
Buildings without a BMS
Building management systems can “manage and switch” system start/stop times, undertake optimisation, system efficiency, utility consumption, alarms and trouble areas, etc. which can enable a site manager to make smart, informed decisions. BMS systems are hard wired to physical devices and a generally installed on larger buildings with more complex and integrated systems.
But what about those Buildings that don’t have a permanent site team or have a BMS? This is where IOT comes into its own.
Older style Remote monitoring has been around for some time. Now anything can be connected via long-life battery powered sensors that have no need for vulnerable BMS type connections.
The custom ENVIROLOGIK Dashboards enables the contractors to schedule service visits to prevent the risk of total failure before it happens.
Maintaining the Buildings essential services
In this challenging environment and with thousands of buildings being closed or virtually empty and employees being told to work from home, how can you also ensure that your buildings comply with statutory maintenance requirements?
This article explains it in no uncertain terms what owners and operators of commercial buildings need to consider.
Guidance on COVID-19 - Building Services Systems Maintenance SFG30 Mothballing Maintenance Tasks
“With thousands of people now working from home or prevented from travelling, many commercial buildings are moving into shutdown mode. This has huge implications for building services equipment and decisions that would normally have been planned over many months must now be taken within days.
Owners, landlords and tenants will still need to maintain their buildings for security purposes; to achieve statutory compliance; and to protect the fabric and critical systems as well as satisfying any insurance implications.
” Reference: The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA)
In addition, Insurance companies often require evidence that services and systems are being maintained.
IoT isn’t a silver bullet, but it does enable the technology to remotely undertake many of those statutory and compliance tasks that a physical person would have to undertake such as:
Water Temperature checks in sealed/closed systems such as:
Hot/Cold Water tanks
Gas Leaks
Refrigerant Leaks
Water Leaks
Some essential services may still need to be maintained to ensure reliability and avoid short term, medium- or long-term damage
Heating,
Electrical Systems,
Server Room Air Conditioning,
Generators,
UPS Systems,
Aspirating smoke detection system,
Fire suppression systems,
Leak Detection Systems,
Security and Access Systems.
We are already providing evidence of many Chillers being monitored remotely at Data Centres and this is a live Dashboard view that can be customised
Why not consider how IOT can monitor the critical status of your Data Centre or Server room whilst your employees are working away from the building?
A 20 mixed sensor system will cost just £325/month fully installed with full remote monitoring and alarming for a 2-year contract with no up-front hardware cost. Want less sensors or buy the hardware outright? Just ask
Interested? Get in touch 0203 916 5158 or email chris@enviro-logik.co.uk