There are more than 20B IoT connected devices online (in 2017 according to IHS). This number is predicted to see a CAGR of 33% over the next decade. So the question begs to be asked, how do commercial and industrial operators get value from IoT as technologies evolve? Simply put,  IoT requires imagination to deliver value from a blank canvas. A change in traditional architecture requires a change in goals based on evolving capabilities of IoT technology.

However, there is probably not any traditional architecture since facilities within a portfolio are likely very different to operate because of different climates, different automation systems, different occupancy levels, and hundreds of other variables. The best way to get meaningful value from the ecosystem of IoT platforms is to reverse engineer the solution. If sustainability and energy reduction are the primary goals, solutions can be crafted regardless of the current architecture using sensors and algorithms. If predictive maintenance to reduce production line downtime or stabilize tenant comfort is the goal, the solution can be reverse engineered.

IoT is a Blank Canvas

To really break this down, an Internet of Things platform is just a mix of wireless networks, hardware nodes that connect to systems, and backend software applications that set rules, organize and analyze the data into meaningful things. So essentially, the wireless network delivers the data collected by the hardware to the cloud application.

So an ocean of valuable applications exist for progressive facility operators if we start to think in terms of, “where are my challenges and what are my initiatives”? One of our clients had a leak spring in a fire suppression system that lasted the duration of the weekend. There was 6 inches of water in the lobby on Monday morning and over $150k in property damage and clean-up fees. A simple $100 pressure gauge and flow meter with a sensor output were added to the main line to ensure this is caught within minutes next time, instead of days. This is what IoT is all about for C&I facility operators.

Iota is an IoT engineering firm. We leverage our best in class IoT platform to craft demand response, predictive maintenance, risk mitigation, and commissioning solutions that are tailored to evolving building dynamics. Let’s chat about how we can help solve challenges in your domain.