IBM (NYSE: IBM) on Friday announced new software to assist commercial building operators deploy efficiency technologies and compliance systems to deliver economic, operational and environmental benefits.
IBM says its new Sustainability Management System (SMS) technology
allowed its own semiconductor factory in Burlington, Vt. to slash water
usage–a key ingredient in chip making–by 29% from 1990 to 2000, while
manufacturing capacity at the plant rose more than 30%.
IBM also announced that Autodesk (Nasdaq: ADSK) has joined its industry alliance, Green Sigma Coalition, a move that can help the group improve buildings’ sustainability from blueprints to daily operations.
Additionally, IBM announced an expanded relationship with Schneider Electric (SND.DE), a global specialist in energy management, to deliver combined offerings that monitor and reduce energy use to make buildings smarter.
IBM’s expanding partner ecosystem allows the company to extend the reach of open-standards and analytics & automation software. Real-time data is collected by the building-management systems provided by such companies as Schneider Electric, Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI), Honeywell/Tridium (NYSE: HON) and Eaton (NYSE: ETN). IBM software analyzes the data to enable real-time improvements in operations, a critical process.
For instance, one application of the new software creates a thermal map of data center and facilities
assets to enable quicker responses to hot spots or over-cooled areas.
The analytics in the software help companies evaluate the utilization of
each air conditioning unit, for example, to shut down ones with low
utilization to let the nearby units handle the load.
IBM says that while 85% of global companies have sustainability programs, only 30% collect data frequently enough to improve operations.
“Today’s announcements are about using IT to integrate buildings and their operations with the natural and societal systems around them to create smarter urban infrastructure,” said Rich Lechner, vice president Energy & Environment at IBM. “Sustainability calls for applying information in new ways to benefit the economic, environmental and operational strategies of an organization.”
The commercial energy management systems market is expected to surpass $6 billion by 2014, according to a recent analysis.
Serious Materials, a company that has built a reputation for energy efficient windows and glass, last week that it is moving into the building management market with a software-as-a-service platform.
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