Every day, many organizations around the world use FM:Systems technology to reduce energy consumption and waste in common sense ways. For example, FM:Systems occupancy sensors paired with advanced HVAC installations enable companies to avoid heating or cooling rooms when they’re not occupied. Up to now, however, quantifying the impact of those measures, and identifying additional opportunities for optimization, has been a time-consuming, manual procedure. The recent integration of the Johnson Controls sustainability platform, Net Zero Advisor, into the FM:Systems workplace analytics platform, FMS:Insights, streamlines that process.
This integration combines utilization data with energy usage data automatically, making it easier to understand just how much costs and emissions are being reduced through existing efforts, while revealing new opportunities to optimize energy consumption, decrease spending, and support sustainability goals. The addition of the Net Zero Advisor also helps enable timely and accurate reporting to aid regulatory compliance.
Here’s a look at these two innovative solutions and how their integration can be a game-changer for organizations.
What is Net Zero Advisor?
Net Zero Advisor is a component of Johnson Controls OpenBlue Enterprise Manager (OBEM), a comprehensive building performance management platform. Prior to this integration, Net Zero Advisor was primarily available to clients using OBEM to monitor energy consumption and resulting greenhouse gas emissions.
Net Zero Advisor was developed to meet the growing need to set and achieve sustainability goals in response to the proliferation of environmental regulations. While clients have found the solution useful, Net Zero Advisor only tells part of the story: organizations could see energy data and equate that information with emission volumes, but weren’t able to combine those data points with space utilization insights.
What is FMS:Insights?
FMS:Insights is a multi-data point analysis platform featuring native integration to streamline workplace spatial and bookings data, as well as occupancy and environmental sensor data. Within FMS:Insights, clients can view space utilization data to understand how their offices are being used. However, to draw connections between energy use and office utilization, clients would need to export data from both systems and manually merge it in spreadsheet software. The integration of Net Zero Advisor into FMS:Insights simplifies this process significantly.
Introducing the Energy Dashboard
FM:Systems and Johnson Controls have brought these two solutions together in the Energy Dashboard. The Energy Dashboard leverages an application program interface to gather data from two sources: cost and consumption information directly from your utility provider and utilization data from either FM:Systems passive infrared sensors or supported third party area devices. Enabling these two data sources to be viewed and manipulated together reveals actionable insights to drive sustainability goals and create opportunities to reduce energy consumption and waste.
For instance, organizations can easily identify times when energy consumption is high despite low space utilization, helping them take action to optimize energy use and reduce costs. This seamless integration provides a holistic view of energy efficiency and drives smarter, data-backed sustainability decisions.
“With the integration of Johnson Controls Net Zero Advisor into FMS:Insights, you can layer utilization information over metrics like energy usage, indoor air quality, maintenance performance, and project performance of capital projects,” said Brian Haines, Chief Strategy Officer at FM:Systems. “You can look at efficiency through whichever lens you choose and be able to weigh what your priorities are for your portfolio.”
This enhanced ability to make proactive, data-driven decisions is particularly helpful in portfolio management, where clients need to prioritize energy efficiency across multiple buildings, and/or geographies. In addition, the integration of Net Zero Advisor into FMS:Insights simplifies energy reporting to aid regulatory compliance.
Maximizing the Impact of the New Energy Dashboard
To get the most out of the integration, clients are encouraged to deploy additional internet of things (IoT) solutions, such as air quality sensors and equipment performance monitors. These devices provide additional layers of data, such as indoor air quality (IAQ) or equipment performance, allowing for deeper insights when combined with utilization and energy data.
What’s Next?
While the integration of Net Zero Advisor into FMS:Insights represents a big leap forward in capability, we’re not stopping there. FM:Systems and Johnson Controls development teams are working together to add emissions data to the existing energy and utilization metrics within FMS:Insights. By integrating emissions data, clients will gain an even more comprehensive view of their environmental impact. This will allow organizations to track not only energy consumption but also the corresponding carbon emissions generated by their energy use.
For instance, clients will be able to analyze how specific actions, such as reducing occupancy in low-use areas or optimizing HVAC systems, can lead to both energy savings and reductions in emissions. This feature will further support ESG reporting and net zero compliance, helping clients meet stricter environmental regulations and achieve sustainability goals more effectively. The expanded data set also opens the door for future AI-driven insights, allowing clients to optimize energy usage and emissions reduction strategies automatically.
Conclusion
Sustainability initiatives, net zero goals and ESG requirements continue to drive innovation and growth in smart building technology. With the integration of Net Zero Advisor, FMS:Insights energy, utilization and emission data gives you clarity and confidence in decision-making as you seek to reduce your energy consumption, manage your energy costs and ensure accurate reporting for your ESG and net zero compliance requirements.
