REAM: Enabling remote built environment asset management using embedded intelligence

Condition based maintenance (CBM) improves reliability and asset performance, releasing value via efficiency gains in operation, maintanance and optimised asset lifetimes. CBM has shown its effectiveness in high value market sectors. However, whilst the potential benefits are significant, adoption in the Built Enviroment (BE) has been limited. The BE sector is characterised by multiple, dispersed and relatively low value assets such as pumps, chillers and other mechanical & electrical (M&E) devices, rather than high value, individual assets and so needs a different approach. The project, led by Cybula (an SME specialising in data mining and condition monitoring) with Skanska and complementary partners, will use new enabling technologies to develop a proof of concept CBM solution for BE assets. 'Internet of Things' concepts, using low cost sensors and long range, low bandwidth data protocols (LoRa) will enable continuous data capture from dispersed M&E assets. Data will be used to create predictive algorithms linking changes in data pattern to asset performance. Such intelligence, embedded onto a data smart aggregator, will enable in-situ analysis, with only key information transmitted via LoRa to asset managers.