With rising pressure to improve energy efficiency, comfort, and compliance, building analytics are more in demand than ever. Yet with a rapidly expanding array of platforms available, selecting the right solution can feel overwhelming.
How can you identify and adopt the technology solution that will bring you the most value?
The key lies in understanding core challenges—excessive energy use, hidden system faults, occupant satisfaction, and compliance risks—and identifying which analytics platforms deliver proven, measurable results beyond the marketing hype.
9 Factors That Separate Real ROI from Marketing Hype
- Focus on AI Where It Adds Value
AI is powerful for automation, pattern recognition, and predictive maintenance. When selecting a platform, look for solutions that use AI strategically, enhancing efficiency while recognizing when hands-on expertise is needed to solve real-world challenges.
- Maximise existing building data
Before investing in IoT, assess the data your building already generated via BMS, EMS, VRF systems, or smart meters. This existing data can form a solid foundation for optimisation.
Don’t dismiss older systems; with the right approach, legacy infrastructure can still yield valuable insight.
- Understand data extraction methods
Knowing how data is accessed is key. For example, BMS often use JACEs, which typically focus on major assets. Broader data capture can help uncover additional opportunities for optimisation and performance improvement, potentially reducing energy costs by 20–30%.
- Look for multi-source integration
Start with your current systems, but ensure the platform can evolve with you. The ability to integrate future systems, including IoT, enhances data granularity and unlocks deeper insights over time.
- Assess speed and scalability
Turning raw data into actionable insight requires intelligent tools. Ask how quickly the platform delivers value, from data extraction to meaningful insights, and whether it can scale across your portfolio with consistency and efficiency.
- Seek a holistic view
Building systems are interconnected, and understanding the relationships between them allows for better diagnostics and long-term solutions. Platforms offering a complete view support smarter, more strategic decision-making.
- Evaluate engagement and usability
User engagement often reflects how intuitive and supported a platform is. Look for solutions with strong onboarding, training, and support, so teams can adopt the tools confidently and use them to full effect.
- Consider cost and long-term value
Price matters, but ROI matters more. High-performing platforms can uncover greater long-term savings and deliver a stronger return on investment. Compare features such as real-time dashboards, reporting, and service models to ensure a true like-for-like evaluation
- It’s all about the data
A platform’s data strategy is fundamental to its performance. Ask providers how their datasets are built and refined over time. The more robust and well-maintained the data, the more powerful the insights, helping you stay ahead in a rapidly evolving environment.
Optimisation Starts with the Right Foundation
Choosing a data analytics platform is more than a tech decision, it’s a long-term investment in performance, efficiency, and adaptability.
The most effective solutions are those that:
- Solve your most pressing challenges
- Maximise the data you already have
- Scale, adapt, and remain intuitive
- Turn data into actionable insight
- Deliver measurable returns over time
Optimisation isn’t about complexity, it’s about clarity, control, and continuous improvement. In a more connected, data-rich world, your analytics platform should be a trusted tool, not a black box.
Author:
Demand Logic focuses on practical, evidence-based optimisation, empowering teams, enhancing comfort, and unlocking real savings – because smart decisions lead to smarter buildings.
