IoT technology from leading field service management software, Simpro, is being used as part of CSIRO’s innovative research into energy efficient living in apartments.
The remote monitoring solution provides CSIRO with data about energy efficiency and power usage in high rise residential buildings by tracking assets such as lifts, chillers, air conditioning, lights and power in Victoria Point in Docklands, Victoria, Australia. This information will form baseline data to run energy efficient residential high rise projects in the future, similar to the star rating used in the design of Australian residential homes today.
The implementation was made possible through a joint venture with IoT installer O’Brien Electrical Wantirna.
“We’ve got a really good understanding of energy efficiency in detached homes,” Michael Ambrose, CSIRO senior experimental scientist, said. “However, we have very little information about how units and apartments perform. And with the rise in apartment living, that’s really how this project came about.”
The research is being conducted on four buildings in the Docklands to ensure a range of data is collected in buildings within the same climate area. As these buildings are already standing however, gathering data would have been difficult without the use of software.
“Structural wiring would have had to be done between floors of buildings, we would have been there for a good while just doing the structured cabling,” David Tripp, O'Brien electrical Wantirna director, said. “But using Simpro IoT we could do this wirelessly and simply retrofit sensors. It was such an advantage.”
Peter Darley, Simpro regional director (Asia Pacific), said this setup and data collection is made possible by the technology used by Simpro IoT.
“Simpro IoT uses a Low Powered Wide Area Network standard called LoRaWAN. This enables the remote monitoring solution to be retrofitted to assets already installed in a building,” he said. “It is also perfect for commercial applications like this because it is low frequency and has a long range and is able to penetrate buildings and other obstructions.”
Once collected from assets, data can be viewed and interpreted in Simpro’s customizable dashboard.
“We’re really excited to have been able to work with O’Brien and CSIRO on this fantastic project,” Darley said. “It shows that IoT can be used for an incredibly broad range of use cases. IoT has an exciting future for many industries throughout Australia and overseas.”
About Simpro IoT
Simpro IoT provides a 360 degree solution using both software and hardware to remote monitor assets.
The hardware is easily retrofitted to assets or infrastructure in minutes and at a minimal cost. Simpro’s sensor options allow customers to monitor environmental, water and temperature changes.
Users of Simpro IoT also have access to cloud-based dashboards to aid in the interpretation of the data. Further, by using Simpro and the IoT add-on together, users can analyze trends, predict component failure, send alerts and create jobs.
Find out more about Simpro IoT, here.
About Simpro
Simpro is a global SaaS business providing field service management solutions to trade and specialty contracting industries. With 150,000 users in Australia, New Zealand, the United States and the United Kingdom, our verticals broadly include security professionals, plumbers, electricians, HVAC, solar and data networking.
Led by CEO Sean Diljore and headquartered in Brisbane Australia, Simpro’s cloud-based software is an end-to-end field service management solution that streamlines field workflows to maximize workforces, enable business growth and increase profits.
At the beginning of 2021, Simpro had more than 6,000 clients and 300+ employees over five global offices.
Want to know more about Simpro? Visit our website.
About O’Brien
O’Brien Electrical & Plumbing is a proud family of quality-focused trade service businesses in the electrical and plumbing industry. Their story began in 1983 as an electrical contracting business in New Zealand before branching out into the Australian market to become one of the largest electrical and plumbing contracting networks in Australia. O’Brien® acquired the electrical and plumbing network in 2018 to create an expanded service offering of expert solutions for customers. O’Brien Electrical & Plumbing now has over 140 locally owned and operated businesses nationwide committed to solving people’s problems with real care.
About CSIRO
CSIRO is Australia’s national science agency. Over nearly a century, CSIRO has been improving the lives of people everywhere with our science. Since we started life as the Advisory Council of Science and Industry in 1916, we’ve advanced Australia with a range of inventions and innovations that have had significant positive impact on the lives of people around the world. These include fast WiFi, polymer banknotes, the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet, and Aerogard, just to name a few. CSIRO works with industry, government and the research community to turn science into solutions to address Australia’s greatest challenges, including food security and quality; clean energy and resources; health and wellbeing; resilient and valuable environments; innovative industries; and a secure Australia and region.
