Every drop counts: smart management of water contributes to sustainability in the built environment

Keeping watch 24/7, and tracking data at a granular level, enables anomalies to be flagged, checked promptly and rectified if necessary.

A natural resource that is crucial to life on earth, water is often taken for granted. However, it is part of the equation when it comes to advancing sustainability.

The global population is expected to continue growing, from the current 8 billion to 9.7 billion in 2050¹, putting pressure on the planet’s natural resources. Global freshwater demand is forecasted to exceed supply by 40 percent by 2030².  Adding to the pressure is climate change which is causing flash floods to occur more frequently, and in more places than before -  in Singapore³ , Sabah⁴, Sumatra⁵ even Dubai⁶. At the same time, extreme heat and drought exposes too many people to water scarcity, among whom are 347 million children in South Asia⁷. The imbalance between water supply and demand requires innovative solutions including smart resource management, to ensure water security and resilience.

In the built environment, optimising water usage as part of a utilities management strategy, will contribute to the building’s sustainability performance.

The challenge of water and energy management is being met with innovations such as SP Digital’s suite of Green Energy Tech (GET™) solutions. GET integrates different building management systems and diverse data sources to create a seamless, sustainable utilities management experience that is accurate, comprehensive and timely.

Installation of smart devices and networks is simple and modular, and done with minimal disruption to business operations.

In businesses where utilities form a significant part of running costs, knowing more about consumption patterns and anomalies goes a long way in managing expenditure.

For S11, one of Singapore’s largest dormitory operators, utilities consumption accounts for 20% - 30% of the dormitories’ revenue⁸ and is one of the biggest monthly expenses after deducting land rental. COVID-19 brought about greater awareness of hygiene and cleanliness, leading to a significant increase in water consumption, and hence of utilities expenditure. 

To enable S11 to manage this significant operating expense, SP Digital deployed GET™ Insights which provides an integrated view of utilities consumption. Installing and interfacing of smart meters with existing building management systems was easy; and using wireless sensors avoided disruption.

With the web-based utilities dashboard providing detailed data and analysis, the S11 facilities team is able to identify wasteful practices and potential water leaks, take action and optimise efficiency.

In the built environment, the public sector is working together with SP Digital to lay the groundwork for driving sustainability through reduced water and energy usage. A pilot project was implemented to guide future roll-out of sustainability practices. 

SP Digital’s GET Insights was deployed to gather data insights on utilities usage in some 300 buildings, from more than 600 standardised smart, revenue-grade electricity and water meters.

The modular solution could be scaled up relatively quickly, and without major retrofitting of buildings, saving time and outlay for the digital transformation.

This project helped in raising awareness of consumption habits among the occupants, establishing baselines and setting benchmarks and methodologies for energy and water consumption.

Having detailed data insights, down to the last drop or milliwatt, is a tremendous help in utilities management. An integrated approach to water and energy management will help in resource usage and cost control in business operations. Commercial and industrial properties can transform into smart buildings with super low energy consumption and be on track in their sustainability drive. 

If you are looking to improve water and energy efficiencies to drive carbon reduction in your business operations, contact us now.