{"id":80,"date":"2024-01-26T09:39:38","date_gmt":"2024-01-26T09:39:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sitetest.opnbuildings.com\/?p=80"},"modified":"2024-08-30T19:54:44","modified_gmt":"2024-08-30T19:54:44","slug":"the-cost-of-data-the-hidden-expenses-in-building-monitoring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/opnbuildings.com\/the-cost-of-data-the-hidden-expenses-in-building-monitoring\/","title":{"rendered":"The cost of data: the hidden expenses in building monitoring"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Did you know an average email can produce about 5 to 10 grams of CO2 emissions? Strange to think of, isn\u2019t it? If you ask me, it gives us pause to question how much of our daily data is avoidable. It\u2019s also why we believe that achieving decarbonisation of buildings means collecting the right information<\/em>, rather than every single piece of data we can get our hands on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We all want to reach net-zero for our buildings, and the faster and more efficient, the better. But think about this: more data means higher costs – and collecting more data isn\u2019t necessarily the most efficient route either. And yet, many decide to run with whoever offers the most complicated and technologically advanced solution to reach their net-zero targets. But what\u2019s the cost?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Imagine the scenario where data from one collection point, a thermostat for example, is continuously stored every fifteen minutes. This one data source quickly multiplies into 35,000 data points a year. Now consider that some state-of-the-art buildings<\/a> have approximately 9,000 smart connected assets (each containing multiple data points), and you can start to grasp the sheer volume of data being amassed by \u201csmart\u201d buildings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The hidden expense in all of this isn\u2019t the cost of the collection; it\u2019s the carbon footprint associated with it. Did you know that collecting, transmitting, and storing data generates emissions? Gathering and storing large quantities of data consumes a significant amount of energy and has quite an impact on a company’s environmental footprint. According to recent research<\/a>, data centres in the European Union could account for a significant 3.21% of total electricity usage by 2030. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And not to be a downer, but it isn\u2019t just the carbon footprint of data collection we\u2019re looking at. While most discussions about data costs focus on storage and processing expenses, another significant cost tends to fly under the radar \u2013 validation. Obviously, the reliability of our data is crucial. Unreliable data is useless and can lead us astray in our pursuit of high performance and sustainable solutions. Guess what? Validating data requires manual involvement and meticulous attention to detail. It demands time, resources, and, therefore, cost. <\/p>\n\n\n\n See where we\u2019re going with this? Systems and strategies that can provide important, valuable insights while needing just a few data points, can bring wide-ranging benefits to our sustainability journey, improve the financial viability of our portfolio, and bridge the gap between the leaders of change and those managing our buildings.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow a thermostat adds to our carbon footprint<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Hidden expense of data collection<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A few data points with wide-ranging insights<\/h2>\n\n\n\n