Bedrock Real Estate Integrates Smart Technology Across Detroit Portfolio
Downtown Detroit’s revitalization is taking a step into the future and companies like Hepta Control Systems and Bedrock Real Estate Services are at the forefront of the transformation of these historic and iconic buildings.
Downtown Detroit’s revitalization is taking a step into the future and companies like Hepta Control Systems and Bedrock Real Estate Services are at the forefront of the transformation of these historic and iconic buildings.
After forming in 2011 and rapidly expanding its development and management portfolio, Bedrock embarked on a multiple-year project of integrating all of the buildings in its portfolio “onto a platform that supports and sustains a smart building strategy,” that aimed to incorporate new technology and a centralized point-of-control for the multitude of automation systems that were already in place at properties in the portfolio, according to a report penned by Hepta Control Systems Managing Director Mike Thompson.
The idea behind the integration was to create a single hub for all of Bedrock’s facilities and building systems. After Bedrock chose to partner with Hepta Control Systems for the integration project, the duo worked to create the infrastructure needed while creating a set of facility standards for each building system such as HVAC, fire, lighting controls, demand metering and elevators, among others.
The project, which totaled 11 buildings spreading across 3.2 million square feet in Motor City’s Downtown Woodward corridor, was completed in 18 months. Hepta, using Tridium software, was successful in connecting each building’s systems controller to a single supervisor controller that can be operated from a single sign-on location.
More than 25 different HVAC systems, 10 different lighting systems and an assortment of other relevant systems such as generators, solar panels, utility monitoring, switch gear, fire systems, elevator systems, window shade control and video surveillance systems were integrated.
Some of the highlights from the system include an assortment of user-friendly interfaces such as the main page that allows an approved administrator to log in and access information for each of the integrated properties. Other features include the ability to navigate to a specific zone in order to view the status of that unit, as well as the ability to process service requests, troubleshoot and diagnose problems. Users are able to view side-by-side comparisons of various units, view live power metering create appropriate lighting situations and monitor and adjust temperature as needed without the need for additional maintenance staff.
Other components of the system allow for monitoring of fire systems and elevator systems and the window shade control tracks the suns location and combines that information with current weather conditions to determine the suitable position for shades.
According to the report, the new system has resulted in energy cost savings of up to 30 percent. Both Bedrock and Hepta will continue to work on the system to improve energy efficiency and to expand the use of the system into other buildings in the portfolio.