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Management systems . Similarly , replacing existing equipment and obtaining spare parts for essential systems becomes a challenge without a clear understanding of who the manufacturer or supplier of choice is . Each of these challenges causes issues for effective asset management , and each can be minimised - if not avoided altogether - with uniform specifications across a portfolio .
A uniform specification for core building systems and services , such as HVAC or a building energy management system ( BEMS ), can help everybody know what is in a building and what to expect . Developers will know what kind of BEMS and control system is installed within a building , and maintenance contractors can quickly see whether to maintain , repair or source spares and replacements with a detailed idea of what to expect .
Long-term value
In addition to helping alleviate the headache of asset management and short-term issues such as maintenance , standardising systems across a portfolio with uniform specifications also helps developers to better future-proof their premises . It helps developers to stay ahead of environmental legislation and standards that govern the carbon emissions and overall sustainability of a building .
In 2022 , for example , Part L of the Building Regulations was updated to increase the sustainability criteria of non-domestic new builds . Under the latest version of the regulations , carbon emissions from these buildings must be 27 per cent lower than those built to current standards .
Part L , alongside building energy efficiency standards such as NABERS and BREEAM , encourages building owners to have effective ways of monitoring and managing energy usage . A BEMS fits this role and serves as a long-term investment that can help perform against future legislative changes , and so standardising BEMS across a portfolio can help to stay prepared for any future changes to Building Regulations for new builds .
On a product-by-product level , standardisation can also help developers get the best possible support for their premises and the systems controlling them . A prime example is a BEMS controller . Specifications can give developers the option of working closer with the manufacturers themselves , allowing them to directly benefit from multiyear warranties and technical support that would otherwise be routed through the contractor .
Building a large and diverse portfolio is an ambitious goal for developers , complete with plenty of challenges along the way . Establishing a uniform specification for buildings can be a valuable aid towards that goal - one that pays dividends as developers get closer to realising their goal . ■
For a list of the sources used in this article , please contact the editor .
Kate Rotheram buildings . honeywell . com
Kate Rotheram is an Intelligent Buildings Solution Consultant at Trend . With a worldwide distribution and support network covering over 50 countries , Trend Control Systems is a major international supplier of building energy management solutions ( BEMS ). Most Trend ’ s control systems are supplied , engineered and commissioned by approved systems integrators . Trend Control Systems is part of Honeywell Building Technologies .
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