Information Technology for Energy and Maintenance Management in Buildings

Commercial buildings are often times generators of wasted resources, in the form of energy and labor. For the past year I have been involved in the research of resource reduction through the use of information systems in commercial buildings. We have determined that resources can be better managed through the deployment of an integrative information system that compiles and process information gathered through a building's computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS), control systems, and occupants at different levels.

First, by including building occupants in an information system through an interface, they can be utilized as sensors providing actual building information and report maintenance problems. Second, by processing this information through information retrieval methods, corrective maintenance actions can be recommended to the maintenance personnel. And third, by integrating all of the available control system and CMMS information, the building maintenance process can be automated.