Are you Future Proofed for IoT? How SIERA can help (part 3 of 3)

I highlighted in parts 1 & 2 of the series that the Internet of Things (IoT) will have a dramatic effect in shaping the commercial real estate industry but that it also presents significant opportunities to add value. With an emphasis on Big Data, data acquisition, accessibility, visualisation and more efficient reporting tools, the need for a solution has never been greater.

EVORA has created a solution which is fit-for-purpose now, but is also able to be continuously enhanced to meet industry requirements as these evolve. Our platform SIERA (Sustainability Intelligence Environmental Reporting & Analysis) is specifically designed to harness the IoT landscape to navigate and make sense of the data being collected, as I will elaborate below.

Are you future-proofed for IoT?

Our SIERA platform really channels the true potential of the IoT network. SIERA is a solution which draws together data, processes and people. For example:

Disparate data sources can be brought together to build powerful reporting analytics; data feeds have been established directly with SIERA enabling mass data acquisition of performance data, property information and data for normalisation.
Data can be accessed anytime and anywhere in the world, 24/7. The cloud-based application is available at your fingertips ensuring accessibility, availability and security.
Personal logins can be created for different types of users across your organisation.
It is built by Commercial Real Estate specialists for the industry, meaning that we share a common language with you to really understand your needs.
Powerful data visualisation capabilities, and data validation functionalities ensure data tracking, performance reporting, data completeness and robustness.
Our in-house consultancy service is part of the SIERA solution providing you with specialist Commercial Real Estate sustainability support. SIERA can help you harness the value of data to inform your strategy.

Common Issues Addressed by SIERA

I also wanted to summarise some of the most common issues of the industry to explain how, through SIERA, EVORA is providing a solution. If any of the challenges below sound familiar then SIERA could be the solution for you.

Common Issue 1: “My data is held physically on a hard drive. I can only access it when I am on a specific computer. It has been difficult connect all my information together as they are held in different locations.”

SIERA Solution: The IoT is demanding massive improvements in data management, connectivity and accessibility. To truly prepare for the data-driven landscape and extract the value that Big Data provides, we have focused on connecting these different elements together in one simple platform. If you need a better system for data storage and management, SIERA is a cloud-based application enabling data access anytime and anywhere 24/7 via the web. With data capture from various sources, all your environmental data will be held in one, simple and secure portal.

Common Issue 2: “How can I link all my disparate data sources into one place? Can this be achieved automatically?”

SIERA Solution: With the ever-increasing quantity of data available as part of the information age, it is crucial to link different datasets together to identity trends and conduct analyses to extract value. This is the essence of what Big Data is all about. For SIERA, we have really focused on connectivity and data acquisition. Where it is cost-effective and depending on the infrastructure in place, a direct data feed can be established with SIERA. This information is supported under the secure file transfer protocol (FTP) and an application programming interface (API) when can pull data into one place. We also have our consultancy service to support you on devising an appropriate strategy for you, which is informed by your data and reporting requirements.

Common Issue 3: “I already have an existing system, but it’s not working too well. It’s been a challenge to manage data across my portfolios. I want to engage the Facility Managers, Managing Agents and other nominated responsibilities to input and review performance data for specific buildings.”

SIERA Solution: We have really thought about usability when it comes to data input to streamline the process and improve engagements on all levels. In addition to automated consumption data feeds, data can be input by users through a simple tool. Data access and input, views are tailored according to the user depending on the locations they are responsible for as well permissions to appropriately manage security. Along with automated data validation functionalities and bulk data loading capabilities through CSV or Excel, data will be managed in the most effective way. Our audit trail is built into the application which will help you track data changes instantly. Our sophisticated data validation features ensure accuracy and completeness of data. Data variance checks are conducted to identify values above or below a threshold. Any data gaps and overlaps are also flagged. We also have on-going support to provide training where required.

Common Issue 4: “I want to normalise my portfolio performance by drawing in heating degree day (HDD) information to track against targets but I’ve been struggling to manage the information from lots of different sources and prevent errors creeping in. I want to centralise and standardise my data sources for reporting to GRESB and INREV.”

SIERA Solution: The API bringing in HDD and calculating intensity enables performance to be automatically HDD adjusted and normalised to be consistent with the way some of our clients report performance, whether this internally or externally such as for GRESB. Our cloud-based application has powerful automated reporting capabilities for GRESB and INREV. SIERA can model the data for reporting requirements, reducing on time and costs. As part of our integrated solution, we also have our consultancy service where our sustainability experts can support you on your reporting.

Common Issue 5: “I am concerned about the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) and risks across my portfolio.”

SIERA Solution: The visualisation capabilities of SIERA enable a quick and easy assessment of data from property management systems such as lease expiries, which can be intelligently analysed and modelled against EPC data to profile MEES risks.

SIERA – Our Solution

We are working hard at the leading-edge to understand our industry needs. We have adopted an agile development and management methodology which has enabled us to situate ourselves within a data-driven landscape. Get in touch to book a demo of SIERA today, which is our IoT platform designed for the information age. We are keen to have personal conversation with you to assess your current infrastructure and where SIERA could help you tap into new opportunities.