Transforming an HVAC technician's workflow with data-driven maintenance

December 13, 2022

Data Driven Maintenance (DDM) involves the use of an analytics engine to guide operations teams as to when and where maintenance and repairs are required. DDM differs from preventative maintenance which relies on costly in-person inspections. DDM enables facilities management teams and site technicians to align their objectives and use technology effectively. The PEAK Platform is an example of a property operations platform that leverages DDM.

So, how does it improve on-site workflow? Follow David, a building HVAC technician on his day-to-day application of DDM using PEAK.

Making time on-site count

“I wouldn’t get nearly as much done if it wasn't there. I normally have to go through and find all the issues myself, but the platform makes some really good pickups for me to prioritise.”

Since using the PEAK Platform, David has been able to prioritise his limited time on site to investigate actual issues already picked up by the platform.

Figure 1. An example preventative maintenance schedule versus a list of actions assigned to the technician via PEAK

Ease of use in the field

“It’s really easy to use…in comparison to other software. It’s not making so many nuisance calls. And I can use it on the mobile which is really handy”

PEAK's mobile functionality means David can readily access information on-the-go and take photos of the anomalies he identifies or is working on. This creates a complete digital history of the work he’s carrying out, helping to inform future decision-making when he’s next on-site.

Figure 2. PEAK Platform functionality across all devices

Communicating wins and blockers

“When an issue is identified, the photo and action assignment is a good way to quickly pass on the information to someone else.”

Issues on-site often require the input of multiple trades before they can be resolved. The traditional back-and-forth via emails, calls and text messages can hinder progress and blur the lines of accountability. With everything captured in PEAK, the whole team has full visibility over where things are at and who is currently doing the work. When David found an issue related to the fire trade that was impacting the operation of the mechanical services, he quickly created an action and assigned it for prompt resolution.

Figure 3. An example alert raised and acted on by David via PEAK, showing a full digital history including root cause, photo, chart, comments and status.

Reducing time spent on reporting

“Writing service reports - it’s an hour of my day where I have to prove I’ve done something, otherwise I’m just the guy that sits in the computer up in the plant room. No one knows what I’m doing so I have to write a report.”

Reporting is a large part of David’s role, but it’s not always the most pleasant. The transparency and ease of providing updates via PEAK means David does not need to spend additional time writing reports. Everything is captured in the one place, to which clients can have full access. The time he gets back in his day can be spent fixing more issues and delivering even more value for the client; a win-win for everyone involved.

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CIM's PEAK Platform is a best-in-class building analytics SaaS technology, improving efficiency, sustainability, and tenant comfort across property portfolios. Discover more by watching a demo.

Alex Shan
December 13, 2022
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