Leveraging PEAK Rules and Meters to reduce water consumption at retail centre

Background

A prominent shopping centre in Queensland faced challenges with its water management. The asset recently came under the scrutiny of its owners due to an alarming spike in water consumption.

Issue

The centre's water usage had significantly increased, leading to a decline in its NABERS Water rating to 4 stars. Three primary issues were identified:

1. Multiple undetected leaks
2. Negligent water use within tenancies
3. Inability to effectively validate meter readings over the vast water sub-metering network

Solution

A comprehensive strategy, facilitated by CIM's PEAK Platform, was implemented to address these challenges:

1. Rule deployment: Rules were established and tuned to monitor overnight water consumption across 135 water meters.
2. Identification of non-functional meters: Efforts were made to identify and reactivate meters that had flatlined.
3. Proactive use of meter data: The on-site facilities and asset management team began using PEAK's dedicated Meters feature for the purpose of visualising water meter data, allowing for preemptive identification of issues.
4. Improved workflow: The entire operations team responsible for water management was brought onto the PEAK Platform. This has enabled a more collaborative and productive workflow for addressing water management issues within one unified platform.

Impact

The implementation of these solutions has driven significant value.

1. Reduction in water consumption: The centre saw a 36% reduction in water usage within the first month of actioning alerts, saving an estimated $12,000 in the first month alone.
2. Increased action on water-related issues: 33 actions relating to tenancy leaks and overnight water consumption have been closed out to date.‍
3. Reactivation of meters: Many disconnected meters have been brought back online. While this caused an initial spike in recorded usage as more leaks were identified, a more accurate picture of water consumption is now available.‍

This transformation not only led to significant cost savings but also marked a step towards more sustainable and responsible water usage, enhancing the centre's reputation for operational excellence and environmental stewardship.