Recognising the growing role of data and analytics in our buildings, AIRAH has published the Big Data Guideline, a free resource to support building owners, facility managers, consultants and service providers embarking on their big data journey.

The Guideline provides an overview of what big data is in the built environment, how to protect data, and how to begin leveraging it to make buildings smarter and more sustainable. It is the culmination of more than 18 months’ work by AIRAH’s Big Data Special Technical Group (STG), who saw the need to upskill industry, particularly in relation to the proactive control and optimisation of HVAC&R systems.

“Big data is revolutionising the building and construction sector, especially in the area of building energy management,” says Roshan Gill, M.AIRAH, a key contributor to the guide and Chair of AIRAH’s Big Data Special Technical Group.

“We have seen an explosion in the use of interconnected devices and building management systems, offering us incredible opportunities to improve our buildings. But doing this relies on effective use of big data and analytics.”

Gill says that building management systems, analytics and software-as-a-service applications associated with big data in buildings have quickly evolved past the point of current standards.

“The STG felt that industry required guidance from a reliable and trusted body to educate and align the various methods of applications, taking into account the perspectives and subjectivity of technology from different vendors,” he says.

Associate Director of the Big Data STG Chris Stamatis, M.AIRAH, says the Guideline is aimed at people just starting or partway through their digital transformation.

“With the fast-paced changes in the smart building space, the STG wanted to develop a guide to help owner/operators and service providers,” says Stamatis. “The guideline is intended to educate the industry on the core basics needed for success when embarking on the big data journey.

“It explains what's required when procuring or deploying a big data project,” he says. “It also includes a checklist as a quick sanity check to make sure all core items are considered.”

Big Data Guideline webinar series