by Brianna Crandall — June 12, 2017 — GridPoint recently released its new HVAC Scope tool, a software feature giving customers visibility into individual heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) unit performance within and across sites. This “revolutionary” diagnostic and performance test tool runs on demand, or automatically on a pre-set cadence, and identifies which units are underperforming and at what severity. It eliminates the ambiguity of traditional, costly calendar-based maintenance and enables users to schedule preventive maintenance and repairs conditionally when needed.
GridPoint’s HVAC Scope tool combines data to determine which HVAC unit component is failing, and requests specific preventive maintenance.
GridPoint is a smart buildings technology company that says it makes site optimization simple. The platform provides visibility into facility operations to help customers automate and control sites, lower energy spend, and proactively manage day-to-day operations. GridPoint’s solution is unique because it utilizes three dimensions of data to create the most accurate picture of energy usage within a building: granular data at the equipment level, real-time data, and historical data.
The company says its customers include four of the top 10 retailers by total sales, three of the top 10 casual dining restaurants, five of the top 20 quick serve restaurants, leading commercial and industrial enterprises, and major government and educational institutions. Powered by “the best” data, GridPoint is said to be validated in approximately 12,000 locations.
After a quick initial setup, the HVAC Scope tool can be scheduled to run at the most convenient time, such as overnight, to eliminate interference with business operations. Each HVAC unit will be tested one at a time and will run through various stages: fan off, fan on, stage 1 cooling, stage 2 cooling, stage 1 heating, and stage 2 heating. GridPoint then uses environmental data, energy data, and HVAC data collected at the site to pinpoint actual issues such as a fan that is not blowing air or compressor that is not cooling enough.
A report is subsequently generated that helps users identify these specific issues before calling in a technician, reducing the time — and money — it takes to get the issue resolved. Proper preventive maintenance can drastically increase the life span of an HVAC unit, in turn delaying costly replacements across enterprises, points out GridPoint.
GridPoint’s vice president of Product Management, Deepak Budhiraja, said:
This tool will deliver immense value to our customers. Preventative maintenance for HVAC is essential, but often little data and few tools are available to make informed decisions. This ground-breaking tool is a strong testament to how GridPoint is transforming traditional energy management.
For more information on GridPoint’s HVAC Scope tool visit the company’s Web site.
A Top Product of the Year Award
GridPoint also just announced that its solution received a Top Product of the Year Award in the Environmental Leader Product & Project Awards. GridPoint’s smart building platform is considered by judges as an exemplary product due to its data-driven approach and newly released pricing structure.
One judge commented:
GridPoint collects data at equipment level in order to effectively diagnose malfunctioning equipment. This value proposition takes reliability engineering and predictive maintenance to the next level while demonstrating early adoption by commercial and service organizations. Its virtually zero up-front cost combined with total ownership of equipment by the company makes them a very attractive model for many different customers.
Another judge added that it “provides an impressive turnkey solution that utilizes IoT technology, cash-flow positive pricing, and real-time data analytics to deliver real economic and environmental savings.”
To find out more about the HVAC Scope tool and the complete GridPoint solution, visit the company’s Web site.
