6 Mar 2020

Thanks to breakthroughs in Internet-of-Things technology, facilities managers can monitor boiler equipment operation from virtually anywhere. Picture a typical boiler installation at a large facility like a hospital or university. Manually monitoring a system like that could involve many operators spread over several buildings, each responsible for checking system consoles and monitors. Tracking down a failure might take hours—and that’s after they find out there IS a failure. Troubleshooting these systems can be difficult, time consuming, and labor-intensive.

Preferred Cloud Platform

To help solve that problem, Preferred Utilities Manufacturing offers a state-of-the-art, secure technology called the Preferred Cloud Platform for remote equipment monitoring. This platform utilizes customized, pre-built analytics to instantly give customers the most actionable data for operating efficiency.

Boiler room operators and facility managers can receive equipment information anywhere they are

Cloud-based monitoring allows the operators of these systems to observe consoles remotely and receive alerts and updates via their mobile devices or computers. These systems are simple to install, they operate over a secure private network, and they gather and present the data in an easy to understand user interface.

The boiler room operators and facility managers can receive equipment information anywhere they are connected to the web, and automated alerts allow them to be the first to know, in real time, when a boiler or other equipment needs attention.

Communications Are Secure And Encrypted

Security is a concern for any system that is monitored via the cloud. The Preferred Cloud Platform ensures that all communications are secure and encrypted, with both sending and receiving parties validated before data is shared. The gateway is connected via an isolated, private network, and ongoing updates keep the platform secure and up to date.

Remote monitoring is especially valuable for critical facilities like hospitals and data centers. They must operate around-the-clock, but paying for 24-hour maintenance staff is a major expense. With remote monitoring, an on-call maintenance staff is sufficient. It also frees up employees to handle different tasks while remaining available to respond to malfunctions if they happen.

Remote Monitoring

A problem can sometimes be solved before anyone is even aware the interruption has occurredThe kind of “head start” offered by remote monitoring is particularly valuable in extremely cold or hot weather, when temperatures in buildings can change quickly. Before remote monitoring, the first time a maintenance team would hear about a problem was often from an angry tenant who was already too cold or too hot.

Finding out about a problem via the cloud allows for troubleshooting to begin immediately, which means a problem can sometimes be solved before anyone is even aware the interruption has occurred.

Maintenance Staffers

Cloud-based monitors work around the clock, seven days a week, 365 days a year,” said David Bohn, President and CEO of Preferred Utilities. “Critical maintenance staffers are free to enjoy their weekends and holidays, but in the event of an emergency, they can get an alert and still have enough time to address the situation.

“And our platform provides a high level of detail, so the person receiving the alert can make decisions about what action is necessary right on the spot.” The Preferred Cloud Platform is available for installation, and it can often be installed in a single day.