By Marco Mendes, COO of the Logivest Group
Logistics properties are becoming increasingly innovative - and efficient. A lot has happened in recent years, particularly in terms of sustainability. Instead of stationary heating or air conditioning systems, heat pumps are increasingly able to regulate the temperature in individual halls. It is now possible to utilise waste heat from production to heat water and employees receive training on how to keep energy in the building in the long term.
But wouldn't it make sense to make this important user information, including consumption data, maintenance times and handling recommendations, available on a long-term basis and independent of individuals? A lot of knowledge is often lost when tenants change. This means that progress, of all things, makes it more difficult for third parties to utilise the data. Yet it is precisely historicised data that can offer real added value and, for example, optimise processes and functions and prevent breakdowns when used with predictive maintenance. Gaining knowledge instead of losing it, so to speak. Of course, this doesn't just apply to energy efficiency measures, but to modern technical equipment in general.
The building resource passport in combination with BIM, Building Information Modelling, already provides precise information on the materials used and digital views of the property. However, there is still a lot of room for improvement when it comes to operating the property. Although precise data is collected when measuring consumption data, for example, in order to make inefficiencies visible and optimise energy consumption, this also requires in-depth knowledge of measurement technology and master computers and, ideally, the ability to use the historicised data to improve processes in order to create added value.
In short, what we need is a handbook for every logistics property that works in digitalised form, similar to the service booklet for a car. By displaying and explaining all functions, documenting maintenance cycles for individual components and recording and historicising data, we also make the property accessible to subsequent users. A digital twin during operation, so to speak.
With our mygeoLOG platform, we have already created a customised interface on which our customers can manage their portfolio and compare existing and potential locations at the touch of a button. For some locations, we have now been able to integrate exact 3D images of the respective halls, so-called digital twins, which are equipped with live data acquisition. Energy consumption, for example, is visible at the click of a button.
By recording, analysing and archiving the data, processes could also be made more efficient in the long term. Peak loads can also be recognised and avoided in the future. The virtual model could also be used to store information on maintenance work on gates, checking the fire protection system, handling the lighting control system, etc., for example.
Letzten Endes müssen wir die Digitalisierung nutzen, um einen reibungslosen Wissenstransfer über den gesamten Lebenszyklus einer Immobilie hinweg zu gewährleisten und mehr noch, das Wissen über die Immobilie, über die Verbräuche, Prozesse und Funktionen kontinuierlich auszubauen. So verhindern wir zum einem, dass kostenintensive Maßnahmen nur aufgrund fehlender Nutzerkenntnisse ineffizient werden, zum anderen können wir durch das Wissen den Betrieb der Immobilie immer wieder optimieren.
