We are delighted to announce that SIP Billing2 has been shortlisted as a Finalist in the Technical Innovation of the Year – Products category, at the prestigious 2019 BCIA Awards!

We cannot wait for the awards evening on the 9th May in Birmingham and look forward to meeting the other finalists in all categories.

Our built environment can now be more connected than ever before thanks to the Internet of Things, and Synapsys has been quick to recognise its importance when developing our new products.

Such is the rapid advancement in technology over the last couple of decades, if the BBC was still broadcasting Tomorrow’s World today then a half hour weekly slot would barely scratch the surface of what could be available to us in the very near future. One of the biggest and most exciting developments of recent times is the Internet of Things (IoT).

The IoT, commonly defined as the network of physical devices, vehicles, home appliances and other items embedded with electronics, software, sensors, actuators, and connectivity which enables these objects to connect and exchange data, has been talked about in scientific circles for decades. However, it is only now that we are really starting to develop the devices that can be used in an IoT-based future.

The IoT does still have its sceptics, and no doubt there are still some extreme theories around trying to convince us the world will eventually be run by robots, but the IoT is here and its role is only going to get bigger. Experts suggest that the IoT will consist of about 30 billion objects by 2020 and, in time, we will be able to collect data from each one of these objects and use it to change the way our buildings operate.

We have of course discussed in detail the value of data in previous blogs, and although the term ‘Big Data’ has been around for some time there is still some confusion about what it is and how we can use if effectively when it comes to building management. Big Data on its own is essentially a big list of numbers which have been collected over time. But by analysing and interpreting these numbers we can transform it into ‘Smart Data’, which for the purposes of reducing energy usage allows the building owner or manager to address business challenges.

In recent years there has been an exponential explosion in the information which forms the foundation of Smart Data and we can now use this information in ways we never thought possible. The IoT networks physical devices, such as buildings, to other devices, thus enabling them to collect and exchange data. By taking this raw Big Data and turning it into Smart Data we can create opportunities for direct integration between physical objects and computer-based systems which will, in the case of commercial buildings, lead to improved efficiency.

The SIP+ platform from Synapsys Solutions has been designed to unlock the massive potential your building holds by accessing and integrating your building’s data to enable building optimisation, energy reduction and connection to the IoT, turning your building into a smart building. The SIP+ platform provides full visibility in accessing the data within your building’s plant and systems; for example, you can view an energy dashboard, transfer data to an analytics provider or connect numerous field drivers.

Perhaps it’s time you discovered how the Internet of Things can turn your building into a smart building. email us for more information.

We are pleased to announce that MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport) is now available within our SIP+ product range.

Our new MQTT driver for SIP+ firmly places our hardware ahead of the curve as the Internet of Things (IoT) becomes a reality. This small, low bandwidth protocol supports messages from thousands of devices which publish information to a central broker. This makes it highly suitable for remotely monitored applications where bandwidth and battery power are at a premium.

In practice a Facilities Management company, for example, could access sensors for temperature, humidity, occupancy, air quality, fan speed, etc. and aggregate the data received from hundreds of sensors and buildings. It could then apply machine learning techniques to the database of information collected to drive efficiency, predict plant failures before they happen and improve the long term cost and efficiency of buildings and future technology.

The potential benefits are huge and SIP+ is an enabler at the forefront of the IoT revolution.

Sean Samuel, Product Support Manager for Synapsys Solutions, said: “The technological landscape in our built environment is ever-evolving and we are continuously looking for ways to advance our products and make them as adaptable as possible to future developments”. “Many organisations now offer third party, cloud based brokers allowing for the simple transfer of data from remote devices using the internet. This makes it possible to collect, store, visualise and analyse data from various IoT platforms. MQTT has emerged as a key player in IoT capability in recent years and it was therefore a natural addition to our SIP+ devices.”

To learn more about our new MQTT capabilities please email us or call 01444 246 128