Managing Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration (HVAC-R) equipment is a complex task.
As a result, even for experienced professionals, ensuring the equipment’s optimal performance can be quite challenging.
Technology assists them in establishing and maintaining a high level of operational performance while reducing the likelihood of equipment failure.
In this article, we explore how combining Artificial Intelligence (AI) and human expertise addresses this challenge.
1. The advantage of artificial intelligence over human action
2. Managing equipment maintenance, AI’s strong point
3. Pairing AI with human expertise to surpass technology limitations
1. The advantage of Artificial Intelligence over human action
The considerable progress made by AI in recent years has made it capable of performing tasks previously carried out exclusively by professionals. This new reality applies to the management of HVAC-R systems.
The speed at which AI can analyze and process information far exceeds human capacity. It can thus generate an automated diagnosis, decide, and take action comprehensively and accurately based on massive data collection.
Moreover, it can be programmed to adapt to changes occurring both within a system and in its environment, signifying an ability to handle unforeseen situations.
Finally, it can simultaneously execute multiple, complex tasks that are overwhelmingly tedious for a human.
AI can therefore be employed for continuous monitoring of HVAC-R equipment performance. By using algorithms to analyse and optimize real-time data, AI can quickly detect anomalies and report or even correct them before they cause failures or operational disruptions.
This ability to detect problems before they occur allows for proactive maintenance planning.
2/ Managing equipment maintenance, AI’s strong point
HVAC-R equipment maintenance is both essential and complex; this is regularly observed among the professionals we encounter.
Maintenance ensures the sustainable operation of the equipment, which serves a larger purpose for the company that uses its building to produce and offer its product and/or service.
For the company, optimizing equipment availability means strengthening security and productivity.
While the costs are often apparent, proper equipment maintenance hence also contributes to the company’s competitiveness.
In particular, logistics warehouses and industrial buildings, characterized by an equally important and variable need for thermal conditioning, stand to gain significantly from implementing AI.
Thanks to its ability to anticipate performance declines, future maintenance needs, and optimally plan interventions, artificial intelligence significantly contributes to extending equipment life and reducing maintenance costs for these buildings. Thus, issues are detected and corrected before they cause substantial damage.
Streamlining the use of HVAC-R equipment also serves as the primary guarantee of their energy performance and can prevent certain accidents.
Using AI for HVAC-R equipment maintenance has numerous advantages, including the ability to automatically diagnose problems, predict failures, optimize resource usage, and ensure equipment energy performance.
3/ Pairing AI with human expertise to surpass technology limitations
Combining artificial intelligence with the professional expertise of HVAC-R equipment managers in logistics warehouses or industrial buildings ensures a significant improvement in economic competitiveness.
A warehouse’s life is not a smooth journey; its operation is marked by various events: machine failures, repair interventions, changes in use or equipment, and so on.
Artificial intelligence enhances the analytical and anticipatory capabilities of industry experts, facilitates and accelerates event diagnosis, and allows men and women to focus on high-value-added tasks.
While a qualified professional will always be needed to make crucial decisions and intervene on-site when necessary, it is appropriate to integrate Artificial Intelligence to improve system knowledge and multiply opportunities for success.
In this same logic of virtuous interaction, it is human expertise that will evolve artificial intelligence tools according to real needs, constraints, and challenges encountered in the field.
BeeBryte specializes in energy optimization using a solution that integrates AI modules, coupled with a team of HVAC-R industry experts.
Our team members possess technical skills and on-site knowledge, relying on the power of AI embedded in the BeeBryte solution to diagnose problems, manage unforeseen situations, and pave the way for true predictive maintenance.
In conclusion
Using AI to control heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and cooling equipment in logistics warehouses, retail spaces, and industrial buildings significantly improves (by 15% to 40%) energy efficiency and system reliability while reducing operating and maintenance costs.
However, to fully unlock the power of this tool, human expertise will continue to be necessary for the foreseeable future. Artificial intelligence enables more informed decision-making, increased agility, and better anticipation. This is a decisive opportunity for companies looking to enhance their competitiveness.
Intelligent control solutions, such as BeeBryte’s, managed by qualified professionals attentive to their clients’ needs, can improve energy efficiency, reduce operating and maintenance costs, and most importantly, extend equipment life.
In short : AI + human expertise = performance