Introducing IQVISION and modernising systems at Southmead Hospital

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Part of the North Bristol NHS Trust, Southmead Hospital is a sprawling 60-acre site with over 800 beds. It’s made up of new buildings and an original retained estate. With a duty of care to patients and staff, Southmead is always looking for ways to make its indoor spaces more comfortable and energy efficient.

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Modernising systems in three steps:

• Upgrading the BEMS. To maximise the energy efficiency of its retained estate, Southmead recognised the need to modernise its building energy management system (BEMS). It previously ran a Trend 963 system (which is now obsolete) and wanted to migrate to Trend’s latest headend package – IQVISION.
• Upgrading the network. As part of its push to modernise systems, the hospital rolled out a new IT network. However, some controllers can’t keep up with the new network because they can’t communicate quickly enough. To get the system running smoothly, Southmead needed to identify and upgrade all lagging controllers.
• Introducing PROActiv Analytics. To further boost its efficiency and overall approach to maintenance, the hospital is considering Kendra’s PROActiv Analytics platform for in-depth energy performance insights.

How Kendra helped

In August 2023, Southmead brought in Kendra to help migrate to – and enhance – its IQVISION system and identify and upgrade underperforming controllers.

Kendra’s main goals:

• Improve the energy efficiency of Southmead’s retained estate buildings.
• Boost cybersecurity.
• Increase the network speed of controllers.

What’s been done so far; IQVISION and beyond

Over six months, Kendra:

• Corrected onsite errors,
• Migrated to IQVISION
• Trained staff on how to use the new system.

Kendra’s now in the process of identifying and upgrading controllers, with the bulk of the work already completed. Meanwhile, Kendra took on the retained estate’s routine maintenance, with plans to move to a targeted maintenance approach.

Upgrading controllers/increasing communication speed

Kendra not only helped identify and upgrade old and new controllers, creating greater stability on the network, but it upgraded control strategies, too.

Introducing modern methodologies to make the controllers more efficient. The methodologies are based around demand control philosophies using EN ISO 52120 – a British European standard that looks at energy efficiency.

Working closely with Southmead’s retained estates team, our engineers developed the most efficient strategies tailored to the site’s needs. Upgraded controllers now run at faster speeds and sit comfortably on the new IT network, leading to marked efficiency improvements.

Seamless IQVISION transition

Working closely with the IT department, Kendra ran the 963 in parallel to IQVISION while transitioning to the new system. That way, it didn’t compromise system visibility, which could be problematic in a high-risk building like a hospital.

To improve visibility even further, Kendra introduced a new graphical interface and displays for Southmead’s offices. The bespoke headend software provided graphic continuity and a clear view of energy management activities. It also meant the hospital could demand a higher standard for all future jobs.

Even before 963 was decommissioned and IQVISION was officially handed over, the estates department were using it. This willingness to adopt the technology, following an initial period of reluctance, was promising and a real testament to Kendra’s training.

Smarter maintenance

To give Southmead a greater understanding of its onsite assets, Kendra created asset lists, identified the kit and pinpointed high-risk areas through site surveys. During this process, a few small issues were picked up and rectified, like building names and plant orientation.

Meanwhile, Kendra created a ‘job list’ in the IQVISION. Something Southmead staff find particularly useful. Now, they can save time and resources by logging jobs for investigation while on the go. Plus, having Kendra onsite once a week to pick up jobs and queries gives the hospital greater peace of mind, while ensuring the site runs smoothly.