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Leveraging IoT for Predictive Maintenance in Healthcare: A Case Study of Bluewater Health
Technology Category
- Analytics & Modeling - Predictive Analytics
- Functional Applications - Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS)
Applicable Industries
- Buildings
- Healthcare & Hospitals
Applicable Functions
- Facility Management
- Maintenance
Use Cases
- Building Automation & Control
- Predictive Maintenance
Services
- System Integration
The Challenge
Bluewater Health, a Canadian healthcare facility with hospitals in Petrolia and Sarnia, Ontario, faced several challenges related to facility management and maintenance. The organization, which includes a 10-year-old redevelopment and addition to a 60-year-old building and a 110-year-old building in the midst of redevelopment, had to ensure the optimal performance of its operating rooms’ heating and cooling systems, mechanical equipment, and utilities. The facility also had to be prepared for power outages and ensure the readiness of emergency generators. Furthermore, the hospital had to manage its limited resources effectively to prioritize patient care. The challenge was compounded by the fact that Bluewater Health spanned two locations with varying infrastructure, making data consolidation a significant issue. The hospital also aimed to be more proactive in repairs and efficiencies, moving from preventative maintenance to predictive maintenance.
The Customer
Bluewater Health
About The Customer
Bluewater Health is a Canadian healthcare facility with hospitals in Petrolia and Sarnia, Ontario. The organization features a 10-year-old redevelopment and addition to a 60-year-old building and a 110-year-old building in the midst of redevelopment. The 317,000 sq. ft. addition to the facility in Sarnia includes a significantly larger emergency department, a surgical center with eight operating rooms and four procedure rooms, and a consolidated maternal/infant/child program. The new construction also incorporates many innovative and sustainable design features, making Bluewater Health one of Canada’s first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified hospitals. The hospital serves a population of 130,000 residents and had over 80,000 ambulatory care visits and 73,000 visits to emergency departments in 2019-2020.
The Solution
To address these challenges, Bluewater Health leveraged Honeywell Forge Energy Optimization, a cloud-based AI solution that autonomously manages HVAC energy use based on numerous demand factors. The solution captures real-time building data across an entire building portfolio and calculates the optimal set-point strategy for each building, then automatically adjusts the set-points without human intervention. The Honeywell Forge solution was implemented in collaboration with the Bluewater Health team and Honeywell technicians. The team reviewed their systems, identified critical start areas, and put rules into effect for optimal analysis. The system began to pull from over 1000 sources of information and provided instant feedback on any readings outside the acceptable range. The solution also identified common triggers for problems, enabling the team to resolve smaller issues before they escalated. The system also allowed for more efficient use of resources, such as changing air filters only when necessary, leading to potential cost savings.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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