Cómo Afrontar las Pesadillas Relacionadas con Sus Instalaciones

Do potential threats to your facility - such as natural disasters, equipment failure and cybersecurity breaches - keep you awake at night? The best way to deal with such nightmare scenarios is to confront them head-on. By taking preventive steps now, you can improve the reliability, safety and security of your facility - and get a better night's sleep.

Natural disasters

Extreme weather and other natural disasters can cause operational interruptions, loss of critical data and facility damage. Develop an emergency response plan to help minimize losses and get back to business as quickly as possible.

Start with a risk assessment to identify potential threats and evaluate their impact on your business. Establish procedures to ensure the safety of your staff and the protection of your building. Also, include a business continuity plan. Regularly review and update your plan as needed. Vea Ready.gov for resources on how to develop and implement an emergency response plan.

Critical equipment failure

Critical equipment failure can result in significant financial losses from downtime, replacement costs and reduced productivity. The best way to avoid being taken by surprise and suffering the consequences is to establish a sound preventive maintenance program.

Preventive maintenance is a proactive approach to optimizing equipment and systems by performing regular inspections, servicing and repairs. Start with a detailed inventory of all facility equipment and a timeline outlining regular inspection and testing intervals. Document all maintenance and repair activities and implement a system for analyzing trends and potential issues. Ensure continuous improvement through regular reviews to optimize the program based on performance data.

Cybersecurity attacks

Lighting, HVAC systems and other equipment are increasingly becoming connected through the building Internet of Things (IoT). Although such connected systems provide a number of potential benefits, they also bring the threat of cyberattacks. Such cyberattacks can lead to financial losses from system downtime, data breaches and costly repairs to compromised devices.

To protect building IoT systems from cyberattacks, secure the network by segmenting IoT devices, using firewalls and encrypting data transmissions. Regularly update device firmware, enforce strong passwords and implement multi-factor authentication to prevent unauthorized access. Additionally, monitor for unusual activity, conduct regular security audits and train staff on cybersecurity best practices. Artificial intelligence (AI) is also being used in some situations as a way of minimizing IoT threats.

Hidden energy losses

While maybe not as alarming as these other scenarios, unnecessary energy losses can still haunt your operating budget. Here are a few often overlooked sources of energy waste.

• Poorly tuned controls. Building controls are designed to save energy. If they're out of tune, however, they can actually waste energy. Adjust building controls regularly to account for operational and seasonal variations and ensure that sensors and controls are properly calibrated.
• Fugas de aire. Conditioned air leaking out of your building causes your HVAC system to work harder than necessary to maintain comfort. Inspect windows and exterior doors for gaps and seal them with caulk or weatherstripping.
• Phantom loads. Many electronic devices, such as office equipment and vending machines, use energy 24/7, even when no one's around. Enable power management settings on computers and office equipment. Plug vending machines and other devices into advanced power strips, which cut power to devices when they're not in use.

Consider hiring a qualified professional to perform an energy audit of your facility. After the inspection, you'll receive a customized set of cost-saving recommendations to improve your facility's energy efficiency.

With these measures, you can rest easy knowing that you've improved the reliability of your operations and made your facility safer, more secure and energy-efficient.

Muchos contratistas y proveedores de servicios colaboran con nosotros para ofrecerle de manera directa productos e información especializada sobre eficiencia energética. Encuentre un Aliado Comercial para que lo ayude a actualizar su equipo.

Volver al boletín informativo