A decade ago, who could have imagined the need or the desire for sophisticated, smart and connected components within commercial domestic water or hydronic systems? Or the value of accurate leak detection within facilities?

Well, here’s the secret if you haven’t gotten wind of it yet: The plumbing industry is experiencing a transformative shift through intelligent water management. 

This innovative approach has come to fruition by harnessing the power of smart technology to provide unprecedented control and efficiency in water systems — borne chiefly of challenges stemming from workforce and skilled labor woes, Internet of Things/cloud data storage capabilities, aging buildings, evolution of codes and the rising costs of energy and resources. 

Other factors include the global challenges of climate change, water scarcity and urbanization — all calling for a robust response from the plumbing industry. 

New, smart and connected devices have recently evolved into a sophisticated suite of solutions that adeptly address the challenges of resource management, waste reduction and safety, among others. 

Similar in concept to building management systems (BMS), this technology supports an area BMS systems have historically overlooked: water systems. 

As plumbing engineers, understanding and implementing these new, intelligent systems can lead to significant improvements in design, operation and sustainability.

Paradigm shift

Traditional plumbing systems often lack the flexibility and responsiveness required to adapt to rapidly changing conditions or demands. 

Inefficiencies and lack of control within plumbing systems invariably lead to water waste, the risks of damaging leaks, higher maintenance of water systems and increased costs overall. Intelligent water management — now offering a very real paradigm shift — addresses these issues head-on while offering a proactive, data-driven approach to improvements affecting many facets of commercial plumbing systems. 

“There are many inherent risks hiding in water systems,” says David Benaiges, vice president of Watts Digital (Watts’ digital development arm). “These include pinhole leaks, Legionella growth and inefficiencies that lead to energy or water waste. By their nature, these put engineering or maintenance staff in the position of reacting. Yet, by adding sensors to a building’s water system, real-time data can be gathered.”

According to Benaiges, intelligent water management is a holistic approach that involves monitoring, controlling and optimizing water use in commercial building “ecosystems.” It encompasses the application of various technologies, including sensors, data analytics and automation systems to ensure efficient use of water resources.

The Siemens and Schneiders of the world have long been driving the building automation market, though when it comes to intelligent water management, Watts is leading the charge with a new technology platform known as Nexa. With it, Watts aims to transform data into actionable insight for engineers and facility managers. 

Nexa is a water management solution for buildings offering real-time monitoring, alerts and insights to prevent water-related incidents and reduce water and energy consumption. The system provides the ability to uncover hidden water system insights and risks, allowing building managers to enhance building performance and occupant experience.

“It’s a thrill to be involved in developing new, emerging applications — in essence, entirely new uses of smart technology — in a field suffering from an intelligence ‘famine,’” explains Brandon Matthies, head of product, Watts Digital. “At ground level now, and with an entire universe of possibility before us, we’re looking at a wide range of previously unexplored uses within the field of commercial plumbing and water systems.” 

He adds: “We’ve moved from pencil-sketch ideation to simplified system schematics and advanced diagnostics in the past several months. We’ve even shifted from using individual components to onboard, embedded technologies now playing key roles in equipment such as digital mixing systems or boilers — adding substantially to the value of intel available through BMS.” 

According to Benaiges, Nexa consists of:

• Hardware. Sensors are embedded in new technology or attach noninvasively to existing equipment. 

• Software. Intuitive dashboards, schematics and web or mobile apps allow teams on the ground to gain immediate insight while visualizing, tracking and exporting data.

• Support. A team of experts with deep experience and expertise is available to assist engineers and facility teams.

The goal of Nexa’s powerful intelligent water management is to help managers with key facets of their responsibility: 

• Risk reduction. To identify and address issues before they cause problems. 

• Force multiplier. Task efficiency is increased and optimized. Resources are intentionally allocated according to priority (think reactive vs. proactive).

• Water savings. Water use is continuously tracked; deviations are automatically identified. Instead of reacting to last month’s water bills, property managers can now get ahead of potential issues.

“We’ve found that helping facility managers get a handle on their water usage and driving their sustainability targets is an opportunity to create value for our customers,” Matthies says. “We provide this value as managers begin to unlock hidden insight in their plumbing and hydronics systems. They identify waste and can take steps to eliminate it through monitoring of water consumption or temperature in the different loops and points in the system.”

When users add sensors to existing components, or purchase Watts equipment with Nexa functionality already embedded inside, they unlock insights that allow them to modernize how they manage water — intelligently. 

“This technology represents a paradigm shift that’s now transforming the plumbing industry,” Benaiges notes. As these technologies are leveraged, plumbing engineers and facility managers are not only capable of meeting current challenges but are also paving the way for a sustainable and efficient future. 

Plug-and-play

When used in conjunction with Nexa-compatible equipment, such as water heaters, digital mixing valves or shut-off valves, facility managers can get even more insights into their water systems and remotely manage specific equipment operations. Benaiges, referring to the plug-and-play modularity and compatibility of components, explains that one of the early goals at Watts was to seek the broadest possible use, enabling vast system retrofit possibilities. 

“Managers wanted the new technologies to be system-agnostic, allowing any water system to provide unprecedented levels of insight so property managers can extract more value from their water assets,” Benaiges explains. 

Nexa’s advanced sensing technology monitors water temperature at many points along distribution pathways, leaks, pressure and flow rates. Real-time data is then transmitted to dashboard management platforms, providing a clear picture of a facility’s water system performance. Sensors are easily installed on existing equipment — including boilers, water heaters and digital mixing valves — or integrated into new installations.

Equipment behavior isn’t easy to predict, making commercial water management anything but simple. However, with this new technology, managers receive unprecedented access to equipment and system performance data. In this way, engineers, facility managers, service contractors and reps are aware of developing challenges at the earliest sign of trouble, allowing them to be addressed swiftly. 

Intelligent water management — it’s a win-win for all involved, especially those responsible for facility operation.