At learnd, we’re committed to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in building management systems (BMS) and our panel shops play a crucial role in that mission by ensuring the seamless integration of the BMS panels with the learnd ecosystem.
Led by National Panel Manager Jon Richardson, the panel shops produce custom BMS panels to fit our customers needs, reducing project delays and catering to specific buildings and use cases. By having in house panel production capacity we’re able to deliver better panels and better results for our projects.
Connecting each BMS to the learnd ecosystem
Bringing BMS out of the basement wouldn’t be possible without a RUT, or Remote Universal Terminal, which collects data from the control panel to feed into the learnd ecosystem. Getting the RUT placed and installed correctly is vital, something Jon was keen to explain.
Sometimes we find that if we put the RUT inside the control panel, the 5G signal will not activate. It will not pick it up. So, we provide that unit that then goes into the plant room. It fastens onto the wall and it pulls in the data from the control panels.
Having a more reliable connection for building data helps us to spot and resolve issues faster and identify trends that can help to reduce energy consumption or to better manage the life cycle of the systems that each BMS manages.
Raising the standard for our panels
We want to deliver the best for our customers so finding ways to improve efficiency while maintaining our high standards for quality has been a central part of Jon’s role as National Panel Manager.
One of the things that I’m most proud of is being able to bolster the efficiency of the production area and to do more of an advanced testing procedure as well. So that we know that when the panels go out to the client and the end user that they’re getting a trouble free control panel
This advanced testing also helps customers to feel confident that they have a panel that is built to last, rather than leaving them with something that they could end up needing to replace years ahead of schedule.
Bringing the panel shops together
With acquisitions leading to the existence of two separate learnd panel shops in Sheffield and Hemel Hempstead it was important to find a way to align both teams and processes.
Obviously everybody within the BMS industry does things in slightly different ways and they have different methods. So part of my process is to try and get that the mindset of what I do and what I produce down into the mindset of the guys down in Hemel Hempstead. So they are beginning to understand what I need from them to be able to produce identical products both up north and down south.”
Thanks to this greater alignment of methodologies the panel shops are able to work more cohesively and collaborate more effectively, and while Jon’s work in coordinating the teams in Sheffield and Hemel Hempstead is far from over he’s confident for the future.
It’s a process that’s going to take a little bit of time, but everybody’s on board, which is the main thing. People want to work together as a team and it’s going well.
