FSG Smart Buildings

In today’s digital world, automation has had a considerable impact in almost every walk of life. Facility/ building management is no exception. A few decades ago, it was deemed that automatically controlling the conditions or functions in an entire building was impossible. However, the technological advancements and the power of the Internet of Things (IoT) have changed the status-quo of building management and led to the rise of smart buildings. To transform to intelligent buildings, organizations need to have an in-depth knowledge of the trending tools and the ability to execute smart design decisions. Implementing advanced technologies and making the right decisions without expert guidance can be cumbersome and time-consuming for organizations. In this scenario, what organizations need is a reliable, best-in-class partner that has expertise in smart buildings and can guide them throughout the smart building journey from implementation to maintenance and support.

Bringing forth a revolution in the construction industry with its wide range of intelligent building solutions is Facility Solutions Group (FSG), whose Smart Buildings division is leading the charge when it comes to intelligent building solutions. Having been in the lighting and electrical industry for over 37 years, the company is well-positioned as a trusted advisor that offers smart solutions to every aspect of the facility operations, from lighting and HVAC to metering and IoT sensors. “Utilizing intelligent building solutions, we aim to eliminate the facility management stress for our clients and allow them to focus on their core business and goals,” states Justin McCullough, FSG Chief Product Officer and Smart Buildings division leader.

The company’s forte lies in its dedicated team of experts who are intimately familiar with the best-of-breed products and solutions available for smart buildings today, helping FSG in building and delivering tailor-made systems that bring the most value to customers’ facilities. The key areas focused by FSG’s team include lighting controls, HVAC controls, electrical services, IoT sensor technologies and automation services.

Notably, FSG Smart Buildings has carved a niche for itself in the multisite portfolio space and mixed format buildings, which includes a vast range of buildings from small to medium retail environments to warehouses to multi-story and high-rise buildings. “If a retail brand has multiple offices at various locations and need smart building systems for their branches, FSG is able to offer turnkey structured smart building solutions from design to installation to maintenance on the back end,” explains McCullough. In addition, the company’s building automation software, Chariot, provides a single dashboard where clients can remotely view and control their entire portfolio.

Some of the prevailing requirements of the customers include expansion of their already existing automation system, complete management of their environment, and zeroing in on specific solutions, bringing in automation and IoT services to their building. FSG’s Chariot platform acts as a centralized point of reference for trends, alerts, alarms, control and visibility for all types of intelligent building technology.

As a first step towards client engagement, FSG conducts a site audit to gain a clear understanding of the project. The auditors use Plaid, FSG’s custom-built site audit software, to analyze the facility and accurately document existing systems and infrastructure. Once the customers’ objectives and needs have been discovered, FSG designs and proposes a hardware solution using a wide range of smart building technology. FSG then uses its team of nationwide installers to deploy the solution’s hardware and commission the system in the Chariot platform for complete visibility and control.

Post solution deployment, FSG provides around-the-clock support with its 24/7 call center staffed with building automation experts. The FSG Smart Buildings Customer Support Center adopts and monitors any facility system, including the leading brands of energy management and building automation systems, and offers alarm management, technical phone support, work order tracking, turnkey facility services and technician dispatching for facility maintenance and repair.

By constantly delivering efficient end-to-end services, FSG has evolved from a small light bulb company to a national powerhouse in lighting, electrical, signage, building controls and technology solutions with over 37 branches across the United States. Looking ahead, the company intends to continue utilizing technology such as IoT and Artificial Intelligence to help develop smart building solutions that solve everyday problems for clients. “We will continue to develop novel solutions parallel to industry trends and upgrade our customers’ lifecycle needs of smart and connected buildings. Moreover, we will address much broader questions beyond building automation or energy management systems through our solutions,” concludes McCullough.