The new, 500,000 square foot Class A office building at 800 W Fulton in Chicago rises high above the famed warehouse and meatpacking district, a glittering building that symbolizes the transformation of the West Loop.
In the heart of Chicago’s tech sector, 800W Fulton needed more than a well connected building. It needed to take the crown as Chicago’s smartest building. We took over 7,000 data points and created a bespoke platform that connected all systems, enabled seamless operations and more than this alerts anomalies and faults to Thor Equities – providing a great tenant experience and the title of smartest building in Chicago.
What We Did
At 18 stories, 500,000 square feet of office space, and tons of amenities, 800 W Fulton already had a lot going for it. But Thor Equities had ambitious goals to establish it as the beacon of technology-first buildings in Chicago.
OTI was brought into the construction process early. Their early involvement ensured all installed systems could ultimately be integrated into a single-pane-of-glass so that operators could maintain the building’s energy efficiency and occupant comfort throughout the building’s operation.
When we started consulting, we took both a 20,000-foot view and an on-the-ground perspective to analyze the implications of all proposed solutions. The team analyzed how energy was being consumed, how all of the systems worked together, and how reporting could be facilitated to make meaningful recommendations and establish a winning strategy to help Thor Equities meet their ambitious goals for 800 Fulton.
We guided the building ownership in the process of selecting best-in-class equipment and controls based on open protocol communication standards and the latest in smart sensor technology. With the best equipment and controls in place, the development and construction teams were poised to deliver Thor Equities’ building as one of the smartest buildings in Chicago and set a new citywide standard for sustainability, convenience, and comfort.
Challenges
The building is the heart of Chicago’s tech sector, meaning it required cutting-edge amenities to attract top tenants.
At 18 stories, 500,000 square feet of office space, and a range of amenities, 800 Fulton was already well established. To offer a world-leading experience to occupants and manage energy consumption effectively, it needed a master systems integrator.
Results
With so many moving parts, so much complex data, and such ambitious goals, making information accessible and legible to a diverse range of stakeholders – including development and construction teams – was critical in achieving Thor Equities’ vision for 800 W Fulton.
For Thor Equities we achieved:
- A single integrated building management and analytics system
- A Platinum SmartScore for connectivity
- LEED Platinum Certified for air quality improved energy efficiency and lower operating costs
The final integrated building management and analytics system connected five different building systems and four separate APIs for connected technologies. This included 7,849 data points brought in for monitoring, plus command and control via the custom platform built by OTI.
With machine learning capabilities, command and control functionality and advanced analytics, the tech we deployed acts as the engine for continuous monitoring of system-wide data, including HVAC control and smart meters to indoor air quality. By identifying the nuanced connections of these disparate systems, OTI helped Thor Equities plan for the automated systems to function in relation to each other as a whole.
One of the most valuable features of OTI’s integrated system is its sophisticated fault detection and diagnostic (FDD) capabilities. Via a mobile-accessible dashboard, 800 Fulton’s stakeholders can easily review information about the function of equipment and conditions within the building and receive prioritized alerts according to custom rules.