The Client
An American lifestyle and performance footwear company with more than 4,000 stores worldwide. It is one of the largest athletic footwear brands in the USA.
The Challenge
The retailer sought to leverage cutting-edge technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to automate store operations, reduce energy consumption, and enhance adherence to enterprise-wide operating policies. Furthermore, they aimed to optimize the number of technician visits through remote commissioning, monitoring, and troubleshooting of Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) equipment across their network of stores in the USA.
Their objectives included:
- Enhancing occupant comfort through improved temperature compliance across all stores.
- Improving energy efficiency of the stores through better Monitoring and Controlling of store equipment.
- Optimizing store equipment operations and maintenance processes to minimize carbon emissions.
The Solution
The retailer partnered with Carrier Abound for its expertise in achieving these objectives for multi-site organizations and is rolling out its AI-driven solution and remote service across 500 stores in the USA in a phased manner. EcoEnergy Insights deployed its Energy Efficiency and Energy Management System (EMS) services to drive operational transformation at the enterprise level. The integrated services combine the use of store energy data, equipment behavior analytics, and field service management to enhance savings.
After the initial study and analysis, the Carrier Abound team arranged and installed the open protocol site hardware kit – which included Building Automation System (BAS) controllers, room comfort controllers, sensors, and central supervisors – and then commissioned them in a timely manner. Thereafter, all the stores of the retailer were on-boarded onto the Abound Insights platform, thus integrating all the HVAC units onto a digital platform.
The Abound Insights platform facilitated the implementation of predictive maintenance for the stores' equipment, providing insights into enterprise-wide store operations. Centralized analytics and reporting through the Abound Insights platform improved how the retailer could plan maintenance activities and minimize equipment downtime. The platform also identified malfunctioning and nonfunctional equipment, allowing for proactive resolution and, consequently, enhancing store uptime.
The retailer’s teams and their vendor partners were supported by the BluEdgeTM Command Centers. The centers are made up of specialized teams of domain experts and data scientists. They study the predictive insights from the platform to define action plans and ensure their completion on time. They work 24/7 to proactively manage equipment operations and maintenance as well as provide quick responses and remote support to store managers. The centers support the retailer’s stores by handling store and technician calls, proactively acting on recommendations from the Abound Insights platform, and monitoring equipment performance across the connected stores.
The model of engagement helped the retailer increase awareness among employees on energy conservation and made them more proactive in handling equipment operations.
The Result
The retailer was able to make store operations more proactive and achieve its objectives of improving temperature compliance, saving energy, and optimizing the equipment maintenance process.
Key Results for over 175 connected stores:
- Over 19% average energy savings from January 2019 to July 2023.
- Over 76% average remote resolutions of HVAC issues from January 2019 to July 2023.
- Over 42% reduction in the number of incidents per store per month in the period of January - July 2023, compared to the corresponding period in 2021.
- An average service level of 92% for calls addressed by the BluEdge Command Centers, with the average call abandonment rate of 0.8%, for the period January 2021 to July 2023.