A building analytics software platform geared toward enabling carbon neutrality is unveiling new features to help architects, engineers, developers and property managers design and build greener structures. 

PlanIT Impact's artificial intelligence-driven technology delivers cost-benefit insights on how to maximize energy, stormwater, water and transportation savings. Its new and forthcoming software enhancements make the platform smarter and faster, which allows designers and builders quick access to more valuable sustainability metrics. 

The PlanIT Impact development team began rolling out updates this month and will continue to do so through the first quarter of 2021: 

• • PI Regenerate :: This feature provides operational carbon footprint data for customer projects and energy scenarios. Customers can now include operational carbon metrics as another project goal to complement the existing energy savings and simple payback goals. PI Regenerate launched as part of a platform update earlier this month. 
• • PI Adapt :: This feature allows customers to upload their own cost data into the platform for exclusive use on their projects. Customers can take advantage of proprietary rich cost data and expertise within the context of the platform's performance data. PI Adapt will be available through the platform beginning Dec. 19. 
• • PI Recapture :: This feature represents the culmination of a research partnership with the National Science Foundation's Center for Big Learning (CBL). PI Recapture will enhance the current discovery engine through integration of a deep neural network into the prediction process. Customers will immediately benefit from aggregated, yet anonymized, performance predictions based upon historical data. PI Recapture will be available in Q1. 
• • PI Blocks :: This feature provides customers with the data center building type as an option for projects. Customers can now easily identify building system strategies to reach performance goals for data centers, much like they can for occupant-driven 
• building types. Following completion of a pilot program, PI Blocks is expected to roll out to all users in Q1. 

PI Blocks represents an added area of focus for PlanIT Impact, which sees great potential to increase sustainability at data centers through its platform. In 2018, data centers consumed about 1 percent of all electricity worldwide; predictions show that could grow to 10 percent of global electricity usage by 2030. 

"Environmental sustainability should be at the forefront of every business's vision for the future. By incorporating our technology, data centers can simplify their path to net-zero, and potentially net-positive, energy design," said PlanIT Impact CEO Dominique Davison. 

PlanIT Impact's goal is to help data centers reduce energy and water use by 30 percent, which would reduce carbon emissions and ease the amount of offset required by renewable energy to meet net-zero impact goals. Reducing energy usage by 40 megawatts per facility would equate to reduced greenhouse gas emissions of 28 metric tons at each site, Davison said. 

Compass Datacenters is part of the PlanIT Impact pilot program. Its lessees have seen benefits of cost savings as well as the opportunity to take a visible step toward sustainability goals. 

"By incorporating PlanIT Impact's technology into our datacenter builds, we are pleased to provide all of our tenants with the ability to maximize energy and water savings - and deliver a competitive advantage for hyperscalers in particular," said Nancy Novak, Chief Innovation Officer at Compass Datacenters. 

PlanIT Impact | https://www.planitimpact.com