American Gas Station & Convenience Store Chain

For a gas station and convenience store chain, collecting data on its daily operations and in-store processes can help devise near- and long-term strategies for continuous improvement in the retail and convenience store space.

The company began its holistic Internet of Things (IoT) integration and data-centric automation journey for its network of more than 650 stores over two decades ago. One of the initial steps was finding a reliable and forward-thinking partner in the Building Automation System (BAS) / IoT integration space. Smart Building Technologies (SmartBT) began working with the client in 2004.

Some of the results over the years have been phenomenal—such as the energy savings per store in the initial phases. With continued refinements and fine-tuning, increased awareness, and successes driven by data-based insights, the energy savings per store are now measurable and consistent.

This success is a direct result of data-driven improvements in how store equipment is operated and maintained, as well as the implementation of energy-focused operational practices that have been transformational. This included collaboration with equipment vendors and manufacturers, sharing hard data to help them improve their equipment and processes. In some cases, this led to better-designed equipment, as well as enabling the client to make more informed decisions when selecting new equipment to maximize energy savings and operational efficiency.

The annual operational savings realized over the years have been a catalyst for continuous innovation across the client’s organization.

The client clearly outlined the challenges they wanted SmartBT to address through integration and use of vast amounts of data to automate their 1,160+ stores and investigate available technologies. Their goals were to:

• Decrease energy costs
• Lower maintenance and repair costs
• Effectively monitor and control the various systems from a single, centralized system
• Log operating data for enterprise reporting tools in a more timely fashion
• Develop standardized systems to replicate in new stores
• Ensure best practices could be developed and readily replicated across the enterprise of stores using store normalization and benchmarking
• Constantly verify overall building performance of each store to drive continuous commissioning