SMART BUILDINGS


Digitalising pumps: Unlocking energy efficiency across buildings


Pumps may often be hidden from view, but they can significantly impact building energy use, argues Wayne Rose, who explores how digitalisation, real-time data and engineering expertise can uncover inefficiencies, improve performance and reduce costs.


Wayne Rose


Chief executive at British Pump Manufacturers Association (BPMA)


www.bpma.org.uk E


throughout the asset’s life. This could also help facilities managers when equipment needs to be serviced, upgraded or replaced. Rather than searching for paper documentation or incomplete records, the relevant information could form part of a persistent digital asset record. However, this will only work if


nergy efficiency has become an increasingly important priority for building owners and operators, driven by


the need to reduce costs, improve performance and meet increasingly demanding sustainability objectives. Yet while attention often focuses on high-profile technologies such as heating, ventilation, lighting and renewable energy, there are significant opportunities to improve efficiency within the less visible mechanical systems that keep buildings operating. Pumps are a prime example. From heating and cooling to water


supply, circulation, drainage and fire protection, pumps perform essential functions across commercial, industrial and public buildings. Their energy consumption can represent a significant proportion of a building’s overall electricity demand, particularly where systems are poorly specified, oversized, incorrectly controlled or operating outside optimum conditions. Digitalisation provides an opportunity to change this.


Constant monitoring Digitalisation is shifting the pumping industry from selecting efficient pumps to understanding their performance within the wider system. Sensors, connected controls,


variable-speed drives and condition- monitoring technologies can provide real-time information about operating conditions, energy consumption, flow rates, pressures and equipment health. When that information is captured and analysed effectively, it can reveal opportunities to reduce energy use that may otherwise remain hidden. For building operators, this changes


the relationship with pumping equipment. Instead of relying on periodic inspections or responding to failures, they can increasingly monitor performance continuously and identify developing inefficiencies before they become costly problems. Better monitoring can also


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information is accurate, consistent and interoperable. Manufacturers, designers, contractors, software providers and building operators will need to work towards common approaches to data if digitalisation is to deliver its full potential.


support predictive maintenance, reduce unplanned downtime, extend equipment life and provide greater confidence that systems are operating as intended. It is important, however, not to assume that digitalisation alone will make a pumping system efficient. The starting point must always


be correct system design and specification. An efficient pump operating against an inappropriate duty point can still consume unnecessary energy. Similarly, a system that has been correctly designed may become less efficient over time as building requirements change, controls are altered or equipment deteriorates. This is why having access to accurate


operational data is so valuable. By understanding how a pumping


system actually operates, rather than simply how it was originally designed to operate, building owners and facilities managers can identify changes that could improve performance. Adjusting controls, reducing unnecessary flow, addressing system losses or replacing ageing equipment can all contribute to lower energy consumption. Digitalisation provides a means of closing the gap between design intent and real-world performance.


More visible


One of the challenges with pumps is that they are often hidden away in plant rooms, basements or service areas. Their importance to building performance can consequently be overlooked. Digital technologies can make their performance more visible.


A connected pumping system


can provide building operators with information that is accessible through wider building management or energy management systems. This creates the possibility of considering pumping alongside other energy-consuming systems rather than managing it alone. For organisations managing multiple buildings, remote access can be particularly valuable. Performance can be compared across an estate, inefficient assets identified and maintenance or improvement work prioritised according to actual operating data. This approach is increasingly


relevant as organisations look for practical ways to improve existing buildings without undertaking major refurbishment programmes.


Better informed Digitalisation also has an important role to play before a pump is installed. The construction and building-


services sectors are moving towards increasingly sophisticated digital asset information, with products accompanied by more data about their performance, characteristics and lifecycle requirements. Frameworks such as the Ecodesign


for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) point towards a future in which products can be supported by electronic nameplates and Digital Product Passports. For pump users, better product information should make it easier to compare equipment, understand efficiency characteristics and retain critical information


Engineering expertise There is sometimes a tendency to portray digitalisation as a technological solution to every problem. In reality, its greatest value comes from combining digital capability with sound engineering judgement. Data can tell us that a pump is


operating inefficiently, but engineering expertise is needed to establish why and determine the most appropriate solution. This combination of technology and


expertise will become increasingly important as buildings become more connected and their energy performance is monitored more closely. At the BPMA, we believe the pump


industry has an important role to play in this transition. By promoting best practice, supporting standards development, sharing knowledge and helping members respond to changing regulatory and market expectations, we can help ensure that digitalisation delivers tangible benefits for pump users.


The opportunity is considerable. Pumps may be largely invisible to building occupants, but they are fundamental to the performance of many buildings and their energy- consuming systems. Making their performance visible


through data is therefore about much more than adopting new technology. It is about giving building owners and operators the information they need to make better decisions, reduce energy consumption, improve reliability and maximise whole-life value. Digitalising pumps can turn an


overlooked mechanical asset into a valuable source of energy, performance and operational insight. ■


EIBI | SEPTEMBER 2026


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