According to its own information, the Essen-based housing company VIVAWEST is now centrally controlling 700 heating systems via a digital platform. The company has expanded its pilot project with Phoenix Contact from originally 400 to 700 systems. The goal is to measurably reduce energy consumption and operating costs.
Digitalization enables central monitoring and remote control of the systems. Faults can be detected earlier, maintenance intervals can be optimized, and heating output can be adjusted to actual demand. VIVAWEST promises not only lower energy costs, but also higher system availability and fewer failures.
The model could be groundbreaking for the housing industry. Many Vonovia, LEG Immobilien and other companies are under pressure to keep housing fees and ancillary costs stable. Digital building management systems offer a lever without having to invest in expensive renovations. Central control also allows data-driven prioritization of maintenance measures.
Whether the announced savings materialize in practice depends on several factors: the quality of the sensors, the response speed when faults occur, and staff training. Initial experiences from the 400-system pilot must now be validated on a larger scale. The conversion to district heating in Duisburg shows that VIVAWEST is systematically modernizing its properties.
Phoenix Contact supplies not only the control technology but also the cloud platform for data analysis. The company from Blomberg specializes in industrial automation and is expanding into the real estate market with such projects. For facility managers and property administrators, the question arises whether investments in such systems are worthwhile – especially for smaller properties and mixed system types.
The scaling from 400 to 700 systems in a short time suggests that VIVAWEST is satisfied with the results. The company has not yet provided specific figures on savings. The industry is waiting for reliable data to assess the profitability of similar projects. AI-supported operating cost optimization could become the standard in the medium term – if investment costs are in a reasonable proportion to the benefits.
