Artificial Intelligence Can Prevent Enormous Amounts Of Damage And Water Loss From Building Leaks

https://www.forbes.com/sites/natalieparletta/2019/06/27/artificial-intelligence-can-prevent-enormous-amounts-of-damage-and-water-loss-from-building-leaks/#1b0b7cc74861

When it comes to building construction, all sorts of things can go wrong. The most common problem is water damage, according to insurance claim records.

“It’s the silent killer,” says Yaron Dycian, chief product and strategy officer for WINT Water Intelligence. Water is also an increasingly scarce, and valuable, resource – a reality that is not lost on many big companies who are embracing sustainable practices.

Based in Israel, WINT was created in 2012 after its founder experienced water damage in his home and became aware there were no solutions around. There are now home-based solutions, but tackling bigger buildings was a far greater challenge.

The system uses artificial intelligence to detect leaks, thereby conserving water and preventing damage in commercial and government buildings.

From taps and toilets to hidden pipes and water towers, the cost and destruction caused by leaks can add up. On average, buildings waste 25% to 30% of water consumed. Typically, for instance, a building with 100 toilet stalls will have three leaky valves at any point in time. These alone can cost $30-40,000 in water each year.

In one case, a malfunctioning cooling tower was pouring $1,000 of water down the drain every day, amounting to half a million dollars a year, according to Dycian. “And that went on for two and a half years until we came in,” he says.