Smart Meters: Going Global in a Fragmented Market

Smart Meters: Going Global in a Fragmented Market

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Smart meter deployments are high-volume activities and take time and resources to roll out. Typically, projects occur within countries’ boundaries because of the fragmented nature of the utility market along national lines. However, to achieve economies of scale, utility companies and metering service providers are looking to create standardized, global devices.?

These need to take account of both national utility regulations and communications regulations, making it impossible to manufacture a single, global device but allowing for regional variants to be created or for variants that can be easily configured for national usage. The metering device itself is just one of the challenges involved in smart meter roll-outs. By definition, a smart meter must be connected so it can transmit data, and therefore connectivity is a mission-critical requirement.

'Although a range of connectivity options are available to serve smart meters

Choice of Connections

There is no one correct answer to the question of which network technology to use to connect smart meters. This is because each deployment has different characteristics. The array of technologies used extends from the private radio mesh networks of the utility companies to low-power wide-area (LPWA) technologies such as LoRaWAN and Sigfox and then on, all the way into the cellular market with narrowband-IoT (NB-IoT) and LTE-M. 2G cellular also exists and is still being used in many markets. Despite the disparity, metering organizations are looking to focus on a limited number of connectivity options, and NB-IoT and LTE-M are set to lead the cellular metering market.?

The connectivity decision is increasingly based on the cost, security, coverage, power usage, and the potential throughput of the connectivity. Each of these can cause deployments to succeed or fail and therefore must be carefully balanced against each other to create an optimal solution. From a coverage perspective, near total national coverage is necessary, so that meters in difficult locations such as underground in basements or plant rooms of large buildings can be reached. More than one connectivity solution may be required to achieve this nationally, so different versions of meters may be needed. This is sub-optimal from a cost, manufacturing, and operational perspective, but necessary for ensuring total coverage.

Capacity is also becoming more of a priority as utility companies recognize that they will need to communicate more data, and that their partners will also increase traffic over meter connections. There is a fine balance between provisioning a solution with enough capacity to meet future needs and not spending excessively on capacity that isn’t required. Utility companies are carefully assessing what the operational landscape will look like in a decade and, accordingly, are specifying connectivity that enables them to scale up flexibly in the future.

Another constraint is battery life. With lifespans of two decades or more, utility companies need meters that are power efficient. A truck roll to replace a battery represents a cost that breaks the profitability of a service, so low-power solutions that enable data transmission are attractive.

Why Cellular?

In the past, every metering company that offered connected meters had its own proprietary radio frequency (RF) mesh to enable communications. While these solutions worked adequately, they required meter companies to build their own networks and dedicated equipment.

With cellular data pricing coming down and the scale of metering projects going up, the cost of the module and the whole device with cellular connectivity is coming down. That makes it very attractive for metering deployments, especially because cellular connections come with built-in security, an important requirement given the potential for fraud in the utility sector. Although a range of connectivity options are available to serve smart meters, cellular low-power wide-area (LPWA) networks have a series of advantages to bring to smart meter deployments.

#1: Connection

LPWA was included in the 3GPP standard Release 13 for the machine-to-machine type of communications (mMTC) where these devices don’t have to be connected all the time. This is particularly relevant to the metering space because these devices wake up only once in a while to report data. However, there are scenarios in which some devices communicate more frequently, such as in the case of an emergency or an anomaly.?

#2: Power Consumption

Power saving mode (PSM) and extended idle discontinuous reception (eiDRX) capability were put in place to get the best power out of the cellular connectivity. Power consumption has come down significantly to make 10,15, or 20-year deployments possible. These were not possible prior to the 3GPP Release 13 when PSM and eIDRX features didn’t exist with Cat-1 and above categories.?

Now, attractive chipsets and modules achieve power consumption that is as low as a microcontroller unit (MCU) can get. Thanks to the ubiquity of network coverage, security, and low-power usage, cellular is becoming the preferred connectivity mode for smart meters. There is a big effort from cellular carriers to encourage adoption because meters will become an additional revenue stream for them.

#3: Range of Use

The investments being made in smart meter infrastructure set the scene for the meter to become an in-building and home hub for other appliances to enable data transmission and a range of applications. Smart meters can provide a service platform for appliances such as dishwashers, fridges, smoke detectors, and access control, many of which will become managed services. There is a clear intent among utility companies to play themselves into this arena, building on their smart metering infrastructure.

Prioritizing Network & Power

Metering companies will need to have the additional network capacity and battery power available to support other partners’ business cases. This is why specifying a powerful module is such an important strategic move. Failure to select modules that don’t offer low-cost, low-power and long-life attributes can mean smart meters will not be able to support additional services and new revenue opportunities are lost. The only other alternative then is a costly upgrade cycle to replace or improve the existing deployed base of smart meters. Few business cases can withstand that so, to be future-ready, a module with all of the capabilities set out above is a prerequisite.

Why a Digital As-Built Is a Superior Deliverable in Construction

Digital as-builts are living records of an asset’s as-built condition. They take shape over the course of a construction project through real-time collection and sharing of as-built data. And they can be updated to document changes in the asset management phase so they always reflect the asset as it exists.

'Digital as-builts mark a quantum leap in as-built accuracy and accessibility - helping stakeholders work more efficiently during the construction process.' -Unearth Labs

Digital as-builts mark a quantum leap in as-built accuracy and accessibility – helping stakeholders work more efficiently during the construction process and supporting owners’ asset management after project turnover.

But digital as-built information is only actionable if it’s easily retrievable once it’s filed away. After all, construction teams spend 13% of their working hours looking for project data. It’s clear that data is not always easy to track down.

This is where map-based as-builts come in. Geospatial as-builts provide invaluable spatial intelligence and enable stakeholders – including owners – to more easily organize, access, and act on their data.

These digital, map-based records are catching on, and they bring contractors in line with where the industry and owners are ultimately headed: digital twins.

Digital As-Builts: A Quantum Leap in Accuracy?

Digital as-builts aren’t simply an electronic version of paper-based as-builts. They’re a different beast.

Real-time data collection and sharing

Digital as-builts are the result of a continuous process of gathering and sharing information in real time throughout construction – rather than a task relegated to the end of a project like their paper counterparts.

While paper documentation entails delays and multiple, manual transfers of data from redline drawings to as-built plans, digital as-builts provide much more accurate information.

And when all stakeholders can access up-to-date project data from anywhere at any time, it reduces rework and other mistakes. Naturally, this saves time and money.

Thorough project documentation

Plus, digital as-builts aren’t solely focused on changes from a project’s original design – as paper ones historically have been. Instead, they may include data that document aspects of a project whether they deviate from an original design or not.

For example, the installation of a sewer line or underground power lines that is going according to plan may be documented with a photo or as-built survey as proof of work and a record of the location before the infrastructure is covered up.

This is priceless in the event of a dispute or future 811 calls.

In this way, a digital as-built is a complete record of a project that shows how an asset was constructed, and – thanks to included GPS data – exactly where it is. Owners of underground infrastructure benefit from this visibility especially.

Essential for construction and beyond

When turned over at project completion, an accurate, comprehensive digital record provides even more value to an owner later down the road. They can draw on that data to inform ongoing operations and maintenance (O&M) and future planning over the lifetime of the asset.

How do digital as-builts achieve this increased accuracy? Because of 5 essential characteristics.

5 Key Traits of Digital As-Builts

Several crucial attributes make digital as-builts vital information sources throughout construction and the rest of an asset’s lifespan.

1. Cloud-based

Data captured for a digital as-built is securely shared in one place so that all stakeholders have access to it from anywhere. Without the cloud, information can easily fall through the cracks – caught up in email and text chains, not passed on quickly, or siloed in systems that don’t integrate.?

2. Real-time

A digital as-built includes information on work that is happening as it is happening. When uploaded to the cloud, stakeholders can access the latest project data at any given time.

3. Mobile

Digital as-built data documents a construction project, which means information is captured where construction is actually occurring – the job site. The use of mobile devices makes the collection of field data possible.

4. Multi-dimensional

Digital as-builts create a context-rich record through different types of data. They might include written information in the form of digital forms and documents, photos, video, GPS coordinates, geographic information systems (GIS), drone imagery, and as-built surveys. Altogether, these data types provide a detailed representation of the built asset as it exists.?

5. Location-based

A digital as-built documents a crucial aspect of an asset: its location. Data captured in the field may contain metadata that includes GPS coordinates. For records without this metadata, making use of location information and mapping tools through geographic information systems (GIS) provides literal visibility of the asset and related documentation.

This information ensures stakeholders and owners know exactly where an asset exists in the real world, making efficient construction and asset management – especially of large-scale horizontal infrastructure – possible.

Ready to create your own digital as-built? Here’s what you’ll need.

Tools for Digital As-Builting

Construction technology improves data transparency and stakeholder collaboration during construction – thereby cutting down on errors, project delays, and waste. And its utility is validated by the $100 million in funding within the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act meant to increase its adoption.

Construction tech tools are in part what you’ll use to create a digital record that provides data-rich visibility into a project. These tools fall into two categories: software and devices.?

As-built software

Cloud-based construction software is essential to producing a digital project record. All the field data can be organized, viewed, and manipulated through project management software. Stakeholders need to be able to capture, share, and view as-built data in the field in real-time, so intuitive mobile software, apps, and integrations are also critical for digital as-builting.

Plenty of construction project management software options exist – Procore, Autodesk, and Bluebeam, to name just a few. But to capitalize on location information, you’ll need Mobile GIS to visualize it.

As-built devices

To capture all of this information in the field, digital as-builts require the use of mobile devices. Teams can use smartphones and tablets to take photos and videos and fill out any forms, such as permit or inspection documents. These devices will simultaneously capture GPS data associated with those photos or forms, which will tie them to a specific location.

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Drones can provide high-resolution imagery that records progress on a construction site on a regular basis – excellent information that conveys the as-built status of a project at a given time.

While smartphones and tablets capture GPS data, a data collector can contribute an even higher degree of location accuracy. A digital record created with these tools will provide a trove of valuable data depicting the condition and the location of an asset – great news for stakeholders during construction and for owners operating and maintaining their assets after project handoff.

But if this data is squirreled away in countless file folders and people have to hunt for the information they need, how can they put it to meaningful use? Isn’t there a better way to organize and visualize as-built documentation?

Fortunately, there is: digital maps.

Why You Should Map Your Digital As-Builts

A map is a more intuitive way to organize and view data – especially information about a physical object with a real-world location. And when data is put into a visible, real-world context, stakeholders and owners can use it to support decision-making during the construction phase and into the asset management phase.

A 2018 study found that construction workers spend up to 5.5 hours per week tracking down project information, including revised drawings. Getting your data out of endless file folders and onto a map will help you avoid that fate.

Mobile GIS Creates A More Intuitive & Actionable As-Built

A recent study on GIS utilization for construction projects confirms that providing as-built information in GIS format is a good move. It showed that 40% of contractors employed GIS in more than half of their projects to collect data on site and to provide digital project information at turnover. It also showed that more than 50% of the GIS users identified client satisfaction as an important benefit of GIS use.

A back-office GIS can format your information on a map. But it requires specialized training and can often be siloed from the field or rely on hard-to-use apps.

Fortunately, there’s another way: intuitive Mobile GIS enables you to map your own as-built data right in the field in real time. With Mobile GIS software on your smartphone or tablet, items you draw onto your map and the as-built conditions you document are immediately displayed for stakeholders to see. They are saved in GIS format – which can be exported for owner use at project closeout. Additionally, data collectors and laser scanning technology can be integrated with Mobile GIS to contribute even more precise geospatial information related to an asset.

Digital Twins: The Next As-Built Frontier

Employing GIS and mapping your as-built information is a major step forward in construction data management. But add 3D modeling, real-time updates via sensors, AI, and IoT, and you have the next phase of project visualization: the digital twin.

What is a digital twin’s relationship with as-builts?

Digital twins can be built gradually over the course of construction, or a 3D model of a completed construction project can be generated and populated with information to create a digital replica. Either way, digital as-built data feeds into the model – providing accurate, multidimensional information that makes a digital twin a virtual replica. This relationship has led to digital as-builts sometimes being characterized as a “starting point” for a digital twin. And digital twins have even been referred to as “next-generation digital as-built drawings.”

Demand for GIS and Improved Visibility Will Only Increase

Being able to see construction project data – including as-built documentation – is key to more efficient construction and future asset management.

Numbers bear it out: in a survey of GIS users in the construction industry, 80% of contractors reported that owners ask for GIS in the final deliverable after completion of the project. And the digital twin industry is estimated to reach nearly $36 billion by 2025 – up from $3.8 billion in early 2022.

It’s clear which way the construction industry is headed. As-built mapping that results in a rich, multidimensional digital record that you can deliver to an owner in GIS format is a step in the right direction.

Azure vs. AWS: Selecting a Cloud Provider for Your IoT Product

Companies starting design and development on new IoT products have often heard about how cloud providers such as Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS) can help deploy and rapidly scale their products. Because of this, one of the most frequently asked questions is: What cloud provider should I choose? Both Azure and AWS have been expanding their services over the past years, so let’s take a deeper look at Azure vs. AWS and which cloud provider might be right for you and your new IoT product.

'Selecting the right cloud provider for your new IoT product is complicated but can be made easier with the more transparency you have in your product roadmap.' -MistyWestClick To Tweet

Considerations: Azure vs. AWS

From a technical perspective, you want to choose a cloud provider that not only fits your immediate needs but also scales easily with your business years down the road. Both Azure and AWS can easily support most of your functional and nonfunctional requirements, let’s take a step back and look at it from a high-level perspective first.

? If you have an existing partnership with either vendor, continuing with the same vendor could minimize system-level integration issues.

? If your company relies on Microsoft Suite, working with Azure may position you to leverage internal features you’d like to use, such as Azure File Storage.

? If you’re planning an international expansion, it’s important to consider the region and availability zones of each provider per country.

Off the shelf, Azure and AWS both provide highly secure and scalable offerings. You’ll have access to certification-based security, be able to transmit data bi-directionally, and easily manage the number of devices you have going. Additionally, you’ll be able to update the underlying containerized software with their over-the-air (OTA) updates – just like a Tesla!

Azure

Azure’s unique IoT offerings lie within its integration with the Windows OS, hardware specialization, and additional special security features. Some of its offerings:

? Microsoft tries to make all of its products Windows OS compatible, including their IoT stacks. Although it’s not common, if your IoT device is running a Windows OS, Azure provides ease of compatibility to their IoT Hub.

? Azure’s IoT Sphere service is a specialized hardware chip and underlying firmware that provides users with a true end-to-end security experience. This may be useful for hardware devices that must be HIPAA compliant.

? Azure supports the Advanced Message Queueing Protocol (AMQP). AMQP provides additional security at connect, supports peer-to-peer connection, is more extensible, and has many other great benefits.

AWS

AWS provides customizability and a wider variety of tools than Azure as well as a selection of analytics services that are tailored and designed to work with IoT Core and Greengrass.

? AWS’s latest IoT service, IoT TwinMaker, takes the Digital Twin concept to a new level, where you can create a virtualization of your IoT world. Visually being able to see, navigate, and manage your solutions is now much easier.

? Working with IoT Analytics to analyze your device data with Device Defender allows you to mitigate issues that were found in audit findings, whereas Azure will only monitor without mitigating issues.

? AWS IoT Core and IoT Device Management services are HIPAA eligible services and can be HIPAA compliant.

? One unique thing about AWS’s IoT framework is the direct C++ device SDK. Although both Azure and AWS provide many common languages for SDK, and Azure works with .NET, AWS’s C++ support is more advanced.

Scoring Criteria Table

We’ve generated a list of criteria and respective scoring of how well we believe both AWS and Azure are doing based on these latest service offerings, which are outlined below. For any project, you should weigh the importance of each criterion, multiply by the score for the respective cloud provider, and sum up the score.

?Weighted Evaluation Matrix

Use Case Examples

#1: Developing a New Medical Device

Company A is creating a new medical device to be launched across North America and in several countries across Asia. Company A has worked with both AWS and Azure on a case-by-case basis and must determine which provider to go with for the new product, which must be HIPAA compliant. Due to recent security concerns for international expansion, the product will have additional in-house developed security measures. As the business case is still in an early stage, the product’s communication protocol must scale to potentially diverse regulations.

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?Scoring for Medical Device

As seen above, the recommended cloud provider should be Azure to potentially leverage their AMQP protocol and IoT Sphere service if necessary. The use of Azure IoT service here is a risk management strategy, and the tradeoff would be that the C++ device SDK is not official and a workaround will be needed.

#2: Monitoring and Diagnostics of Equipment

Company B is opening up a new manufacturing company with state-of-the art machinery to build electric vehicles. To monitor and track the condition of all of its major hardware components, the company directly partnered up with robotic suppliers to integrate IoT health telemetry reporting. Company B’s prime success metric is the number of hours of operation and the ability to predict when each equipment will fail and why. This will be translated into continuous real-time telemetry measurements, simulating scenarios with device telemetry, and being able to understand the cause of failures. The additional security will be handled via the network of the factory itself, and suppliers are flexible with both the device development languages and using the MQTT protocol for its lightweight feature.

?Scoring for Monitoring and Diagnostics of Equipment

Company B should go with an AWS-based framework as it provides audit mitigation and off-the-shelf analytics, IoT Sitewise, and IoT Analytics. The potential trade-off here is that they would lose on the hardware integrated security.

Azure vs. AWS: Necessary Questions

Here are some questions you can ask about your product’s development:

1. As you will most likely get to deployment fastest by continuing the relationship, do you have any partnerships or already use a product suite with Microsoft or AWS?

2. Does either cloud provider have a specific offering that is critical for your product solution?

3. Based on the evaluation matrix scoring breakdown and your technical requirements, do you foresee a feature from a particular provider that can heavily accelerate your development?

4. Do you feel that the default criteria in the weighted evaluation matrix accurately represent your product?

Selecting the right cloud provider for your new IoT product is complicated but can be made easier with the more transparency you have in your product roadmap. When you know what criteria are most important, you can understand Azure vs. AWS and match them with the technical requirements of your product solution.