Talk About Smart
HSB sensor technology saves school lunch program
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COVID-19 has emptied school buildings in Newington, Connecticut and around the country
Building maintenance is always a challenge. It means constant monitoring of physical structures and electronic systems to avoid potential breakdowns and the associated costly damages. COVID-19, magnifies these challenges, forcing building evacuations and often leaving property management activities at arm’s length.
Take Newington, CT public school system as an example. The system participates in the state’s Grab and Go Meals programs to help ensure children and families have access to healthy and affordable meals during the pandemic. In a typical week, the Newington system serves its community 8,000 meals—that depend on refrigeration. Often times, those very school buildings stand empty and are vulnerable to loss.
HSB sensor technology warns of loss of refrigeration before food spoils
The innovative smart-sensor program was launched in 2019 by the Connecticut Interlocal Risk Management Agency (CIRMA) in partnership with Hartford Steam Boiler (HSB). The program leverages proprietary HSB sensors technology and software to protect Connecticut’s public entities by connecting equipment, facilities, and building personnel through the Internet of Things (IoT).
HSB’s sensor solution is an easy-to-use, easy-to-install early-warning system that helps to:
- Monitor conditions 24/7
- Analyze critical data
- Push alerts to key building personnel when environmental changes suggest trouble.
Monitoring can include water presence, freeze risk, refrigeration failure, mold risk, air quality and power outages.
More than 8,000 meals saved
Newington Public School District joined the CIRMA program none too soon. On Saturday, April 24, 2020, the HSB Sensor System alerted building officials at Newington High School that one of their freezers was registering higher-than-normal temperatures.
The sensor alert arrived in time for school officials to replace malfunctioning thermostats that very weekend, mitigating a potential loss that would have been devastating to the community – and possibly, the meal program’s meager budget.
CIRMA has been closely monitoring emerging trends associated with COVID-19 closures. An undetected issue could result in costly damage to our members’ property, a disruption in site performance, and many hours spent recovering and restoring their building and operations.
A turnkey solution
HSB has sensors installed in more than 20 types of use cases including apartments and condominiums, restaurants, campuses, religious facilities and agriculture.