The data errors nobody talks about

In our experience, more than 60% of energy data in commercial buildings contains errors or gaps – and these errors ripple through operations, reporting, and decision-making.

🔎 Learn more about the main causes of these errors. 

The errors no one talks about

Take for instance a BREEAM Excellent-certified building on the west coast of Norway. Since completion, it had been consuming significantly more energy than expected, despite having advanced building management systems. Different measures had been taken to decrease the consumption, without wanted effect. 

The reason? Hundreds of misconfigured and incorrectly installed meters. The building’s energy-saving efforts were based on faulty data, leading to unnecessary costs without any actual improvements.

In another building, we found errors in 36 of 42 existing measurement points – an error margin of 86%.

Unfortunately, these are not rare exceptions. We frequently encounter thermal meters installed the wrong way, misconfigured ventilation sensors, and energy meters that report data with the wrong values. Errors are everywhere and often go unnoticed.

Haakon Karlsen, Senior Data Scientist at Å Insite

"To blindly trust energy data today is like building house on quicksand – it just doesn't make sense.”

 

Haakon Karlsen, Senior Data Scientist at Å Insite

The cost of bad data

Inefficient operations and misguided measures caused by poor data quality lead to wasted resources and costly troubleshooting. Many building operators know their data is inaccurate but have no idea what causes the errors. The result? Countless hours spent on consultants, endless troubleshooting, and new errors emerging along the way.

Because no one has checked the quality of energy data—or taken responsibility for ensuring its accuracy—the real estate industry is now facing a massive challenge: They’re dealing with data debt. And it’s catching up with them.

Ensuring accurate data is the key to unlocking the full potential of existing building management systems and PropTech solutions. Many of these systems could deliver far better results – but they don’t because they are fed faulty or incomplete data.

What can you do?

Correct data is a prerequisite to meet stricter reporting standards (CSRD). Better data also enables more proactive operations and maintenance. But how do you get there?

To ensure your energy data is up to standard, start by asking yourself (or your providers) these three questions:

1. Who is responsible for data quality?

2. How are errors identified and corrected?

If the answers don’t convince you, it’s time for a data quality check.

Data quality – one meter at a time

Reliable energy data is the foundation for smarter decision-making. At Å Insite, we make sure your data is accurate. By mapping, verifying, and correcting your existing setup, we ensure that your energy data meets the highest standards.

👉 Learn how we work with data validation.

We can manage the entire data flow or perform a health check of your existing measurement infrastructure. This gives property owners, operators, and software providers a solid, dependable foundation for making smarter decisions.