Digitalising the Rail Sector, the Future of Asset Management

14 November 2022

For the past 10 years, CODA Cloud has been working closely with the rail sector to enable the industry’s digitalisation and transform how sites and stations are managed. Our revolutionary software not only provides significant cost savings to hundreds of UK stations but also supports site management teams, digitalising infrastructure to improve operational and asset performance for the benefit of both rail operators and passengers.

Improved maintenance schedules

The maintenance of rail assets can represent a significant amount of the total operating costs for rail operators, with some experiencing an average of 10 maintenance-related site visits per month. When we consider that there are over 2,500 stations around the UK, these callouts carry a high carbon cost and financial implications.

The CODA software gathers, analyses, and presents data relating to every asset within a site and shares it with users via a user-friendly interface. This data offers engineers and maintenance teams enhanced visibility of the systems and assets, making it possible to identify and diagnose the root cause of recurring issues remotely. This improved maintenance strategy may not only limit the need for multiple site visits and prevent asset failure, but it can also contribute to prolonging the overall lifespan of an asset and avoiding costly replacements.

As well as pinpointing existing issues, the CODA platform can help maintenance teams to predict future operational problems based on irregularities in an individual asset’s energy usage. Using a combination of submetering and advanced data analysis, CODA can alert users when an asset performs unexpectedly. This allows facilities managers to conduct proactive maintenance to resolve the fault before it results in downtime and disruption for rail operators and passengers.

Enhanced asset performance

In addition to ensuring that equipment is well maintained, CODA can support rail property managers to ensure that each asset operates most effectively. The CODA monitoring devices provide information on equipment, building health and operational performance and the control devices allow for programmatic control against agreed criteria.

For example, harnessing the data gathered by CODA’s IoT-enabled sensors makes it possible to ensure that HVAC systems are working at their optimum. The strategically placed sensors continually monitor aspects of the internal air quality (IAQ) in areas such as stations and offices to assess the humidity, temperature, and CO2 levels. If the levels go above or below their optimum, the system will automatically adjust the ventilation or heating system accordingly. This ensures that the environment remains compliant with legislation and is safe and comfortable for travellers and employees.

Reduced energy consumption

Energy costs are a mounting concern for rail operators and, in some instances, energy is being used unnecessarily. CODA’s continuous monitoring provides a real-time view of the energy usage across entire sites and stations and enables property managers to identify opportunities to reduce energy consumption and improve efficiency.

By submetering individual assets and analysing their energy usage, CODA can ensure that equipment is only being used at appropriate times. For example, by reviewing the energy usage data on the CODA dashboard, property managers will be able to identify instances in which assets such as lighting, air conditioning and heating systems are running out with operational hours.

Energy wastage of this kind significantly impacts the overall energy consumption and the financial and environmental cost of running a site. By making property managers aware of this wastage, CODA enables them to automate equipment or take steps to implement behavioural changes that will lower consumption and create a more efficient station going forwards.

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For further information please contact the team on email: info@codacloud.io