Multiplan Empreendimentos Imobiliarios S A : invests in management 4.0 at MorumbiShopping, progressing sustainability

Investment in IoT and Artificial Intelligence delivers operational and financial gains for the company

Multiplan, administrator of 19 shopping centers across the country, is investing in a 4.0 management model to enhance its operations. With an investment of R$ 1 million, the MorumbiShopping 4.0 project involves the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and IoT (Internet of Things). Diverse technologies have become excellent allies for improving operational efficiency, with savings up to R$ 683,000 per year through the reduction of energy consumption and contributing to higher sustainability, ceasing to emit 64 tons of CO₂/year.

Sustainable Technology - The two refrigerated water plants, responsible for cooling the mall, were the main focus of the new management model, involving the installation of 1,200 remote equipment monitoring points. The project's operations control room collects thousands of highly reliable pieces of data in real time and, by means of a management platform, transforms the automated indicators into strategic information that supports the decision-making process.

The internet connection and an algorithm based on AI permit the equipment to reach maximum energy efficiency. With the installation of sensors and the use of IoT and machine learning, it is possible to anticipate problems by collecting 100% reliable data which indicates if there is an actual need for a technical visit. The optimization of time and investments in maintenance led to a 60% decrease in the number of preventive maintenance work orders.

"The project kicked off in January of this year and the implementation of management 4.0 during the COVID-19 pandemic was a challenge with extremely welcome results during these challenging times. Featuring permanent and automated monitoring, we achieved accurate diagnostics, which helped reduce unnecessary maintenance. We intend to expand this project to other malls in order to generate a more modern, efficient and sustainable ecosystem in the sector, following the pioneering spirit Multiplan has always maintained in its 47-year history," said Vander Giordano, Multiplan's Institutional Vice President.

Before the automation, the plants consumed about 5.6 million kWh per year, a volume that will be reduced to 3.8 million kWh per year. The energy saved will be sufficient to supply some 700 low-income houses. The projected gain from this reduction in consumption is R$ 483,000, which could rise by about R$ 200,000 due to the adjustments of the sensors through artificial intelligence. The initiative also makes the mall more sustainable by reducing its annual emissions by 64 tons of CO₂ (equivalent to planting 444 trees per year) and allows lower water consumption with a refrigeration system reduction of 6,045 m³/year.

"Because of the constant changes in temperature in São Paulo, as well as the varied flow of people inside the mall, the digitalization of MorumbiShopping's refrigeration system turns out to be even more relevant and efficient for the wellbeing of clients and tenants," said Giordano.

The MorumbiShopping 4.0 project also led the mall to use IoT to monitor other equipment, such as elevators and paper towel dispensers. For conservation and cleaning, robotic technology was applied, and the equipment works without the need for human intervention.