BWI

BWI is piloting the device data pipeline for its connected Posterity Scholar House community on a Google Cloud Platform solution built and managed by ClearObject, with 17 of 50 units at its Overlook property in Indianapolis already instrumented with intelligent thermostats.

BWI, LLC is a construction, real estate development, property management, consulting and electrical firm based in Indianapolis. The company focuses on construction management of general, large development projects as well as niche energy-efficient urban revitalization projects. BWI helps its clients design, develop and manage their projects with an emphasis in electrical and eco-friendly sustainable development.

The Challenge: Creating a smart devices data pipe for interaction, data collection, and pattern analysis

The $13 million Posterity Scholar House project is the first phase of BWI’s four-phase Posterity Heights urban revitalization development initiative in Fort Wayne, Indiana. This initial phase of the connected community is now being constructed, with the project’s 44 housing units each set to feature smart thermostats, power meters, and other intelligent devices powered by a 500KW solar array. The array is also anticipated to power an electric car sharing service. Additional connectivity will come by way of a new app and connected community web portal for residents that will let them manage energy, transportation and other functions electronically via their smartphone.

To support this proposed connectivity overall, the challenge was to first create—and prove—the project’s foundational cloud elements, instrumentation, data pipe, analytics, and end-user personas and processes.

The Solution: Foundational pilot built on Google Cloud Platform, ClearObject managed services

After completing ideate sprints and subsequent design sprints with all parties involved, ClearObject launched a 2-phase pilot project to map the ideated user experience functionality for residents. Phase 1 of the pilot focused on developing the consolidated device cloud and Phase 2 will finalize user personas. ClearObject’s team built a Google Cloud Platform (GCP) solution being used throughout both pilot phases and is also providing managed services to support the GCP pilot environment.

The Result

With the Posterity Scholar House development still under construction, the pilot to create a device data pipeline is being conducted at BWI’s existing Overlook property in Indianapolis. Of Overlook’s 50 units, 17 are instrumented with intelligent thermostats, with plans to deploy additional thermostats, power meter sensors and a weather station. The work at Overlook is enabling the two pilot project phases to be conducted on top of one another using the same GCP foundational elements and services.

1st First of its kind fully
connected “smart” community

Going Forward

BWI’s pilot solution will enable them to fully implement their connectivity blueprint at Posterity Scholar House as well as Overlook. Plans are to ultimately expand connectivity to the remaining three phases of the company’s Posterity Heights community in Fort Wayne: the Posterity Place housing life development and innovation resource center; Posterity Village (52 townhomes); and Posterity Point (45 single-family homes).

Frequently asked questions

What is BWI building with ClearObject?

The foundational cloud elements, instrumentation, data pipe and analytics for a connected community. Residents of the 44-unit Posterity Scholar House in Fort Wayne will manage energy, transportation and other functions from their smartphones.

How is the pilot structured?

ClearObject ran ideate and design sprints, then a 2-phase pilot: Phase 1 develops the consolidated device cloud and Phase 2 finalizes user personas. Both phases run on the same Google Cloud Platform foundation, with ClearObject providing managed services.

Where is the pilot running?

At BWI's existing Overlook property in Indianapolis, while Posterity Scholar House is under construction. 17 of Overlook's 50 units have intelligent thermostats, with power meter sensors and a weather station planned.