North Raleigh Today

Amazon is leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance the sustainability of its facilities worldwide. At a logistics center in Glasgow, Scotland, Amazon's AI tool, FlowMS, detected a water leak that was invisible to the human eye. The tool identified the leak by analyzing metering data and alerting Amazon employees. Engineers found a faulty underground valve causing an annual loss of 9 million gallons of water.

FlowMS is part of Amazon's suite of AI tools aimed at improving building efficiency. "At Amazon, we’re innovating with AI to help us find new ways to decarbonize even faster," said Kara Hurst, Amazon’s chief sustainability officer. She added that these innovations are part of efforts to make buildings more energy- and water-efficient.

Amazon has been the largest corporate purchaser of renewable energy for five consecutive years. The company supports over 600 solar and wind projects globally as part of its climate initiatives.

AI plays a crucial role in Amazon's sustainability efforts since buildings contribute significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to FlowMS, Amazon's Decision Science & Technology team developed the Base Building Advanced Monitoring (BBAM) tool using AWS machine learning technologies like SageMaker and Lambda. This tool monitors HVAC systems for anomalies and potential issues such as clogged filters or unexpected energy consumption due to weather changes.

Sites utilizing FlowMS and BBAM have reported improvements in energy efficiency. For instance, at a New York fulfillment center, FlowMS discovered an inaccurate utility meter reading which led to adjustments saving significant energy costs. Similarly, in Spain, BBAM identified a malfunctioning air conditioning unit by analyzing real-time weather data.

The BBAM tool is being deployed at various fulfillment centers and delivery sites to prevent unnecessary energy loss from open dock doors during loading operations. Currently used at 120 locations, there are plans to expand these tools to over 300 sites by the end of 2025.

Another AI innovation by Amazon is the Advanced Refrigeration Monitoring (ARM) system that ensures optimal temperatures for perishable goods in fulfillment centers by predicting equipment failures through real-time analysis.

In Spain, ARM detected issues with refrigeration units' defrost cycles early on, preventing food spoilage and reducing equipment downtime by approximately 1,000 hours.

###