Clockworks Analytics

Clockworks Analytics offers a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform for building performance management, originating from MIT's Building Science Department in 2008. Initially established as KGS Buildings, the company rebranded in 2020 to align with its flagship technology. The venture was started by Nicholas Gayeski, who co-founded the company while pursuing his doctorate in Building Technology at MIT. His academic research at MIT, which included a Ph.D. and a Master of Science in Building Technology, laid the technical groundwork for the company's analytics-driven approach. In 2023, Brian Day, a seasoned executive with experience leading high-growth tech companies like Fuze and Apperian, was appointed Co-CEO to serve alongside Gayeski, aiming to scale the company's operations and growth.

The core of Clockworks Analytics' business is a fault detection and diagnostics (FDD) platform that connects to a building's existing management and metering systems. It operates on a subscription-based model, serving clients across healthcare, life sciences, higher education, and commercial real estate, including notable organizations like MIT, Harvard University, and Kaiser Permanente. The platform analyzes vast streams of data from mechanical and HVAC assets to identify operational inefficiencies, predict equipment failures, and prioritize maintenance tasks. By diagnosing the root cause of issues related to energy consumption, indoor air quality, and equipment health, the system provides actionable recommendations to facility managers and service providers.

The technology functions as an expert system, a form of AI designed to simulate the decision-making of a human building systems expert. This allows the platform to move beyond simple fault alerts to provide nuanced diagnostics without requiring custom rule-writing for each scenario. The system's intelligence grows as more buildings and equipment are connected, enhancing its diagnostic capabilities across a global portfolio. In 2023, the company acquired the technology assets of Animated Insights, a digital twin provider, to integrate 3D visualizations and enhance device discovery and two-way communication capabilities within its platform. This acquisition supports ongoing research and development efforts with the U.S. Department of Energy to automate the process of finding and fixing HVAC control issues.

Keywords: building performance management, fault detection and diagnostics, FDD, SaaS, HVAC analytics, smart building intelligence, energy management, predictive maintenance, facility management software, building automation, root cause analysis, proptech, building analytics, operational efficiency, indoor air quality, equipment health monitoring, MIT spin-off, commercial real estate technology, building energy optimization, digital twin