Building Intelligence and Energy Management

Building Intelligence and Energy Management

What is Building Intelligence and Energy Management?

A Quick Definition

Lets begin with a quick definition, there are energy monitoring systems, these collect data, trend this data in a file some where and that’s it. when the NABERs assessor arrives he likes to see this information. An Energy Management System (EMS) does the same but has an added bonus of using that information

to reduce your energy consumption while you’re at the cafe’. Both systems are typically interfaced into your Building Management System, the real difference is using the information in an autonomous programmed way or just collecting the information/data and hoping for the best.

Which School

There’s two schools of thought, the first, implement an Energy Monitoring System and set and forget or use the data and develop an Energy Management System which will control main plant, send alarms, and include environmental data (outside air temperature, humidity) people occupancy and lighting conditions so the use of energy is fair.

Which Flavor, Energy Management or Environmental Impact management

There’s a lot of different types of EMS, all with one thing in common, their core task to retrieve information, to use that information (or data) to improve the resource efficiency or energy efficiency of a facility or building. We use the word “resource” rather than energy at times, because a decent system will consider water, waste, diesel fuels (for generators) ,steam, and other environmental impact sources which might be available for conservation in a commercial building facility.

Building Intelligence

If you have a high occupancy in a room, the energy consumption of the Air Conditioning will be higher than unoccupied. Similar with lighting control during the winter months. Your Energy Management System needs this information to treat the energy consumption with the appropriate control parameters. Think of an EMS system like a driver of a car, if there is a hill, then more gas is needed to maintain your speed, if don’t apply more gas then the occupants will complain and may not want to ride in your car again. The Driver of the car needs to know when to apply the gas and when he can coast. This is what we like to call “Building Intelligence”.
So Let us know your thoughts and/or how your system is performing.

Thank you for your time

Nigel Wraight
Principle
Forte Asset Services

19/11/2023