18 Energy Efficiency
Sponsored by Three steps to the right way
forward in energy efficiency By Ross Giles, business development manager for Trane UK.
WITH ENERGY DEMAND soaring, the new worlds of energy and technology offer the opportunity to achieve best-in-class energy performance – with cost savings that repay the investment many times over.
Define and prioritise initiatives Operating a building throughout its lifespan accounts for between 60% and 85% of total lifecycle costs. The first step in reducing those costs and improving building performance is to answer the question ‘What is the mission of the building – and its critical success factors?’. The answers differ greatly for different kinds of organisations, but this understanding, coupled with the data and analysis of energy use, enables the identification of the greatest opportunities for better building performance. Consumption could be aligned with the optimal rate structure to avoid high- demand charges and other unnecessary costs. It’s then possible to calculate the magnitude of payback from identified opportunities and prioritise them. The key to cutting through the complexity is to link energy initiatives to the strategic and financial goals of the organisation and order initiatives according to the degree to which they contribute to those goals. This process forces the most compelling opportunities into the forefront. Conveying those opportunities in the strategic and financial language of the ultimate decision-makers greatly increases the likelihood of their adoption.
Put metrics to work
Collecting and analysing data is the second step to reducing energy costs and improving building performance. Smart meters, for example, found in
many commercial and industrial settings, record consumption of electric energy by time of day and in intervals of as short as 15 minutes. Building owners, however, frequently only pay attention to the total costs aggregated in their bill. If data does exist, utilise it. High interval energy and weather data can provide quick, non-invasive energy evaluations, focusing on energy-use patterns and behaviours. A full-scale audit can determine the current level of performance of critical building systems. Many advanced building automation systems include web-enabled dashboards, making it easier than ever to collect and analyse data.
However data is collected it should be put to work. Data can help facilities adjust their consumption habits and can be used to profile a facility’s energy use in comparison to its historical performance. Data can also be benchmarked against comparable buildings, indicating areas for improvement.
Looking at future benefits, such data will be the foundation for systems that optimise decisions about energy and implement those decisions through new predictive modelling technologies.
Technicians can look deep inside HVAC components, uncover potential problems and predict when components will fail. Automated HVAC fault detection and diagnostics can detect and report significant faults in critical HVAC components – isolating problems that are wasting energy and providing early warning of possible failures.
Apply criteria
Building a compelling and comprehensive business case and converting it into action requires three additional steps, which can
be complicated. But applying common- sense criteria and asking some basic questions will help decision-makers arrive at the best possible options.
First, any solution – from a one-off piece of equipment to comprehensive building systems – should meet some basic criteria. In addition to fulfilling the requirements of a particular energy initiative, it should be: ■ Scalable. Built on open platforms, the solution should integrate seamlessly with existing equipment and controls – no matter what brand – and provide the latitude to easily expand into other systems within a building, multiple buildings, and buildings to be added.
■ Evolvable. The energy eco-system – technology, regulation, and the way utilities operate – will continue to evolve in ways that could render many solutions obsolete long before they have yielded the desired return on investment. Solutions should be designed to be adaptable.
■ Sustainable. Will the vendor be in business for the life of the building and be capable of providing maintenance, emergency service, or, if desired, comprehensive services?
Second, consider more than just the cost of purchase when analysing financing options. Include issues such as installation costs, operating costs, service requirements and the expense of borrowing money. Analysing total cost of ownership can assess all possibilities and identify funding alternatives.
Third is the decision whether to undertake the project in-house or to enlist an external partner. Beware of short- sighted savings at the expense of the added and significant long-term value of a partner who can not only implement the project but validate results, identify additional opportunities, and drive for continuing performance improvement throughout the life of the building.
The way forward
The way forward in building energy efficiency lies in holistic solutions that leverage analytics, evolve with the energy eco-system, and turn building performance into business advantage. While the process begins with ‘saving energy saves money’, it ends with much more: greater capital flexibility, improved organisational and occupant effectiveness, a cleaner environment, and a superior reputation for sustainability.
A supplement to ACR News May 2014 Visit ACR News online at
www.acr-news.com
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