Energy efficiency T


he energy efficiency of HVAC processes is an ongoing challenge that must be managed in order for manufacturers to maintain a


competitive edge. Lack of governmental support being felt by the industry along with electricity prices expected to rise up to 60% more than their European counterparts only goes to exacerbate this predicament. That is before the effect of current global crises on the worldwide energy mix is even factored in.


Sustainability is another aspect that is mounting further pressure on operations. In line with Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050, legislation is becoming more stringent as the Government adopts the Climate Change Committee’s Sixth Carbon Budget recommended emissions reductions of 75% by 2035. While the ambition is welcome, turning it into action presents an all the more challenging process in decarbonising operations. As major companies look to pledge to carbon


neutrality, grappling with post-COVID recoveries and new energy pressures caused by the war in Ukraine are major concerns here. Operations and facilities management need to be well-informed, proactive, and supported from all business levels to be instrumental in meeting decarbonisation targets.


Bolstering boardroom support


Despite clear need, evidence suggests that further support is required from senior leadership to make energy-intensive processes more efficient. Such oversight is particularly prominent for HVAC provision, given that these utilities account for around 40% of total site energy consumption. A new report from data analytics specialists CIM, The Energy Blind Spots, demonstrates this conclusion. It found that of the 100 facilities managers it surveyed at Tier 1 manufacturers, only 35% felt the C-Suite highly prioritised energy efficiency. Although 54% of respondents felt HVAC costs


are being acknowledged by senior management, this support must significantly improve to enhance energy efficiency and move closer to realising Net Zero goals. It is for this reason that senior leaders should target efficiency gains from HVAC plant and critical equipment across sites. This is even more pertinent when attention is turned to further findings from CIM. With 87% citing CAPEX constraints as a key obstacle to improving energy performance, garnering OPEX savings in existing plant processes becomes increasingly important if budgets are to reach a point where these restrictions are eased.


Taking a proactive stance


Without sufficient organisational support, facilities managers often find themselves continually carrying out reactive maintenance on HVAC equipment, informed by concerns raised by building management systems (BMS) alarms or staff themselves. Putting these FM teams on the front foot through preventative and proactive process work could help manufacturers and facility professionals alleviate issues arising from soaring


12 September 2022


www.heatingandventilating.net


Analytics make for efficient HVAC provision


Net Zero emissions pose a challenge for UK HVAC professionals working at energy-intensive hi-tech manufacturers. With a volatile geopolitical climate and notoriously high industrial electricity £/kWh presenting challenges, Paul Walsh, general manager – EMEA at CIM, discusses how smart building analytics can progress organisations toward such goals


energy bills and ambitious sustainability pledges. Again, CIM’s research provides conclusive


evidence, with less than one-third of surveyed facilities managers admitting to continually monitoring carbon emissions. At the same time, 62% believe they were deficient in day-to-day collection of key BMS data. From these statistics it can be argued that hard-pressed, misdirected and reactive facilities management teams need greater support when monitoring building performance metrics, including HVAC provision.


Alarm fatigue


Data-oriented strategies will clearly be pivotal to alleviate day-to-day work challenges, as well as wider concerns around operational efficiency and sustainable progress insofar as facilities are concerned. That being said, the sheer quantity of data generated by a BMS and critical utilities and equipment can also lead to issues for facilities management teams already under considerable pressure.


It is these scenarios that are causing ‘BMS alarm


fatigue’, whereby facilities managers become so overwhelmed with alarms that no clear strategy can be executed to prioritise and address. CIM’s report reveals this to be the case, with 29% of facilities managers stating that all BMS alerts are unactioned because they receive too many notifications.


Adopting innovation Ongoing innovation can provide an answer to this pressing need, as building analytics platforms are being developed that apply machine learning and automated Fault Detection diagnostics to building data. From here, facility management personnel can acquire actionable and predictive insights ahead of time as well as clear process improvements. Along with verifying and futureproofing


improvements, systems at the cutting edge are also monitored by HVAC mechatronic and electrical engineers. Consequently, facilities management workloads can be prioritised towards actions that will achieve optimum sustainability and efficiency gains. With such platforms in place, facilities managers


can move away from the ‘fix-and-forget’ mindset rooted in reactive repair and maintenance. This subsequently allows focus to be directed onto larger decarbonisation and efficiency pressures. Building from here, streamlined OPEX costs helps to free up CAPEX budgets for investment into more energy efficient equipment. Together, these actions work to improve sustainability, competitiveness, and energy efficiency interdependently. Indeed, manufacturers are faced with a challenging business landscape going forward. Yet by adopting a philosophy of marginal gains through innovative building analytics, ongoing issues can be prioritised and rectified as needed, delivering positive gains not only to Opex but also to operational efficiency.


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