FACILITIES MANAGEMENT
REDUCING ENERGY COSTS AND D
With Net Zero targets on the horizon, energy management plays a pivotal role for facilities
managers looking to decarbonise buildings and estates, to reduce costs and help manage tight budgets. Given that the energy crisis will be with us for the foreseeable future, Dr Alex
Mardapittas at Powerstar highlights some critical issues facing the FM sector and considers two
key energy management technologies that are helping private and public sector clients achieve greater efficiency and sustainability
G
lobally, FM accounts for nearly 40% of carbon emissions and, with a value of more
than £40 billion in the UK, it’s a sector where energy efficiency measures can have significant impact for the country’s ambitions to achieve Net Zero. Since COP27 left us without a clear roadmap to meet the Paris Agreement’s 1.5˚C target, many organisations – both private and public – are taking it into their own hands to deliver sustainable FM energy strategies. Research by RICS indicates that energy
management is undergoing one of the fastest sustainability investment rates, showing a growing trend towards renewables. And, in the general built environment context, Architecture 2030 confirm: ‘In 2040 approximately 2/3 of the global building stock will be buildings that exist today. Without widespread existing building decarbonisation across the globe, these buildings
will still be emitting CO2 emissions in 2040 and we will not achieve the Paris Agreement’s 1.5˚C target. Achieving zero emissions from the existing building stock will require leveraging building intervention points to accelerate the rate of energy upgrades (increasing energy efficiency, eliminating on-site fossil fuels, and generating and/or procuring 100% renewable energy).’ In the context of emission reductions to address
climate change and meet UK Net Zero targets, energy management clearly has a significant place on the FM agenda. At the same time, in the current geopolitical and economic context, there are major
benefits for facilities managers in implementing sustainable energy management strategies: reducing bills, improving efficiency, and helping to raise brand profile. Adopting modern energy management technology - specifically, Voltage Optimisation (VO) and Battery Energy Storage (BESS) - delivers these joint requirements of emission reduction alongside cost savings.
Voltage Optimisation installation
HOW VOLTAGE OPTIMISATION CAN HELP Voltage Optimisation (VO) is a transformer-based technology designed to help ensure that energy supply from the Grid matches the voltage required by on-site equipment. While the UK and UE regulate for mains supply voltage at 230V +10% / -6%, the permitted voltage range is anywhere between 216 and 253V. To meet its legal obligations, the Grid will generally supply energy at higher than 230V. However, since most UK electrical equipment is designed to operate at 220V, this higher than necessary operating voltage wastes energy while also potentially damaging equipment, leading to unnecessary maintenance costs and shortening the lifespan of critical kit - meaning further asset costs and additional emissions from equipment scrappage and replacement. All of this means higher energy bills. Typically, installation of VO can deliver an energy consumption reduction of between 6 - 12%. Taking retail as one sector where FM plays a critical strategic role, the industry intends to achieve Net Zero by 2040 – an ambitious aim, a decade sooner than the overall UK commitment. In part, this target can be attributed to consumer pressure, and household brands are front and centre when it comes to public perception of corporate environmental responsibility and brand values. Customers and investors demand transparent ESG consisting of more than greenwashing. For one client in the food and beverage sector, Powerstar’s VO solution has delivered a 13%
32 ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS - Spring 2023
Inside a BSS
reduction in total energy consumption, saving more than 8,000 kWh from their carbon footprint. The client, M I Dickson, is a large family- owned food manufacturer and retailer in
the Northeast and, working across both manufacture and retail, FM is a significant aspect of the successful running of its operations. Given the company’s commitment to the local community, it wanted to explore options for greater efficiency, to reduce its carbon footprint, but needed any options to be installed with maximum efficiency and reduce any downtime to an absolute minimum. Having inspected one key site, Powerstar realised that they were being delivered an unstable and higher than necessary voltage supply, inflating energy bills and creating unnecessary emissions. The solution, Powerstar’s VO-MAX, was recommended since it dynamically regulates incoming voltage levels, whereas many VO solutions will regulate by a prescribed level. Powerstar’s VO solution ensures stable security for equipment while maximising cost savings and carbon reductions, facilitated by remote monitoring in real time. After the installation, a 35-day comparison with the same period from the previous year showed a decrease in energy consumption of more than 8,000 kWh, even though production at the site had increased by 10%. This equates to a 52.8kWh reduction per tonne of product, saving 13% per tonne, and the company is looking to roll this energy management solution out across all their 30 retail stores.
BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS When considering building stock and energy upgrades to maximise the sustainability of existing infrastructure, the combination of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) with PV solar arrays is
www.essmag.co.uk
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