Why stop at energy?

The October Energy Efficiency Trends report, produced by EEVS and Blomberg New Energy Finance, reported for the first time, that the number of energy efficiency projects in industrial buildings had exceeded those in the commercial sector. It also highlighted the continuing popularity of building energy management systems as a means of meeting these energy efficiency objectives. 

To achieve wider influence, effective monitoring systems need to be: based on granular, real-time data; bespoke, adaptable and extendable to meet evolving requirements; and easy to install and use. And it is critical that any monitoring and control installed is not static or prescriptive, as each application is likely to be different at the outset and in its efficiency route map. In this instance bespoke doesn’t have to mean more expensive nor more time consuming – it just needs to be programmable and backed by buildings and facilities expertise.

It also makes sense that those organisations that have shouldered the responsibility for sustainability innovation are best positioned to design and deploy integrated monitoring and control systems. They know what works – and what doesn’t. 

Network Rail’s use of our remote monitoring and control system, for example, has been bespoke from the outset. What started as a remote energy management system was reconfigured to monitor temperature changes within high voltage transformer rooms and lineside signalling buildings. The resulting system alerts engineers to potential systems failures, facilitating early intervention and averting line closures.

But that’s not the end of the story. The system has since been extended to increase the remote monitoring range and include water ingress monitoring, kWh energy consumption reporting, and video monitoring linked to Network Rail’s very early smoke detection alarm system. Here, our real world experience has informed our online reporting system. 

These additional functions are extending rather than replacing the original energy monitoring capability. It’s a clear indication of the wider role that this type of system will play in infrastructure management as we get to grips with the data at our disposal. The opportunities within industrial settings are enormous.

Monitoring and managing your utility consumption data at a granular and time-flexible level is one of the most important aspects to a successful sustainable operation. This identifies efficiency opportunities, enables benchmarking and also allows organisations to carry out bill validation, reducing overcharging. In a recent report into UK water charging, 1 in 4 of clients surveyed had been billed incorrectly. The correct data will put a stop to this across all utilities.

Another easy win is to monitor energy consumption in fan units, stopping the creeping increase to compensate for blocked filters. Alert-triggered filter changes direct preventative maintenance resource and cut energy waste, just as continuous water temperature monitoring can eliminate unnecessary manual water monitoring, flushing and chemical dosing.

Deploying a system that is capable of monitoring and controlling a range of utilities is simpler for industrial plant managers to use, with just one dashboard and one reporting system. If systems combine big data interrogation with practical infrastructure expertise, industry efficiency – and productivity – will be the winner. I’m pleased that our system is built on these solid foundations.