D*#!@ Techno-babble about Smart Buildings!
May 27, 2016
- Increasing energy efficiency is smart business, accomplishing dual goals of saving money and working to improve the environment.
- The key to capturing the return on investment lies in utilizing the features offered effectively. Unfortunately, much of the discussion is couched in techno-babble.
If you are considering or have made a move into a “smart” building, here are important points to review with the landlord:
Does the building have an energy management system that has an automated fault detection and diagnostic? This type of system uses sensors, controls and software to detect energy usage patterns and continually optimize and improve efficient usage. Increased energy savings result because the system works 24/7.
Smart lighting? It works with a building’s energy management system to switch lights on and off at appropriate times and adjust light levels. These systems also analyze the effect of adjusting smart windows which optimize HVAC and lighting loads.
A smart HVAC system, like smart lighting, ties in to the building’s energy management system. By doing so, the use of energy for heating and cooling can be significantly reduced by customizing heating and cooling more accurately to the needs of occupants.
These systems incorporate additional elements such as smart ceiling fans that help regulate temperature and power strips that reduce plug loads. Used in conjunction with building energy management systems, they can increase power savings even more.
Using smart building technology could save US businesses an estimated $20 - $25 billion annually. The energy savings also helps reduce the carbon emissions, too. Smart building advantages can frequently be gained by simply analyzing data that is already available. If that’s the case, significant savings are possible without extensive capital investment.
Interested to know if your landlord is saving you money? Give me a call!
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