Energy Monitoring and Optimization
Monitoring energy consumption is a critical component to efficient operations. Most entities have only the utilities energy meter and a complex billing structure that is difficult even for the experts to interpret. Submetering of electrical energy for major equipment and sub-panels can reveal not only where to focus energy conservation measures, but can even save energy on its own. Multiple studies prove that measuring and monitoring energy consumption typically drives a 10% reduction in energy consumption.
There are multiple options for energy dashboards from custom solutions with cloud based analytical tools to canned solutions tailored for specific facility or enterprise operational needs.
In order to assess performance, the load side must also be measured. For heating and cooling this means measuring the thermal energy delivered by the system. For compressed air systems this means measuring the pressure and air volumes supplied. Every significant utility should have its performance measured. This provides information on the current state of operational efficiency as well as insight regarding system performance, giving advance indication for actionable maintenance tasks. It also identifies problem areas before there is a catastrophic failure, providing reliable continuous operation and avoiding any unplanned outages.
