The latest facts reveal buildings contribute to 40% of global energy consumption and 33% of greenhouse gas emissions. It is taking a toll on energy consumption globally. It’s better to take powerful steps to combat such concerning issues. Ensuring the sustainability and energy efficiency in the buildings will allow the facility managers to contribute to a greener environment. Growth in technological advancements has given rise to energy management systems. It plays a contributing part in managing the energy demand in big buildings. A recent study says that it can efficiently control up to 84% of the energy consumption in equipment and building.

There is a lack of prioritization in large organizations ranging from a lack of awareness, ownership, intent, procedural issues, interdepartmental dependence, low prioritization of sustainability goals, and split incentives between owner and tenant (customer) to a lack of CXO level engagement for driving energy management across the enterprise. 

Even though some facilities have Building Management System in place, there is still a need to incorporate advanced solutions for better equipment performance. Energy management solutions facilitate informed decision-making for optimal energy consumption in buildings. 

Deploying the latest IoT-based energy management system is no more an exception for the buildings. It allows the building and advanced equipment to become more efficient, digital, and green. The facilities having a high level of power consumption levels can leverage these progressive technologies to bring efficient results in the long run. Even though some facilities have Building Management System in place, there is still a need to incorporate advanced solutions for better equipment performance.

Prioritize the energy management solutions over traditional BMS

Most users tend to mistake BMS with energy management solutions. BMS primarily manages and controls the building systems such as HVAC, lighting, access control, etc. The role of energy management solutions is to provide energy, demand, and power quality monitoring. This powerful solution can facilitate effective energy visualization and analytics, provide dashboards and trends for energy consumption in building & equipment, system, building, campus, and portfolio levels for effective decision making. It does much more than a traditional BMS that provides users with the additional functionality of power quality monitoring.

Small buildings may get independent controls for energy systems, but when it comes to large or complex buildings, ensuring effective energy management becomes challenging. Advanced energy management solutions play a crucial role in such a scenario. It allows facility managers to get greater control and ensure significant energy savings over time.

In large buildings, facility managers need to upskill themselves, especially in energy-intensive sites to make the best use of high-tech and smart solutions like power management. Also, it’s important to note that it is not a one-time job rather a continuous process. The buildings will be able to address the low-hanging fruits by bringing in energy efficiency using these solutions that provide actionable data. Investment in energy management solutions will turn into a wise decision that minimizes the energy costs and equipment maintenance issues. 

Ideal capabilities of energy management solutions

There are many solutions available in the market. It depends upon the facilities which one to go ahead with. However, an ideal energy management solution must have the following capabilities to bring efficiency to buildings:

• Gather information from energy sources.
• Identify problems and trends through analyzing multi-variable and single-variable data.
• Provides alerts if the energy consumption of buildings goes beyond the set parameters.
• Integrate with the control systems to enable automation of responses and input data.
• Give early warnings in case of any failures in mechanical or electrical systems.
• Identify energy wastage and recommend solutions for more natural payback.
• Benchmarks the energy consumption in buildings compared to other structures found in similar climates.

The early facility managers incorporate energy management solutions to track energy usage, the earlier they’ll be able to transform their building into a smart one. After all, it provides real-time remote monitoring and integrated control of a wide range of connected systems, allowing modes of operation, energy consumption, environmental conditions to be monitored, allowing hours of operation, and set points to be adjusted for optimized building performance and occupant comfort. 

Some elaborated reasons that state how energy management solutions bring efficiency to buildings and equipment

Facilities need to identify and analyze data to ensure their motive of optimal energy consumptions. Implementation of power management solutions allows them to do so. It provides a clear understanding of current energy consumption and the tools to manage the energy requirement in buildings and advanced equipment. Want to understand how? Here are some of the top reasons:

1. Monitoring power supply

One of the key benefits of implementing energy management solutions is it allows the building managers and asset owners to monitor the power supply from various sources (Grid, Solar, Diesel Generator, etc.) and reduce unnecessary wastage. It ultimately leads to a reduction in costs, especially in high-impact events benefitting both the environment and bottom line.

2. Remote Asset Management

 The efficiency of the facility managers goes to the next level when they get the opportunity to handle their building operations from remote places. The technology of energy management solutions is so powerful that it collects all the data into an online portal. The building operators can monitor and handle the systems remotely through handheld devices such as mobile phones, tablets, and laptops. It doesn’t matter where they are, they can keep control over complex building operations and high-voltage equipment. In short, it encourages more optimized operations and greater energy savings. With these solutions in place, facility managers can welcome smart buildings.

3. An automated solution

Automation is present everywhere. It’s just that some facilities are not making use of it. The demand of every building is unique and requires a customized solution. The automation that energy management solutions offer to buildings is exceptional. They are high-quality and value-for-money solutions that are engineered for the demands of a specific site. It provides confidence to the facility managers in managing the energy usage of their assets and infrastructure.

4. Identification of power quality problems

Detection of irregular power supply or other energy discrepancies is another key benefit of implementing power management solutions. Building managers can assess the criticality of the issue and decide on the best course of action for better execution of operations. These solutions have the ability to receive and communicate alarm conditions for a set of different issues, offering building operators the information needed to access conditions and respond to issues quickly if there is a need. In the end, building managers can identify the bigger problems proactively without incurring huge costs.

5. Effectively using lighting and HVAC controls 

Facility managers can minimize or completely eliminate energy waste with power management solutions and improve the efficiency of lighting and HVAC systems. By installing sensors in various parts of the building, facility managers can get relevant insights into the energy consumption of various building and HVAC systems. 

The key to gaining the full advantage of lighting controls is to routinely check to ensure that programming is correct and the system is functioning properly. Considering the safety and occupant comfort, designing, installing, and maintaining these control systems is crucial. For well-managed and well-maintained lighting and HVAC controls, the installation of IoT-based energy management solutions is a must. 

The future of smart building lies in the implementation of energy management solutions!

In a time where operations are becoming so advanced, facilities must not step back in implementing the smart solutions that can actually transform the way their building operates. Energy touches every aspect of a building operation and presents simultaneous challenges, including energy costs, occupant comfort, and energy reliability. Its consumption and its management are vital concerns for the facilities. The advanced solutions will only ease the hassle of the building operators. Connect with Zenatix, one of the prominent IoT brands in India. We make the implementation of smart and advanced IoT solutions easy for our clients. We transform the way your entire building operates.