READING THE ROOM

equipment and controlling a building ‘en bloc’, but if saving energy is the primary objective, more precise control will yield much greater savings.

One sector where this can be demonstrated clearly is student accommodation.

There are more than 1.7M rooms in the UK student estate. As occupants are not directly responsible for paying the heating bill, they are not so diligent about consuming energy efficiently. Therefore, automated control inside every one of these rooms will pay dividends.

entire estate via an internet portal. Profiles for all rooms are programmed on the portal as each new cohort of residents move in. Upper limits for temperatures and time periods are set. This means that heaters cannot be left at the maximum setting all term! However, if individual residents request slight variations to the standard profile, these can be accommodated without the manager having to visit the room. At the end of the year the manager simply selects ‘ALL ROOMS’ then ‘STANDARD PROFILE’, and every room is reset.

Maintaining control and monitoring the equipment that keeps large modern buildings functioning can only be administered with technological solutions.

Building Management Systems (BMS) are designed for this very purpose. They will typically handle – lighting control, i.e., switching on and off according to scheduled events; control and monitoring of mechanical and electrical equipment; scheduling a heating system; and the adjustment of ventilation.

Add to this – door/access control; security and observation; fire and smoke detection; water valve control; people movement – lifts, escalators etc. And the building now has a very comprehensive system which, as well as providing control, helps with energy efficiency.

For some situations though, this can be more complex than is necessary. BMS play their part in switching

In these buildings, many hundreds of rooms will be inhabited by people with very different occupancy patterns and, specifically in the case of international students, temperature preferences. While the BMS is doing the heavy lifting it simply cannot attend to the subtleties of individual room requirements.

This is when the Building ENERGY Management System or BeMS steps into the room. Often BeMS work in conjunction with a BMS but can also operate autonomously. Being ‘in each room’, monitoring occupancy, and controlling individual heaters, BeMS can really drive down the unnecessary use of energy.

A heater control is mounted on the wall and is pivotal in maintaining a comfortable, safe environment, while ensuring energy is only used when necessary. The controller is used to adjust the room temperature to the resident’s preference, but it is also collecting and transferring data to the central monitoring system, where Energy Managers can oversee their

By controlling energy input at the point of use, consumption is more predictable. Room providers can be confident that energy isn’t being wasted if rooms are empty or windows are opened.

The control unit is also monitoring humidity, light, CO2 and sound pressure levels in individual rooms and alerts are sent out if unusual conditions occur. Even greater savings can be made if water heating is also controlled by the BeMS. Monitoring individual water heating cylinders provides a clearer picture of the consumption of both water and electricity. If you can measure it, you can manage it!

Using smart devices to make buildings even smarter, a BeMS is an invaluable addition to any building. Technology-based information and communication systems effectively reading the room and the tank, and provide targeted control at point of use, thus optimising performance and energy efficiency. www.Prefectcontrols.com

LOCAL CONTROL

• Room temperature

• Setback, Boost & Frost

• User adjustment

• Open window

• Absense detection

• Tamper-proof

• Programmable

• Electric or wet systems

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• up to 30% savings

CENTRAL CONTROL

All ecostat2 features

+ Secure portal access

+ Humidity

+ Light

+ Sound pressure

+ CO 2

+ Water heating

+ Leak detection

• up to 40% savings

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In accommodation where the rent includes the cost of heating, the room occupant has control over how much energy they use. Prefect products enable Energy and Accommodation Managers to take control of energy use, while ensuring rooms remain comfortable. Scan

Local control

Central control