Monitoring & Metering

Metering & Monitoring

Peter Burbidge is managing director, Pressac

Facilities managers can take advantage of a smart building’s capacity for data analysis

Monitoring in the future

No longer just bricks and mortar, today’s buildings are increasingly intuitive, adaptable and responsive. Peter Burbidge examines the key trends in monitoring in years to come

With more employers now understanding that the health and comfort of their employees is a key factor in productivity and retention, it’s a trend that’s set to grow... and grow. The building industry will see an increase in human-centred buildings — focused on the safety, comfort and security of occupants, at the same time as being ultraenergy efficient. These ‘healthy’ buildings will monitor internal conditions such as temperature, humidity and occupancy, keeping levels to an optimum and introducing automation and alerts if conditions move beyond established parameters.

There are some key monitoring areas which some forward-thinking companies have already adopted, and these are likely to accelerate as more businesses realise the potential opportunities and savings this data could bring.

Future trends to watch

There are five future monitoring trends to watch: • Air quality - the pandemic has highlighted the importance of air quality, and as organisations begin to welcome workers back on site it’s become clear this is a key area of focus. Increasingly, buildings will be equipped with wireless sensors to monitor air quality such as CO2 levels and harmful airborne small particles. The data these sensors gather can help set automated levels for ventilation adjustment as needed.

In the future, we’re also likely to see more buildings — in particular those in areas of high pollution — monitoring the outdoor air that enters via the ventilation. Smart systems can then alert when filters need replacing, or turn off the system if the outside air quality becomes unacceptable. • Occupancy - another area of importance emphasised by the pandemic is monitoring the number of occupants in a building. While in the post-Covid days this is necessary for distancing and restrictions, it also plays a key part in managing comfort levels and energy use.

Future smart buildings will give more control to their existing occupants, enabling them to create a bespoke environment for their comfort. People will more closely interact with a building by adjusting everything to their precise needs, from zone temperature, sound levels, desk and meeting room spaces, and specific lighting.

This type of monitoring can have huge energy saving benefits, too. For example, ventilation can automatically switch off when nobody is inside, or based on a room’s CO2 and humidity levels.

Whole floors and zones can also be adjusted depending on desk bookings and required use, helping to manage space optimally. • Lighting - this can make a big difference to the comfort of occupants and the productivity of workers. One of the biggest monitoring trends we can expect to see is smart lighting that adjusts to the preferences of occupants. For example, brighter lights in an office during the afternoon may help workers focus better, while soft lights later in the day might be more relaxing. • Equipment and machines - smart technology enables companies to completely change the way they manage their equipment and machinery, by switching from reactive to predictive maintenance.

In the future, smart sensors will more frequently be clipped to machinery to measure and detect equipment usage — helping to understand where there is unnecessary energy consumption — or detect changes in normal operating conditions to detect degradation and faults, and forecast maintenance.

Emerging technology can now even turn legacy ‘dumb’ meters into smart meters by monitoring the pulse output from meters, machinery and equipment.

This in turn can transform the way building owners automate and manage their maintenance. This type of maintenance based on reactive needs rather than scheduled intervals has been shown to significantly save time and costs. • Safety and security - getting a full view of what’s happening in a building at any time is a key part of safety and security considerations, whether it’s an unexpected presence in a room or a broken door lock.

Capacity or data analysis

As the uptake in smart technology increases, facilities mangers can also take advantage of a smart building’s capacity for data analysis. A single facility could have hundreds of smart sensors which can collect a continuous — and anonymous — stream of data on occupancy, traffic flow, peak times and anomalous behaviour. This data can be collected and overseen by a single control room or central monitoring point, with a focus on protecting the safety and security of occupants.

Although many of these systems and sensors have been around for a while, they were often fragmented and independently operated. We’re likely to see more cases of comprehensive use throughout a building. Occupancy monitoring is complemented by air quality monitoring which is complemented by energy use monitoring... and so on. Separately, each element is useful. Together, they make a powerful transformative tool to ensure occupant wellbeing and energy efficiency on a scale never seen before.

With this abundance of highly accurate, real-time data, building and facilities managers can make informed decisions about building use and automation, as well as plan strategies for future use.

What we’re seeing is the emergence of next-generation smart building monitoring systems, which build on previous systems and take them to the next level. 

Metering & Monitoring

Janie Jefferies-Freer is CEO, eSight Energy

Comparing energy consumption increases in complexity if you have multiple sites

Select the data you need

Janie Jefferies-Freer examines the correlation between data and energy saving targets. The key lies in utilising the right metrics to focus on the data that provides reporting value

Reporting on your energy saving targets is a vital part of any effort to increase energy efficiency in your business. The process involves collecting and analysing large amounts of data to uncover actionable steps to decrease energy consumption.

Bridging the gap between data and understanding is a difficult task. Without a centralised dashboard detailing your commercial building’s energy consumption and associated costs, meeting energy saving targets, reducing energy usage and improving overall energy efficiency becomes complicated and difficult to navigate.

To tell your energy story, you need to collect the right data and organise it effectively. The key lies in utilising the right metrics to focus on the data that provides reporting value.

Good reporting relies on collecting real-time, reliable, and accurate data. Measurement of energy performance across a building is the backbone of any meaningful energy reduction strategy.

Smart metering and monitoring tools, for example, are essential for both measurement and efficient energy management. In a single office building, an effective metering and monitoring system can often generate an immediate energy saving of 10 per cent and up to 30 per cent once building operations are enhanced over time.

Continuous automatic metering systems use dynamic energy dashboards to display building operation and energy consumption data. Tables, graphs and images are used to illustrate energy information in ways that facilitate informed decision-making.

For example, an energy dashboard may display that a building’s aeration system is consuming more energy than it should. Once informed of this fact, the operator can reduce energy consumption incrementally to reach energy saving targets without negatively impacting performance.

A building automation system monitors the performance of equipment at a high-level and concerns the building as a whole. A BAS can automate controls for things like elevators, metering, airhandling units, heat pumps, lighting systems and more. A newer BAS can maximise the energy efficiency of all the things it controls, as well as monitor fire and flood safety. While a BAS does not generally offer advanced analytics, it can be leveraged in combination with energy management software to extract key data for reporting.

When it comes to collecting data over time, using 15-minute intervals strikes the right balance. As an energy manager, you want to reduce noise in the data to produce a clear picture of how your building and equipment within the building are operating. If you were to review data at 10, 5 or even 1-minute intervals, you would notice more scattering of the data, making it difficult to understand what is actually happening in the equipment.

With 15-minute intervals, energy usage patterns can become clearer and more easily interpreted, making reporting on energy saving targets more effective.

Di erent types of data

When it comes to interpreting energy data, it’s important to understand and account for different types of data. Comparing total or average energy use in one sector against another will lead to skewed data.

For example, manufacturing plants often have long operating hours and heavy machinery which requires a lot of energy to cool. So, comparing it against a distribution centre based on total or average energy used will provide an uneven representation of total energy usage.

It’s imperative that data is normalized in order to interpret it correctly and for reporting on energy saving targets.

Take degree days for instance. Degree days are a measure of the severity and duration of cold weather. It’s a vital metric because extreme outdoor air temperature will require more energy to stabilise setpoint temperature in the building. Therefore, to avoid misleading statistics, you should also normalise against active hours and normalized occupancy. Once the data is normalised, you can look at it to determine the priority area of focus.

Most organisations have data loggers and systems across their commercial buildings to capture energy usage, performance and consumption data but, instead of filtering the information and refining the most actionable parts, it is all compiled into a single large and very complex report.

Instead of a single large and complex report, those organisations could normalise their data and establish priority areas of focus to understand data trends, leverage the right metrics and make data-driven decisions.

For example, with this approach, an energy manager can compare packaging across all the business’ plants and clearly see which are more efficient than others. The manager can then review the efficient plants to determine best practices to improve energy consumption consistently across the enterprise in line with energy saving targets.

If you have multiple sites, comparing energy consumption increases in complexity as your organisation may be balancing a variety of business operations. Normalising energy data facilitates effective comparison to help you to clearly understand your energy consumption patterns and performance across separate business units.

When you’re able to obtain a high-level overview of energy consumption, using the right metrics turns that raw data into insight, giving you the ability to make data-driven decisions for your business and to take real and consistent steps towards your energy saving targets. 

Metering & Monitoring

David Goodfellow is UK business assurance manager at TÜV SÜD

Control energy costs with ISO 50001

ISO 50001 enables organisations to systematically optimise energy performance and promote more efficient energy management. David Goodfellow explains

The ISO 50001 energy management system (EnMS) framework can improve bottom lines through systematic, data-driven and fact-based processes that improve energy efficiency and environmental performance.

A revised edition of ISO 50001 standard was released in 2018. Following a three-year transition period, from 20 August 2021 ISO 50001:2011 certificates will no longer be valid. The good news for those businesses already certified under ISO 50001: 2011 is that conversion to ISO 50001: 2018 can take place as part of a repeat audit or a scheduled surveillance audit.

ISO 50001:2018 provides a framework of requirements for organisations to: • develop a policy for more efficient use of energy; • fix targets and objectives to meet the policy; • identify, measure, monitor and analyse the key characteristics of operations affecting energy performance; • facilitate data-based analysis and decisions about energy use; • measure the results; • review how well the policy works; and • continually improve energy performance and energy management system.

The updated ISO 50001 includes a greater emphasis on the responsibilities of top management and highlights the importance of instilling a cultural change in the organisation. The ISO 50001:2018’s requirements are described in clauses 4 – 10. • Clause 4 – context of the organisation - ISO 50001 requires that internal and external issues are considered as part of the organisation’s energy planning process. This includes understanding the relevant needs and expectations of interested parties (those impacted by the organisation) in relation to energy performance and the EnMS. • Clause 5 – Leadership - ISO 50001 demands greater commitment from senior management. It must ensure the formation of an energy management team, and that roles, responsibilities and authorities are assigned and communicated. They must also ensure that the EnMS’s requirements are integrated across business processes and that it is compatible with the wider strategic direction. This responsibility can no longer be delegated. • Clause 6 – Planning - The energy planning and review process will help to identify the activities and processes that impact energy performance, and how this can be continually improved. Opportunities and risks must be identified, with the plan covering how they will be addressed, as well as their integration and implementation within the EnMS, and how effectiveness can be evaluated. This should include the establishment of objectives and energy targets, as well as conducting an energy review which must be updated regularly and in response to any major changes.

The organisation must also determine the energy performance indicators (EnPIs) that measure energy performance, so that improvements can be monitored. Data should include relevant variables for significant energy uses (SEUs); energy consumption related to SEUs and the organisation; operational criteria related to SEUs; static factors; and data specified in action plans. • Clause 7 – Support - the appropriate resources must be available to establish, implement, maintain and continually improve energy performance and the EnMS. The EnMS must also be actioned by competent people. There is a requirement to retain evidence of workers’ competence, while ensuring appropriate education and training, as well as awareness raising about energy performance issues. There must also be a process for communicating information relevant to the EnMS, both internally and externally, as well as documented evidence of these practices. • Clause 8 – Operation - This covers the planning, implementation and control of the processes related to the SEUs identified in the energy review, and what is required to implement the actions during the objectives setting phase.

To achieve this, a process criteria must include the effective operation and maintenance of facilities, equipment, systems and energy-using processes, where their absence can lead to a significant deviation from intended energy performance. These criteria must be communicated to the relevant people that are under the control of the organisation. The organisation must also ensure that the processes are controlled, as laid out in the criteria. Documented evidence must also be kept, to show that the processes have been carried out in accordance with the plan.

During the design of facilities, equipment, systems and energy-using processes, the organisation must consider if there will be any significant impacts on energy performance over the operating lifetime, to identify improvement opportunities and operational control. It must also establish criteria for evaluating the energy performance for any energy- consuming products, equipment and services that are procured, if this is expected to have a significant impact on the organisation’s energy performance. • Clause 9 – Performance evaluation - Organisations must ascertain what must be measured and monitored, by whom and with what frequency, to give an indication of how the energy management system is performing. This must include internal audits of the EnMS at planned intervals. Documented evidence must be retained - the standard gives indepth detail about what such a review should include. • Clause 10 Improvement - Key to the success of an ISO 50001 management system is the ability to demonstrate continual energy performance improvement. Opportunities for improvement must be identified, appropriate action taken and non-conformities reported.

In most cases it is advisable to integrate the EnMS into an existing ISO 14001 environmental management system, or an ISO 9001 quality management system, so that synergies can be exploited and the organisation can leverage existing management system compliance investments.

For those transitioning between ISO 50001:2011 and ISO 50001:2018, an audit will enable organisations to focus on the key areas that require action. A gap analysis will identify non-conformities and differences, as well as weaknesses in terms of the requirements of the new standard.

With the increasing cost of energy, organisations need to objectively evaluate their energy consumption, to maintain or reduce costs and lessen the negative impact on the environment. ISO 50001 provides every type and size of organisation with a systematic approach to monitor and reduce energy consumption, helping them to increase energy efficiency and improve profitability. 

Planning for Net Zero

Raghav Singh is Head of Large Business at EDF

Electric vehicles – a Net Zero opportunity

Ready to make your next step towards Net Zero? Raghav Singh examines how organisations should begin planning for the UK’s revolution in transport

Placing Net Zero at the heart of business decisions is no longer a choice. Organisations across the world are already committing to Net Zero, knowing it is better for people, for the planet and for profit. The time to go Net

Zero is now.

Transport is one of the UK’s largest contributors to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and is a key area of focus for Net Zero initiatives. In November 2020, the government announced that sales of new petrol and diesel vehicles are set to end in 2030, and hybrid vehicles in 2035.

This decision to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) highlights the essential role they will play in helping the UK to meet its goal of being carbon neutral by 2050. As a result, many businesses are now looking at their own Net

Zero initiatives and beginning the process of transitioning to electric vehicles.

Why EVs?

EVs are a great opportunity for any business wishing to reduce their carbon footprint, as they produce zero emissions in use. So, you’ll be cutting your businesses carbon emissions and cutting down on pollution in your local area.

Besides the environmental benefit, switching to EVs will pay off for businesses, with significantly lower tax and running costs. Electricity costs much less than petrol or diesel, so you can travel further for less. With fewer moving parts than conventional vehicles, EVs typically also require fewer repairs, resulting in significantly lower servicing and maintenance costs.

Various financial incentives are available too, to encourage the switch to EVs. There’s the Benefit in Kind and road tax exemptions on the vehicles. Then there’s also the Workplace Charging Scheme, which allows any business to claim a grant for every electric vehicle charge point they install at their workplace.

There are many benefits to transitioning to electric and with expert advice available, the move has never been simpler. The first step is to understand your fleet and infrastructure needs and then identify the easiest vehicles to switch to electric.

Net Zero approach to EVs

For organisations considering their EV transition, it’s useful to look at the vehicles are part of a wider EV ecosystem, which not only includes the EV and charge points, but also gives wider consideration to crucial elements such as power supply and site capacity. All of these components play an important part in a businesses journey to Net Zero, and it should be understood how they link together and can be optimised as part of this transition.

Site capacity

your requirements for a vehicle transition plan, you’ll also need to create a charging infrastructure plan. Mapping and overlaying your requirements onto vehicle leasing or procurement cycles will help to inform charging infrastructure requirements with charging speeds, energy contracts and capacity needs all factoring into the planning process.

Understanding your on-site charging requirements will, in turn, help to inform whether or not you have sufficient electrical capacity or whether you may need to consider workarounds. If there is enough capacity from the existing set up, your business can progress without network changes. However, in some cases network reinforcement may be required and your local DNO will need to provide this.

Power supply

It’s important to ensure you combine your EV with a zero carbon electricity supply. Choosing a zero carbon supply option will have a further positive impact on your business’ sustainability credentials, allowing you to report zero carbon emissions for all of your electricity use.

Depending on your business’ objectives, ambitions and capabilities there are a number of zero carbon options available.

If you’re looking for an option that’s quick and simple to agree, zero carbon supply backed by nuclear or renewable electricity could work for you. Both of these options allow you to report zero carbon emissions.

If your business is in a position to make a longer-term commitment, Corporate Power Purchase Agreements (CPPAs) provide an excellent option for showcasing credibility and authenticity in your commitment to zero carbon.

Onsite generation

Of course, you could go a step further and harness solar power to generate your own renewable electricity on your premises. Using on-site generation like solar panels, to power your chargepoints could also be a solution to capacity constraints. This energy can then be used on-site, reducing the imported energy demand and/or earning revenues from selling excess generation. You’ll also reduce your exposure to the volatile energy market, helping manage price risk.

Ready to make a change?

For any fleet or energy manager looking to further explore the opportunities that EVs may present for their business, you don’t have to do it alone. Working with a reputable partner from an early stage will ensure you create a strategy built to meet the needs of your business, now and in the future.

At EDF, we can help your business define the best EV infrastructure option for your business and identify your site capacity requirements. We’ll help navigate your options and explore zero carbon supply opportunities to support your electric transition.

There’s never been a more urgent time to take action and accelerate your journey to Net Zero. 

ESTA VIEWPOINT

For further information on ESTA visit www.estaenergy.org.uk

Rhetoric is no longer an option

Mervyn Pilley examines the challenges ESTA members are facing as we re-emerge from the pandemic and reflects on the Government’s overdue Heat and Buildings strategy

There’s a feeling of being in ‘no mans’ land as far as many of our day-to-day operations are concerned. Similarly, it still appears to be a variable speed economy for our members. Some are rushed off their feet with work while others are just starting to reengage with clients.

The alien concept of people taking holidays seems to have resurfaced at the same time as face-to-face meetings have restarted. At the time of writing, I have started to put trips to London into the diary. I cannot pretend that I am looking forward to returning to the London Underground so taxis may be needed instead.

So far this year I have been having frequent discussions with members around where members perceive they gain their most value from their ESTA membership. I have not been too surprised to hear a common theme that many miss the physical events that for so long formed the bedrock of ESTA’s offering. I always knew that moving to virtual events was not going to be easy and while I am proud of having managed to get a number of virtual events of all types organised during the last fifteen months, we have not managed to replicate the human interactions and networking that many members have missed.

The good news is that plans are well advanced for a return to physical meetings, albeit with a recognition that, certainly initially, we will want to have a live stream option, certainly until the issues about meeting room capacities and social distancing rules are resolved. One of the challenges for a national association has always been that wherever you hold a meeting or an event, many attendees will have had to travel long distances. For an organisation like us where carbon reduction is part of our mission then offering attendees the chance to still play a part while not having to travel has to be worthwhile. Our AGM in October will be a hybrid event.

We are also planning to play a role at more trade shows going forward. This is part of our greater focus on collaboration among like-minded organisations. In reality, trying to just put on ESTA-only events has drained us of considerable resources in recent years and, in reality, the current challenges can be much better met by many groups working together. This collaboration with trade shows will start with the Smart Buildings Show in October and then EMEX in November this year. We are still having discussions about our input into these shows as well as some more events in 2022. Working with partners will also increase the value for our members as Mervyn Pilley is executive director of ESTA (Energy Services and Technology Association) they will have more potential interaction with potential customers. I hope to meet many EiBI readers at one of these shows.

From time-to-time readers of this column will pick up on my frustration at the lobbying aspect of our work as a trade association. Members rightly expect their trade association to be their voice/ mouthpiece with Government. Having spent 20 years working with various Government ministries I should by now be very used to fulfilling that part of the job.

When I received my usual reminder from the editor to write this column one of my reasons for delay was that I had entertained some hope that the Government would by now have issued the Heat and Buildings and Net Zero strategies. Certainly, the former document has been long promised. As I sit at my desk, I have just seen a report in the Times that suggests the Government is struggling to find the necessary Parliamentary time to publish the Heat and Buildings strategy.

As far as the Net Zero strategy is concerned Professor Sir Robert Watson – a former top scientific advisor to the UK Government and to the White House – is urging the Prime Minister that he must turn “rhetoric into action” if he is to successfully lead the world in tackling the climate and nature crises. The Government responded by saying: “We’re making tangible progress – in this year alone, we have set out the world’s first strategy for decarbonising heavy industry, agreed a landmark deal to transition the North Sea oil and gas sector, are investing millions of pounds into clean energy as well as cutting emissions from buildings and transport, and driving forward action to protect nature and improve biodiversity, including our historic new legally-binding species target for 2030.” The spokesperson added that government will set out its “overall strategy for achieving net-zero emissions… by the end of this year.”

And it is the last sentence that is of most concern to me. No clear commitment to publish the strategy in good time to allow organisations to reflect, consult with their stakeholders and respond prior to COP26. I find it truly amazing that a Net Zero strategy may not be fully formed before one of the most important COPs for a long time is held with the UK taking the chair. It is very important that unlike the G7 meeting where photo opportunities seemed to be the order of the day, COP26 is built around a series of concrete actions being agreed. The time for rhetoric expired a long time ago and the time for policy action is now! 