Knowledge is power. Knowledge also saves power. It makes sense that monitoring your energy consumption will enable you to have more control over the amount you spend for energy. Doing this effectively, however, is not as simple as it sounds.
The electric company typically provides a lump sum bill at the end of the month. If the current monthly total is higher than the previous month the cause is often not obvious. Was the increase due to weather, a short-term glitch, or a prolonged pattern of neglecting to pay attention to usage patterns? It is difficult enough to get control of your energy usage when you’re right on top of it, but the problem is even tougher for businesses that manage remote facilities, thousands of miles apart.
Figure 1: Building control systems by ASI Controls monitor and control energy consumption at Safeguard’s storage locations.
Figure 2a: The PowerScout 3, by DENT Instruments, pictured with flexible RoCoil Rogowski-style Current Transformers.
Among the industries grappling with the issue of large energy bills are self-storage companies who manage large volumes of climate controlled space. Most often they have a network of large capacity buildings throughout the country where a significant amount of energy consumption occurs, and a single corporate office which sets energy use policies and pays the bills.
Continuous monitoring and control is required for personnel at the home office to know whether energy use directives are being complied with at each site. For example, a corporate standard may dictate what temperatures should be maintained at a facility, but often the thermostats aren’t locked and customers and employees can freely change the temperature settings. People also forget to turn lights off when they leave.
The amount of wasted energy depends on the level of attention each store and/or district manager is giving to the situation, but on-site store managers may understandably be more concerned with activities directly tied to increasing number of units rented and other revenue generating activities.
Energy monitoring and control system providers are sensitive to this problem, and apply their knowledge of automation technologies to implement control strategies that consistently save businesses as much as 30-35% on their energy bills. The savings are realized quickly enough to achieve a 6-month to two-year ROI when an energy management and control system is installed.
Figure 2b: The PowerScout senses current and voltage flow in the supply lines at Storage Post in Long Island City, New York.
Let’s take Safeguard Self Storage, Inc. of Atlanta, Georgia as a case in point. Corporate facilities management personnel in Atlanta are responsible for managing the company’s 60+ locations nationwide. About three years ago, headquarters suspected that money was being wasted on excessive energy use at Safeguard’s Bronx, New York facility. At that time, energy for this facility was costing Safeguard approximately $55,000 per year.
Safeguard contracted with a supplier and integrator of environmental control systems to perform a study of the energy consumption patterns at the Bronx site. The integrator found that the thermostat at the facility was being maintained at 72º throughout the year, despite a corporate standard of 78º in summer and 55º in winter. Even more excessive cooling or heating was occurring because the thermostats had lockboxes that weren’t locked and anyone could change the settings at will.
In addition, the inspector found that the outside lights were on continuously because time clock settings were removed. Facility energy costs can be reduced significantly by shutting off unnecessary lighting outside of operating hours, although this is not always desirable for security reasons.
As a result of the findings in the report, Safeguard asked the integrator to help them bring energy costs under control at the Bronx facility. Technicians removed the building’s thermostats and light switches and installed a central building management system (see Figure 1). The system provides automated lighting and climate control for the Bronx facility consistent with Safeguard’s corporate energy use policies.
To continue reading, click to see the full article (PDF) – https://www.esis.com.au/pdfs/data-loggers/DENT-self-storage-case-study.pdf
For more information about Dent PowerScout please contact us.
Article courtesy of Dent Instruments.
