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Should I Invest In An Energy Management System?
It’s the question that often gets asked, why should I invest in an energy management system (EMS)? Understanding everything an EMS can do for you is a good starting point as they have become an integral part of businesses, reducing energy costs and overall usage.
In short, an energy management system provides cost-saving technology with a range of analytics that allows you to make data-driven decisions to positively impact energy consumption and spend.
Gives You Control of Heating Schedules Anywhere you Are
Systems like the Pilot Group EMS can be accessed remotely in any place with an internet connection, letting you log into your panel. From there you can schedule in any regular shift patterns that you’re aware of, setting heating levels with minimum and maximum temperatures to limit colleagues altering these too much. Having control over this means you can set specific areas up differently to reduce any wastage in low footfall areas.
Reduces Wastage With Smart Sensors
We all know what the weather is like in the UK so scheduling your heating according to seasons can be a bit of a shot in the dark, that’s where an energy management system with smart sensors can help. Sensors on the Pilot Group system can detect outside temperature levels and understand that if it is warm outside the heating might not need to come on as early to reach a target temperature. This is technology which also leads to significant energy savings when added up over a year.
How Much Do You Value Time?
Even if you put the energy-saving features of an EMS to one side, there are various processes in building with regards to energy management that take time. For example, some buildings still require each heater to be turned on and off manually which can be time-consuming and can lead to human error as pointed out below.
Another situation is when it comes to collecting meter readings, over large premises or multiple sites this is a time-consuming job. Certain systems like the Energy Manager 2.0 from Pilot Group can install sensors on existing meters to collect a reading.
Reduces Human Error
We have all been in a situation where the heating or lights have been left on either overnight, over the weekend, or simply at a time where they aren’t needed. If shift patterns are scheduled in then you know your heating and lighting will only be on during those periods, but we know there are always periods when things aren’t as structured. That’s why being able to pull up the data of when and where you are consuming energy will help you pinpoint where you could be wasting money.
Helps Make Sense of Your Data & Set Environmental Targets
Having data is one part of the process but understanding what to do with it is where the true value lies. Often there are a lot of variables to take into account, whether this is due to seasonality with business production, simply weather or many other factors. If you are collecting data over time with an EMS you can easily establish a baseline for your usage, this allows you to compare data with previous periods and spot anomalies or identify where extra consumption is justified.
The points above only scratch the surface of why an energy management system is so important to a business in today’s world. This hasn’t even touched on the CSR aspect and legislation around energy targets for businesses across the UK.
If you would like to learn more about the Pilot Group Energy Management System then click here or call us on 0161 886 7190.
