'Big data' is solvingthe problem of $200 billion of wasted energy
At its best, technology is ableto tackle huge problems with remarkable ease.
The General ServicesAdministration, for example, has found a way to save $13 million a year inenergy costs across 180 buildings — all thanks to a proprietary algorithmdeveloped and monitored from many states away, in Massachusetts. Among theproblems discovered: malfunctioning exhaust fans.
And Kohl’s departmentstore has installed energy-efficiency software in 1200 stores nationwide. “Welook at the energy meter and know exactly how much the store is consuming atany point in time,” says Paul Oswald, Managing Director at EnvironmentalSystems Inc., which provides the service along with SkyFoundry. According toESI, its automation system saves its clients an average of 8%-18% in energycosts every year.
These efforts are a toppriority of both businesses and government.
That’s because buildings(both commercial and residential) are the largest single consumer of energy inthe US, and up to 50% of that is pure waste, according to an industry expert.That means $200 billion a year is evaporating into thin air — along withsignificant toxins. Commercial and residential buildings acｃount for about 34%of greenhouse gas emissions. However, in New York City, upwards of 75% ofthe city’s carbon footprint comes from buildings’ emissions.
Big Data to the Rescue
Prompted by potentialsavings as well as government mandates and programs, enterprises areusing advanced technologies to diagnose and fix costly inefficiencieswithin their buildings.
The General ServicesAdministration, for example, turned to Massachusetts-based analytic softwarecompany FirstFuel to assess its buildings.
FirstFuel’s process isdriven by big data. When taking on a client, FirstFuel only requires a fewpieces of information: electric meter data and the address of building(and natural gas data, when applicable) – that’s it. From there,FirstFuel uses highly sophisticated weather data, Geographic InformationSystem (GIS) mapping, and semantic public web search to gather information onthe client site.
"So we use thingslike Google maps and Bing maps to zoom in on the physical building," FirstFuelCEO Swap Shah tells Business Insider. Shah says the GIS mapping allows theFirstFuel team to see things including the number of floors, what purposethe building serves, and occupancy. FirstFuel can sometimes identify thebuilding's HVAC system based on the equipment pictured on the roof, and theylook for whether or not the building has a lighted parking lot — anything thatcontributes to energy costs. The data collection process then creates aprofile of the building without ever stepping foot or putting any devices onsite.
“We've made the wholeprocess of analyzing the energy performance of buildings incredibly scalableand low cost so the time you would normally take to physically walk through andgenerate a report for one building, we can do for thousands of buildings now,”says Shah.
Leaps in Efficiency In Last Decade
Much of the leaps inenergy efficiency are possible due to the widespread adoption of networked andhighly sophisticated energy meters around the ｃountry over the last 10years. Energy meters used to be checked on site once a month,generating 12 basic data points a year, read and logged by humans. Now, metersregister a raft of data every 15 minutes, accessible anywhere remotely,generating 36,000 data points a year.
One of the GSA buildingsFirstFuel analyzes is the 4.1 million square foot Ronald Reagan building inWashington D.C. From its remote location in Massachusetts, FirstFuelused the data generated by their algorithm and noticed energy spikes at 10 AMand 3:30 PM, unusual times of day for a surge in energy use.
FirstFuel's team ofbuilding engineers then examined that data, along with precise details on thepower surge, pinpointing two large exhaust fans in the garage that wereunnecessarily operating at full speed. Adjusting the fans' setpoints to theiroriginal design levels contributed to the Reagan building saving $800,000 inone year. GSA’s overall savings, much of it in eliminating manpower auditingand monitoring costs, is $13 million, roughly 90% just in evaluation costs,across its 180 sites.
Often, It Comes down ToTurning off the Lights
Much of the energy wastein buildings stems from operational inefficiencies, like turning off lights andadjusting the AC.
At Kohl’s, each site ismonitored by a building automation system that is connected to the temperaturecontrol and lighting units. The data fed back to the building automation systemshows if the fans are running, if the stages of heating or cooling are working,if lights are on or off, etc.
Many building problemsare easy fixes, says FirstFuel’s CEO Shah. “Nobody's advocating that we shouldlive in the dark. We're all are advocating that there's absolutely noreason to be comfortable and still be wasting that much.”
ArticleSource: http://www.businessinsider.com/big-data-tackles-energy-waste-from-big-buildings-2015-5
Image Source: http://www.njcleanenergy.com/files/image/Pictures-CS/Fotolia_10344526_V.jpg
VOCABULARY WORDS:
1. Tackle (v.) ~ make determined efforts to dealwith a problem or difficult task
2. Mandate (n.) ~ an official order to do something
3. Diagnose (v.) ~ identify the nature of something
4. Sophisticated (adj.) ~ developed to a high degree of complexity
5. Remote (adj.) ~ situated far away from the main centers ofpopulation
6. Advocate (v.) ~ publicly recommend or support
QUESTIONS FORDISCUSSION:
1. What kind of energy conservationpractice or policy does your government implement in its offices?
2. How important is it to conserve energyespecially this upcoming summer season?
3. How do you contributein energy conservation in your office?
