Figure 2. Intelligent meters track consumption of all utilities, control loads and other equipment, and communicate to head-end EEM software.

Energy represents a substantial line item for commercial property and often remains unchallenged and unmanaged, even when energy prices are rising. Enterprise energy management (EEM) systems deliver the information and control that property owners and facility managers need to make informed decisions and manage use—all with a fast payback.

An EEM system includes a network of intelligent meters on building and process loads, common areas, and leased space across one or more dispersed properties. The system meters all utilities and monitors and controls equipment. Corporate Intranets and the Internet deliver energy information to the people that need it. Operations personnel are kept constantly informed of conditions as they happen with alarm notifications via cell phone, pager or PDA, with detailed graphic analysis capabilities.

Savings Opportunities

Utility billing errors are common, but an EEM system can reveal discrepancies by shadow billing against the utility’s service entrance meter. Also many property owners sub-bill their tenants for energy use on a proportional square footage basis, which can underestimate a tenant’s actual use. By accurately sub-metering, allocating, and billing the appropriate amounts to each tenant, an EEM system will ensure proper compensation. In either situation, the EEM ensures accurate billing and minimizes the difficulty of collecting on an adjusted sub-bill.

The system will also help analyze energy usage by each building, department, activity, or other cost center, which can identify areas that exhibit energy inefficiencies or waste and test the cost impact of energy management initiatives. Comparing the performance of various facilities and establishing benchmarks drives management to achieve better performance.

Geographically dispersed office complexes, campuses, facilities, hotels, or stores can all achieve substantial savings by aggregating total energy consumption and negotiating bulk utility purchases. An EEM system offers an economical way to acquire historical and real-time load profile information from multiple locations. Once in the system database, normalizing usage patterns in conjunction with occupancy, weather. and other variables will help accurately benchmark and predict energy requirements and, in turn, execute effective hedging strategies. Combined with an integrated rate engine, "what if" scenarios can be developed to help optimize loads or processes, perform variable analyses against utility rate choices, and judiciously negotiate energy contracts.

Demand response or load curtailment programs give price concessions in return for reducing a facility load. Also opportunities exist to buy power from a spot energy market. Peak power demand levels can be avoided and penalties can be avoided for large motor loads that drive the power factor below a level established by some tariffs.

All these opportunities are dynamic in nature. The EEM system helps the facility respond to real-time pricing, curtailment, or other signals with an efficient, pre-programmed method of switching or adjusting non-critical loads or controlling capacitor banks for power factor correction. Ways can be found to optimize the use of facility existing energy assets. For example, trend information throughout the enterprise can help defer capital investments by discovering unused capacity, and supporting decisions regarding whether to install on-site generation.

The system can also reduce time for operations staff, enabling automated or manual remote control functions over equipment and loads throughout the enterprise. To help reduce costs, the EEM system will constantly monitor and log distribution and protection equipment stresses and operations. This information will help personnel schedule maintenance more economically, better manage capital expenditures, extend equipment life, and minimize nuisance tripping of breakers that can cause internal outages.

A facility with computers, servers, automation systems, or other equipment or processes, which are sensitive to power anomalies such as high harmonic content, transient voltage spikes, or voltage sags can result in corrupted or lost data, equipment problems, and downtime. A total power outage can be catastrophic, but there may already be a variety of mitigation equipment installed, such as uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), filters, or even backup generators.

An EEM system will support preventative measures by capturing power quality anomalies. It will provide facility personnel with the instantaneous information needed to either verify equipment operation or help optimize performance. The system tracks in real-time, so that when an out-of-tolerance condition does occur it will transmit early warning alarms to operations staff or the service provider, anywhere they are. The nearest workstation will then deliver fast access to the enterprise-wide information necessary to help pinpoint and correct the problem to avoid a potential interruption.

Detailed power quality reports will also help correlate poor power quality with negative impacts on operations and processes. This information can also support decisions regarding the appropriate mitigation strategies or even facility location. Tenants with critical power requirements are attracted to lease facilities that are able to validate higher power quality and reliability.

Achieving Goals

Enterprise energy management systems provide the tools to meet the challenges and opportunities of the new energy environment with an integrated solution to managing energy procurement, tenant billing, on-site generation, cost control, operational efficiency, and reliability.

Combined features in each intelligent meter, interoperability with existing utility metering, and the ability to taking advantage of existing corporate infrastructures and the Internet to network the system means low installed cost.

Test Your Understanding

1. EEM technology is available as:

A. an option with HVAC systems

B. part of electrical distribution systems

C. an independent layer of information technology atop all energy assets

2. An EEM system is to:

A. reduce energy costs

B. improve power quality and reliability to maximize uptime

C. both A and B

3. It is currently not possible to use the Internet for networking energy management software or metering devices.

True

False

4. EEM systems are designed to deliver energy information for:

A. a single facility only

B. a single facility or multiple facilities

C. multiple facility applications only

5. Sub-metering energy with an EEM system can help property owner bill tenants more accurately and identify energy savings opportunities.

True

False

Answers

1. EEM technology is available as:

C. an independent layer of information technology atop all energy assets

2. An EEM system is to:

C. both A and B

3. It is currently not possible to use the Internet for networking energy management software or metering devices.

4. EEM systems are designed to deliver energy information for:

B. a single facility or multiple facilities

5. Sub-metering energy with an EEM system can help property owner bill tenants more accurately