•
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equipment installation that does
not meet the requirements of the
construction documents or good
practice. We assist in verifying
that the devices and sensors
used for metering the energy
consuming systems are installed
and set up properly.
When testing occurs, we assist
the team in setting up the air,
water and lighting control
systems to operate as efficiently
as possible. If it is possible to
enact an improvement to how a
system is operating, we contact
the design team and coordinate
implementation of the idea
where possible. Where metering
is installed, we verify that the
information from the meters
is being sent to the automation
system or other designated
collection point.
While observing the project
through analysis of trend data
we assist in identifying systems
that are not making their energy
efficiency goals and notify the
construction team so they can
assist in bringing the system
back on track. We look at overall
energy performance behavior of
the building compared to what
has been predicted and if the
system is reporting higher than
target we assist with identifying
ways to bring the system closer to
or below target.
There is a system that is important
for future Cx work on CSU
campuses. The EIS (Energy
Information System) is becoming
the primary conduit for reporting
energy and sustainability
performance. What is the right
way to integrate EIS into campus
energy programs? What might be
alternatives for the future?
Gerry: Energy Information
Systems are useful if the end users
utilize the data to improve their
operations. Data that is collected
and fed into an EIS can be used
to incentivize end users (staff,
students, etc.) to help increase their
building’s energy efficiency. Various
campuses and departments have
fed the information into a graphical
dashboard that helps the end users
to visualize how well their operation
is performing compared to last year,
compared to a similar facility, or even
compared to how the floor above or
below them is doing. When the end
users are engaged the success rate for
energy efficient operation is high.
The data can be used to help facilities
staff see where systems are falling
behind in energy-efficient operation
so they can institute a program
of regular maintenance of energy
efficient processes. The way of the
future to perpetuate energy efficiency
would be for each campus to institute
a funding mechanism for continuous
monitoring of the energy consuming
systems and proactive energy
efficiency maintenance to minimize
or eliminate the normal deterioration
that sets in as soon as the project is
turned over and that is inherent in
any system over time
Aravind: Energy information
system is a key element in managing
efficiencies and operational costs of
the campus. It is extremely important
to monitor consumption of all
utilities (gas, chilled water, heating
hot water, electricity and water)
and report the same on a common
front end system that provides the
campus with analysis of their peak
demands, average and minimum
demands and an annual/daily profile
of the demand of these utilities.
ASHRAE studies have revealed that
just monitoring the consumption of
the various utilities serving buildings
on campus can save 5-10% of the
overall energy consumed at a facility
or a group of facilities. The key to
having a successful EIS is to have
an open protocol front end system
and a common communication
protocol that helps integrate all of the
various utility meters and report to
a common front end for monitoring
demand and consumption of utilities.
A successful EIS will help the
facilities managers clearly identify
their current utilities consumption
and wastage and help them take
appropriate action to lower their
consumption and hence their
operational costs.
Thank you all for your insight.
Everyone seems to be excited to
be part of this year’s conference. It
seems the most exciting innovations
are not happening inside specific
disciplines but rather, between
them. What are your specific
expectations for this year?
Aravind: The CSU conference is
a great platform to meet all of the
Universities facilities personnel
and get their perspective on the
various facets of building systems,
issues related to the operation and
maintenance of their facilities and
how we can offer innovative solutions
to resolve their issues. We look
forward to meeting them all and get
their perspective on these elements
and see how we can help them to not
only promote sustainability at their
campuses but also help in partnering
with them to further their buildings
standards and improve their
systems to promote efficiency, ease
maintenance and reduce operational
and maintenance costs for them.
Nathan: Include energy management
and monitoring infrastructure and
building requirements into the
campus master planning effort. Have
RFP and bridging documents for
new construction and major building
renovation projects incorporate
the campus master plan energy
management and monitoring
requirements. Open platform data
gathering and analysis packages
should be considered to maintain
control and flexibility over how data
is gathered and analyzed on campus
in the future.
Gerry: It is time for more ambitious
campus energy efficiency targets.
Meeting those targets should be a
goal that is always in the mind of end
users, construction and design teams,
and commissioning agents as they
manage their day-to-day tasks.
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