Spring into action: keep in check
March 26th signals the beginning of British Summer Time (BST) and the natural renewal of all good things. In this first of four blogs posted throughout April, Steve Browning, Partner & End Customer Marketing Communications Manager at Trend Control Systems, explains why it is also a good time to make sure Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS) are working as efficiently as possible.
Incorrect operating times and setpoints are two of the biggest contributing factors to energy wastage but the good news is that they are amongst the easiest problems to address and will make instant savings. A BEMS should be seen as both a control system and a reporting tool. When it comes to the latter, it is ideally suited to monitoring and verification, the absence of which can result in the activities not being properly reported.The best way to keep on top of this issue is through the use of control check reports (CCRs). These can be produced by a BEMS to maintain parameters across a single site or estate in a graphical and easy to read format. Quite simply, a BEMS does all the all the hard work for you and the ability of a CCR to display time zone information in a way that quickly identifies where there is an error in operating times and setpoints, means fast remedial action can be taken. In terms of best practice, it is well worth producing a monthly CCR report, so that it becomes part of a routine that keeps tight control over a site’s energy usage.Through regular monitoring and maintenance, adjustments can be made to the operation of the BEMS that deliver immediate savings, while items such as boilers, chillers, air conditioning and pumps can be checked to make sure they are working correctly.
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