Creating the ideal working environment with an energy management system
Office temperature can be one of the biggest causes of disputes between workers. Often areas within a building will be at different temperatures with both the heating and air con running, either because of individuals taking manual control of thermostats or because of a lack of awareness of how the system runs. Not only is this wasteful in terms of energy use and its associated costs, it also has a negative impact on the environment.
During the heating season, by reducing the temperature by just 1°C can commonly save 8-10% on your heating bill. Investing in energy management tools can make a difference to your bottom line while helping to ensure you meet all energy compliance regulations, and perhaps even contributing to a happier workforce.
Despite clearly making business sense, many companies still don’t have an energy management plan, perhaps because it’s not seen as integral to the company, or even because it’s perceived to be more complicated than it actually is.
While a thorough energy management plan should consider all aspects of energy procurement and use, this doesn’t have to be a lengthy or expensive process. The key is to know what you want your energy management system to do – do you want to monitor specific areas, do you want to measure usage, do you want a cloud-based solution for ease of monitoring, will you require customer support?
Begin by focusing on elements in the energy chain that can be controlled and yet are known to drain a lot of energy, such as HVAC systems – energy management systems can be a simple way to help to control this. The inclusion of sensors to allow control of additional sources of energy use – such as lighting, security and office equipment – can always be integrated into the system at a later date.
Today’s energy management systems offer multiple benefits, such as remote monitoring via browser or smartphone, which means energy use can be tracked and temperatures monitored in real time, with any issues or discrepancies flagged up immediately. It is also possible to establish temperature limits and set points for different times of the day while blocking unauthorised users from changing settings.
Of course, it’s always wise to opt for a product that has proven to be a useful, reliable solution so speak to your installer or consultant and get advice on systems that have been used in similar environments.
Installing an energy management system offers many advantages to companies, from reducing your corporate footprint to cost savings and a better working environment. There are many cost-effective solutions available today so get in touch today and we’ll help you to find the system that works best for your needs.
