The energy industry is currently experiencing the perfect storm. As post-pandemic economies ramp up, consumer spending comes back to life, and the supply chain and petroleum production tightens, energy costs are rising significantly. Now, more than ever, it’s critical that businesses, facilities, and organizations utilize energy management systems to control and reduce the amount of energy they consume. In fact, failure to implement an energy management strategy could cause you to experience a loss in functionality, a sudden increase in energy costs, power outages, or a disruption in your fuel supply.
What is an energy management system?
A simple definition of an energy management system (EMS) is a system to control and monitor energy-consuming devices, including heating and cooling equipment, fans, pumps, dampers, and lighting. Energy management systems can also be used to control refrigeration equipment, industrial processes, or other systems.
Generally an EMS consists of three basic elements:
Sensors to measure things such as temperature, pressure, and light levels which are used to initiate responses by the system.
Controllers to compare a signal received from a sensor to a desired set point, and send out a signal to a control device for action.
Controlled devices that are the equipment receiving the signals from the controllers, such as a fan, a pump, a damper, light switch, and other components.
Energy management systems can also be known as building management, building automation, or energy management control systems. In larger buildings and more complicated systems there’s usually a computer that provides a user interface that pulls all the information together for the building operator.
While their main function is to control occupant comfort, EMS can also be used to optimize system performance by operating equipment properly, ensuring proper maintenance, maintaining safety, and, of course, to generate energy savings.
Here are 10 reasons why you should have an energy management system:
- Monitor energy consumption and help minimize waste and control costs
- Operate more efficiently by eliminating waste, reducing overspending, and lowering operating costs
- Gather actionable data to make better-informed business decisions
- Identify areas of improvement to combat inefficiencies and boost your bottom line
- Manage energy usage better to reduce your impact on the environment
- Gain better control of your energy consumption with an easier, more intuitive control platform and better access to settings and controls for faster, more flexible response to situations and conditions
- Automate routine procedures to free up personnel for higher-value tasks
- Optimize employee efficiency with a more comfortable work environment and less time spent operating and maintaining your energy systems
- Reduce energy system costs by utilizing an EMS that monitors and manages components and subsystems, alerting you to issues before they become major problems
- EMS provider expertise enables you to take advantage of their knowledge and insights to be more efficient, cost-effective, and profitable through improved energy use
If you’d like to learn more about energy management systems and how Kuegler Associates can help you choose the right one for your specific needs, contact our EMS experts today.
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