Some of our customers who manage multi-dwelling units, aka high-density residential properties, recently mentioned how glad they are that they can perform some of their functions remotely, thanks to their energy management systems.
Energy management systems usually feature remote “dashboards”. Think of an Energy Management System as a control panel, with your building equipment and status laid out visually before you
Remote Value
Many Energy Management Systems reside in the cloud so you can monitor your property from anywhere, instead of being tied to your office. Carry your EMS with you by downloading your EMS system’s smartphone app. Do you manage multiple facilities? Remotely plan your maintenance schedule using the data your EMS collects for you.
View/Change Thermostats Remotely
Troubleshoot and take corrective action remotely, without bothering residents. View the thermostat display remotely, and even make changes to it from wherever you are. The property manager has remote control of all units’ setpoints and can help prevent such problems as rising humidity levels, and freezing pipes when residents go on vacation and leave a system completely off.
Proactive, Not Reactive, Visits
Identify HVAC systems needing attention and schedule equipment repairs before they become problems. Monitor each room’s HVAC equipment and get proactive reports of when to schedule maintenance like replacing filters and servicing malfunctioning equipment before they fail entirely.
Alerts
An EMS can display alerts and even send email/text alerts. Example: If the room temperature dips below 55 degrees in winter, send a text alert.
Some smart devices in an EMS, like door contacts and occupancy sensors, run on battery power. The EMS monitors battery life and presents this information, resulting in more proactive and planned maintenance with little disruption to occupants.
Data Analysis
Energy management software continuously gathers hundreds of data points from the wireless devices within a living space, interacting with each other (thermostats, occupancy sensors, door locks, etc.), and ultimately reporting to the EMS.
The value, however, lies in analyzing this raw data to show broader trends and provide meaningful, actionable insights. An EMS system can provide analysis such as which HVACs are working the hardest, which systems have the highest and lowest runtimes, the overall cooling and heating runtime reduction percentages.
High runtime could be a symptom of old or failing HVAC systems, or perhaps overworked HVACs because they’re on the sunny side of a building. In that case, you may want to swap them out with low-runtime HVAC systems on the shady side of the building, prolonging the life of your equipment.
Address Small Problems While They’re Still Small
So, by logging in to a remote system, you can track trends on a macro-level, and on a micro-level, you can address single alerts before they become major events.
All of this data allows the operator to be proactive in addressing issues, which keeps equipment healthy and minimizes the impact on residents.
Rebates
Your EMS project may qualify for rebates. Rebate amounts will vary based on the type of controlled equipment, electric or gas, type of program, etc. Check with your local utility or head to dsireusa.org for rebates available in your area. Incentives are always changing; they expire when funds run out, eventually replaced with new incentive programs.
We’ve got an insider’s tip: post-installation, utilities will want to audit your energy savings. You’ll need a way to collect data that proves your energy savings. A good EMS company provides an inherent monitoring measuring system, to show that you are getting those savings.
Are you ready to talk to an EMS professional? Contact us today at sales@3.131.247.247 or 888-703-9398.
