The quote, “If you can measure it, you can manage it” is often attributed to management guru Peter Drucker. However, those who have done literature review believe that Renaissance mathematician and astronomer Rheticus coined the phrase back in the sixteenth century. Over the ensuing years, scientists and scholars have quoted it, sometimes with slight variations. Besides the authorship debate, it has been argued that some things cannot be measured but still need to be managed. Yet others dispute the fact that measuring something does not mean that it will be managed.
Nevertheless, the philosophy conveyed is critical to a sustainable energy management program. As we learned in the previous blog, the ability of Energy Information Systems (EISs) to measure, monitor and quantify building energy use helps establish the ‘measuring’ stage. Strategic planning, at the core of the ‘managing’ stage, must lead to action and ultimately, energy savings.
How Does an Energy Information System Help Manage Building Energy Use?
Sustainability and energy managers, as well as building experts, are able to elevate their work to higher levels because an EIS provides the needed visibility to understand how energy is used in a building, identifies opportunities to reduce energy use, tracks the implementation of conservation measures, and confirms energy savings are realized – all this proactively, continuously, and automatically.
However, only when an EIS implementation is tightly coupled with an effective energy management strategy will it have great chances of success. Monitoring, Targeting and Reporting (MT&R) is one approach that encourages continuous improvement, where acquiring energy data, analyzing it to produce meaningful information, and advising on the best course of action to produce results is a never-ending cycle as depicted in figure 1. At the core of this methodology is the analysis of a facility’s historical energy data with respect to occupancy, weather, or output produced, if applicable. Any correlation to these variables, including consumption patterns, target setting and performance indicators are determined using statistical techniques like regression analysis and cumulative sum charting.
Figure 1. The Acquire – Analyze – Advise Continuous Improvement Cycle
When it comes to savings verification, particularly when engaging in building and equipment retrofits, Measurement and Verification (M&V) techniques are used. The Efficiency Valuation Organization (EVO) defines M&V as “the process of planning, measuring, collecting and analyzing data for the purpose of verifying and reporting energy savings within an individual facility resulting from the implementation of energy conservation measures (ECMs).” [1] The International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP), administered by the EVO, guides the M&V process with its fundamental principles and best practices framework.
Whether it is MT&R, M&V or both, an EIS is essential to meet the measuring, analyzing, verifying and reporting requirements at the core of these energy management strategies.
Why are Energy Information Systems Needed?
A recent report titled, “Building Energy Information Systems: Synthesis of Costs, Savings, and Best-practice Uses” by the Building Technology & Urban Systems Division at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in the U.S. conducted a study on the impact of EIS deployment, and assessed that this technology could achieve up to 20% energy savings in buildings. The paper goes on to say that, “participants achieved year-over-year median site and portfolio savings of 17% and 8%, respectively; they reported that this performance would not have been possible without the EIS.” [2]
And you get points for it! LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement, grants up to four additional credits under “Energy and Atmosphere – Enhanced Commissioning” in its LEED v4 for Building Design and Construction (BD+C) certification requirements. [3] Enhanced and Monitoring-Based Commissioning calls for the development of monitoring-based procedures to evaluate the performance of energy and water consuming systems, which is exactly what EISs can help with.
The above are two huge reasons why Energy Information Systems are needed in today’s highly demanding world of energy management. First, it’s a proven tool that has enabled substantial energy savings, and second, it’s an integral component in ongoing building commissioning.
The next installment in our series will offer a framework for evaluating Energy Information Systems in view of an organization’s own challenges, goals and resources. However, if you are ready to test-drive one right now, you can start here.
[1] Efficiency Valuation Organization. 2019. M&V.
[2] Granderson, J., Lin, G. 2016. Building Energy Information Systems: Synthesis of Costs, Savings, and Best-practice Uses. Energy Technologies Area. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
[3] U.S. Green Building Council. 2019. LEED v4 for Building Design and Construction.
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CopperTree Analytics
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