SPC Pro Achieves 51% Saving!

The brief

Our client, a leading Energy and Carbon Reduction Specialist, are metering and data logging experts so it's no surprise that Elcomponent's SPC PROs are a major part of their toolkit. However, a recent major project opportunity required an even more innovative approach than usual to work around the restrictions of the site and its operating conditions.

The energy data logger SPC PRO is usually plugged into the mains whilst logging, but it's a versatile instrument and for applications where no voltage hookup is available, its hefty internal battery provides up to 3 weeks logging. However in this instance that was not sufficient. The project was going to need at least 20 units in use simultaneously for up to six weeks, and in order to provide the necessary survey endurance to ascertain the full potential for carbon reduction, a new approach was needed.

The challenge was to double the battery life of the SPC PRO but remain within the tight cost constraints necessary to keep the project viable. It was also important that the instrument's core advantages of compact dimensions and ease-of-use in the field were not compromised as a data logger.

We needed a solution to modify our data logger

The solution came in the form of a very efficient external lithium-ion rechargeable battery pack which boosted the 'no voltage available' survey duration of the SPC PRO from three to six weeks. Integrating the additional battery pack required some modifications to the data logger which were carried out as a 'level 2 special build' during production, and took the form of a revised power supply design and a new input socket to allow the external battery to be connected.

These 'Specials' were supplied as complete kits in Elcomponent's standard zip-up case complete with all accessories and ready to start work immediately.

THE CLIENT'S FEEDBACK

the clients Operations Director takes up the story...

"The level of service from Elcomponent was excellent and it was really refreshing to work with a dynamic, forward-thinking, company that understands and cares about their customer needs. The SPC PRO data loggers with the bespoke modifications have already been utilised extensively throughout the MOD estate and are really proving their worth in search of carbon reduction opportunities. In one recent application 51% of HVAC energy was saved by identifying out-of hours electricity consumption. As a result of the 'Energy Mapping' exercise 13% of the total building's electricity has been saved."

Elcomponent Sales Manager Debbie Burton adds...

"I really wanted to be able to help the guys although the spec initially sounded like a tough call. In fact, the project went very smoothly - they were able to tell us exactly what they needed and we were able to agree the revised logger spec, and then sign off the design and build the units inside six weeks."

Major Metering Project Completes Ahead of Time

Elcomponent have recently completed the first two phases of a campus-wide sub-metering package at the Scottish university. The company tendered successfully for the business and were awarded the contract, and the initial phase comprising data acquisition for almost 200 meters was completed inside a two-week window in July.

The Requirement

It was imperative that the initial phase of the work was completed to a tight timescale to minimise any disruption to the operation of the University, which like most HE establishments sees only a minor reduction in activity during student vacation periods. The University is committed to delivering a 50% reduction in its greenhouse gas emissions and automatic sub-metering is a fundamental step to achieving that goal.

Clients Feedback

The nature of the campus (many separate buildings in the centre of the city) added to the challenge, but according to Elcomponent MD Bill Gysin the LAN-based package that the company supplied simplified the job considerably.

"The time frame was tight" he reports, "but we had maximum co-operation from the Estates team and their colleagues, and although many new meters were fitted, quite a few were already in place. We had to install the communications hardware, and link everything up and test it before integrating it into the campus LAN. Our MODBUS/TCP architecture and Meter Network Controllers made that easy to do, and although we initially thought some radio links would be required, it turned out not to be necessary in most cases, so we were able to control costs very tightly."

Elcomponent say their new Meter Network Controller can talk successfully to just about any meter out there - MODBUS, M-BUS or pulse output, and was used exclusively for data collection & storage on the Strathclyde job to provide a flexible device interface, and improve system resilience.

This in turn will assist us in achieving our ambitious energy demand reduction targets.
Energy Engineer at the university

Elcomponent Metering System Saves £16K at Fine Food Factory

The client is a manufacturer of very delightful chutneys, curds, condiments and salad dressings.

The recipes are simple enough - old-style English fare made with the finest ingredients using traditional methods, so quality control is of paramount importance. The best ingredients do not come cheap, and with one notable exception must be used in exactly the right quantities. The notable exception is of course energy, and whilst the company will not compromise its recipes to even the smallest degree, it is passionate about delivering the finished product with an energy content which is as low as possible.

The solution

This isn't easy - many of the manufacturing processes such as 'open pan' cooking represent an energy management challenge, but it's one that site Process Manager is ready for...

"Ultimately we need to know the exact energy content of all our products, but right now we're making significant savings by taking control of unnecessary usage" he says. The tool that has allowed this to take place is a fully integrated multi-utility sub-metering system installed by Elcomponent. "It has provided invaluable information on the various processes, right from day one."

The system provides half-hour data on electricity, water and gas usage, and has enabled the food manufacturing client to get a grip on their utility usage in a way that is simply not possible without automatic sub-metering. Significant savings on gas & electricity have been realised by ensuring that plant and equipment runs only when needed, and better control of water usage has already reduced consumption by 5%. Overall savings of about £16,000.00 p.a. have been realised.

The Elcomponent system also provides wireless radio-based automatic temperature monitoring to 26 points including warehouse storage areas, freezers and blast chillers. Obviously the chilled areas must be managed efficiently to minimise energy usage and the Elcomponent MeterRing MM package offers temperature measurement as an integral function - something that is normally handled via a completely separate system.

Clients Feedback

The client is clear about the advantages of the Elcomponent approach...

"Being able to monitor and graph temperature on the same desktop as energy and utility usage is a massive advantage". "So much so, we're scoping out the installation of the system in our other manufacturing sites."

Elcomponent sales engineer, Stef Kawalek, is obviously pleased with the outcome...

"We've recently added radio-based temperature logging to our system capability" he notes, "and that made all the difference here. A combination of cable, radio and LAN means we can deliver a cost-effective working solution in the most challenging and complex environment."

Elcomponent Energy Management Software MeterRing MM Saves £35,000PA, a 50% improvement in energy efficiency

The brief

Built in 2005, the cutting edge architecture of the Department of Physics - reflects the university's commitment to providing the very highest quality of teaching and research accommodation. Encompassing hi-tech fabrication facilities, laboratories, classrooms and a 200 seat lecture theatre, the building also had to balance intensive energy use with the lowest possible running costs and carbon footprint.

Being Highly Pro-active With Energy Management

Accurate and detailed energy measurement is key to ensuring best practice in terms of energy efficiency, and in this arena of the University has been highly pro-active. The entire campus is metered by an Elcomponent 'MeterRing MM' automatic sub-metering system, which provides around 1000 data streams on every aspect of energy usage and carbon equivalency on a site-wide basis. The system was of course specified for the Physics building and aggregated meter readings showed that the building was consuming electricity at a rate of some £70K+ per annum.

Combining the data with a coherent action plan is essential if energy savings are to be realised and maintained, and in this instance the plan was the university's 'Big Energy Challenge' which involves the appointment of an 'Energy Champion' for the building. This role is a challenging one as it requires detailed knowledge of the department and processes to enable an effective action plan for energy efficiency to be produced. The energy management plan was created in conjunction with senior departmental staff and the university's energy experts, and defined energy reduction measures which did not present a risk to the integrity of research projects and other critical loads, but still had the ability deliver worthwhile savings, and ultimately an energy efficient building.

The Results

The University's Energy Engineer reports that this was achieved in some style at this location as can be seen from the pictured chart. The red trace shows the monthly consumption at the start of the project with the orange bar chart demonstrating the energy usage in the month following implementation of the new regime. The difference amounts to some £35,000 per annum - about 50% - not to mention a whopping 160 tonnes of CO2, which is a very impressive reduction in the buildings carbon footprint!

Commercial Property Owner Achieves 50% Energy Savings with Elcomponent's Energy Management Sub-Metering System

Elcomponent's MeterRing MM package helps a commercial property company make significant energy savings in its buildings' carbon footprints, enabling them to pass financial savings on to tenants.

THE CLIENTS ENERGY MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENT...

The client is a family-owned commercial property company operating throughout the South West of England, focusing particularly on Bath and North-East Somerset and Wiltshire.

The company centres its business on the needs of occupiers with the aim of delivering property as a service that contributes to the success of the organisations it supplies. That service includes a determination to reduce energy and the carbon footprint of its property portfolio, and with this in mind the client engaged Elcomponent to provide an automatic metering package (a complete energy management solution) to identify where energy savings could be made. The goal was to reduce the utility bills and pass the energy savings on to those businesses occupying the properties - the clients customers.

The solution

The company invited Elcomponent to provide remote utility monitoring equipment for two of their Wiltshire office complexes where water, gas, electricity energy metering was required, and another site which needed energy metering for its oil-fired heating as well as its electricity and water consumption. The system monitors all the meters centrally from the client's offices. As a result of the measures implemented, the client reported that the client has seen a sustained reduction in carbon emissions, which are now 50% of what they were 5 years ago. This has translated into annual energy savings of £25,000 in the building's energy bills. This location was also part of the water-saving initiative, and it achieved an incredible 54% reduction in water use, a saving of £1764 in the annual water bill, the equivalent of 70,000 fewer WC flushes!

Stefan Kawalek, Elcomponent's field engineer for the West of England comments...

"The system was quite a challenge - our software fitted the bill perfectly, but we had a basement level oil tank to deal with as well as some pit installed water meters outside the buildings. However our combination of radio and LAN-based data collection made it possible to deliver a working package at a very competitive price, allowing the client to make some significant energy and cost savings."

Case Study: Energy Efficiency in the Automotive Industry

The automotive industry is known for its diverse range of products, including cars and ATVs (All Terrain Vehicles). As expected, the service and spare parts support for such an extensive product line presents a significant challenge, requiring a large and sophisticated operation to maintain efficiency.

One such facility, located in the Midlands, operates a vast parts warehouse covering 13,000 sq metres and processes around 300 consignments daily. The combined office and warehouse space employs 100s of people and must provide a carefully controlled environment to ensure that valuable parts inventory remains in top condition.

The Solution

Managing energy costs and consumption efficiently is a key priority, as is maintaining the smallest possible carbon footprint in line with sustainability goals. The Facilities Manager at the site emphasises the importance of having accurate data to drive decisions and improve efficiency.

"The starting point is good information," they state. To achieve this, Elcomponent was engaged to supply a sub-metering system covering all major electrical loads. The MeterRing MM package was installed by electrical contractors, and it quickly delivered results by identifying areas where consumption could be reduced. "Initially, it was a matter of good housekeeping really," the Facilities Manager reports. "We cut out the waste and ensured best practice..."

A prime example of good housekeeping was the significant reduction in energy, cost, and carbon emissions achieved by optimising yard lighting. Security and operational requirements meant that the area had to be adequately lit at all times, but metering data confirmed that during winter months, the cost of doing so was close to £800 per month. By carefully assessing the required light levels and adjusting the lighting controls, improvements were made without compromising operations. This resulted in savings of almost 45 per cent – over £2,000 in one year.

The entire site is now undergoing assessment for an improved lighting scheme, with the sub-metering package playing a crucial role in evaluating effectiveness. While the yard lighting project was a no-cost/low-cost initiative, a site-wide scheme will involve replacing luminaires and incorporating new technology.

Client Feedback

"This time we need the metering to evaluate the pilot installations to make sure the paybacks and savings match our projections. We like to make decisions based on facts wherever possible!"

We couldn't agree more.

The UK's leading supplier of plumbing, heating and drainage systems to the construction and utilities markets, with a number of manufacturing locations in both the UK and Ireland.

The company's manufacturing processes include plastic extrusion, clay firing and other energy-intensive operations, and although it has invested heavily in new plant and equipment, it goes without saying that effective energy and carbon management are also key factors in its continued success. Good management requires good information however, and in this instance detailed energy and water consumption data are provided by extensive site-based automatic sub-metering systems supplied and installed by Elcomponent.

Elcomponent have delivered systems into four sites, comprising a total of over 140 meters which provide half hour readings in realtime to a central database. Data are managed and presented via Elcomponent's 'MeterRing MM' software and the companies own process-specific energy management routines. Installation involved meters for all three utilities and was achieved jointly between Elcomponent's installers and the clients in-house teams. The use of multiple networking options included VHF radio and the existing LAN, and utilised MODBUS connected meters where possible. This ensured that accuracy and reliability were combined with a cost-effective and efficient installation process, which was achieved with the minimum of disruption to the sites manufacturing processes.

Rai Gaidys, Elcomponent Lead Installer comments...

"This plumbing company run a very tight ship and we were working to a demanding timetable, but thanks to the professionalism of the client's engineering staff, and our new voltage output CT meters which speed up installation considerably, we were able to get the job done on schedule and with an absolute minimum of downtime"