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.