EMIS Technologies Improve Overall Building Performance

Smart Energy Analytics Campaign to Help Buildings Achieve Greater Energy Efficiency

ACHR News, October 19, 2016

A new U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)-led Smart Energy Analytics Campaign has been announced to encourage the use of energy-saving building analytics platforms — also known as energy management information system (EMIS) technologies — in commercial buildings nationwide, and refine best practices.

EMIS technologies are a broad group of smart energy management tools that help monitor, analyze, and control building energy use and system performance. EMIS can achieve 10-20 percent energy savings in a single commercial building, according to the DOE. If these best practices were adopted by all commercial buildings in the nation, more than $4 billion in cost savings could be achieved.

The campaign is also meant to help building operators use analytics for overall long-term energy management and better building performance. The initial goal is to engage commercial building owners and operators to use smart energy analytics in 80 million square feet of floor space. Already the initial 18 partners represent a total of 1,800 buildings or 50 million square feet.

“Organizations partnering in the Smart Energy Analytics Campaign are taking the lead in demonstrating cutting-edge technology systems and using them to pinpoint and achieve deeper, smarter efficiencies in commercial buildings,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency Kathleen Hogan. “This commitment to continuous improvement for measuring and monitoring the energy performance of an entire building or suite of buildings is proof that data matters and informs better decision making.”

The 18 partners are committing to use EMIS technologies to cut energy consumption and improve overall building performance.

Partner commitments include:

• Macy’s — With over 700 locations, Macy’s was an early adopter of fault detection and diagnostics (FDD) in a large complex portfolio. Its leading edge approaches with FDD has resulted in significant year-over-year savings for the company.

• University of California, San Francisco — The university will expand its program of “Connected Commissioning” to use fault detection analytics to help commission major building renovations and make sure they operate efficiently from the start.

• Rhode Island Office of Energy — It is starting an 18 building, multi-year EMIS project and will receive technical assistance throughout the implementation process. The lessons learned through the campaign will help streamline the rollout of EMIS to a large portion of its public sector portfolio.

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