E-MAGINE Building Energy Management System Saves Money and Reduces Carbon


Manchester, UK (PRWEB UK) 30 April 2012

E-MAGINE has been launched by ENER-G Controls, part of global sustainable energy group ENER-G.

 

E-MAGINE has been designed with intelligence and knowledge built in to each control module, so that installation and commissioning is much quicker and easier and optimum control is embedded within the system throughout its lifetime.

 

In developing its next generation E-MAGINE energy controls system, ENER-G, designed a new type of modular controls system that was more accessible and affordable for smaller businesses, while also meeting the complex requirements of large multiple site organisations.

 

Gary Dowsett, Director of ENER-G Controls, said: “Many organisations overlook Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS) in their energy efficiency plans because of the false belief that they are an expensive technology for big business that are complex and costly to specify, install, operate and maintain. BEMS are one of the quickest and most effective methods of driving down energy cost and consumption.

 

“E-MAGINE is available to business customers on a pay-as-you-save basis through ENER-Gs Guaranteed Savings Programme. As such, businesses don’t need to make any upfront investment and can improve their energy efficiency even when budgets are tight and no capital is available. The anticipated energy and operational cost savings offset the investment and are guaranteed.”

 

E-MAGINE overcomes three major system flaws that prevent many building energy management systems from delivering their projected cost and carbon savings over their lifetime.

 

Firstly, because E-MAGINE is pre-configured, all the programming for a bespoke project is already built into the system. This means that the systems optimised energy performance is embedded within the E-MAGINE product range, removing the dependency on an individual engineers programming skills. It also makes the systems design and installation much simpler and faster, while commissioning can be completed remotely reducing time on site and cost.

 

This overcomes the major problem of inconsistent programming. It is often the case that no two controls specialists will program a BEMS in exactly the way specified, or indeed to a similar standard – adding to the problems associated with on-going support. This causes significant deviations in the way the hardware operates, which in turn can increase energy consumption. Although there are recommended control strategies from CIBSE and BSRIA, these are not always adhered to. Such inconsistency can be exacerbated during the final system refinement stages. Due to time or cost constraints, this is often left to the on-site commissioning engineer who is always under pressure to get the BEMS working quickly to meet the building handover programme. Invariably, with little time left in the schedule, BEMS control strategies may not be carefully verified or thoroughly exercised pre or post-handover, and so the BEMS can start life operating with less than optimal functionality.

 

The second traditional flaw that E-MAGINE overcomes is twitchy finger syndrome, where various users adjust the settings and gradually erode the energy efficiency benefits. Tampering is widespread – caused by poor building design or comfort preferences, or simply the different temperature preferences between occupants or genders. At the user level, temperature and time set points are fiddled with continuously in the search for optimum conditions. At the plant level, to overcome system deficiencies, changes are made to keep the system operational -often at the cost of extra energy use. The net result is that the intelligent self-adaptive optimisation strategies of a BEMS cannot achieve its goals.

 

E-MAGINEs tamper proof controls minimise the impact of any changes made – by restoring optimal settings. This ensures that the system achieves peak optimised savings and performance throughout its lifetime, while delivering maximum levels of comfort and flexibility throughout the property.

 

The third, and often hidden, problem addressed by E-MAGINE is the inevitable issue of hardware and software deterioration. Critical parts of any BEMS hardware and software will require servicing or maintenance over the system lifetime. For example, temperature sensors deteriorate and fall outside their calibration accuracy, or simply become broken or damaged. Control dampers and valves may be impaired due to age or wear, while temperature dead bands can often require maintenance. Using E-MAGINEs online diagnostic tools, system performance can be continuously monitored. This will quickly identify system malfunctions and automatically refine control strategies to restore optimum operation.

 

A key feature of E-MAGINE is its ability to interface with a buildings existing third party control systems and plant through the use of open protocols. Increasingly, ENER-G is being asked to install E-MAGINE to interface with existing systems that are not generating the energy savings the user anticipated.

 

E-MAGINE is suitable for a broad range of applications from primary energy sources, such as boilers, chillers, cooling towers, dehumidification systems and warm air heaters, through to secondary systems, such as HVAC, fan coils, domestic hot water and air filtration systems.

 

A key component of E-MAGINE is its integrated front-end management tool, E-VISION. This cloud- based online dashboard serves the needs of designers and installers to design and commission the system. It also meets the needs of users to not only control their buildings system remotely, but also analyse and manage their energy usage.

 

E-VISION has a number of E-APPs that function as aM&T tools to monitor consumption across a range of sites. This also enables users to drill down and monitor performance of plant, to highlight inefficiencies and opportunities to increase energy savings and generate reports.

As E-VISION is accessed across the cloud through a standard internet browser, there is no need to install specialist software and users are always able to benefit from the very latest updates and software features.

 

Further information: http://www.emagine-controls.com, info(at)emagine-controls(dot)com ,01527 855072


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About The Author

Ibrar Ayyub

I am an experienced technical writer holding a Master's degree in computer science from BZU Multan, Pakistan University. With a background spanning various industries, particularly in home automation and engineering, I have honed my skills in crafting clear and concise content. Proficient in leveraging infographics and diagrams, I strive to simplify complex concepts for readers. My strength lies in thorough research and presenting information in a structured and logical format.

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