From investing in the best load orchestration and energy management systems to ensuring the systems are functioning optimally, facility management is a very challenging role. Rising sustainability requirements and energy prices are pushing managers to improve the energy efficiency of their organizations. They are often forced to implement this with a low budget. However, the advancement in Internet of Things technologies and energy monitoring and management solutions are enabling managers to gain a deeper understanding of building consumption of energy.
This improved transparency is empowering facility managers to make the right decisions. Read on as we outline some of the top challenges that facility managers face in improving energy efficiency and how the right management systems can overcome these challenges.
It is hard to collect reliable data
Making changes without reliable and useful data is one of the top challenges that facility managers face. From time to time, building meters and management systems operate in silos and the collection of data has to be done manually. This is unproductive and tedious work in addition to the high risk of human error.
Without reliable data on the energy consumption patterns of your facility, initiatives taken to reduce energy consumption could be a waste of effort and time. Managers need the right tools to enhance the productivity of consolidating data so that they can spend more time on high-value tasks.
Deploying energy management systems is one solution that automatically collects data from different sites and consolidates it into one platform. When choosing the right EMS, make sure you choose one that works effectively in the cloud. This will increase the convenience of accessing data and reduce costs significantly.
A lot of energy is wasted in operations unknowingly
Energy wastage can happen in unnoticed ways. Wrong settings, faulty timers, and poorly maintained equipment can cause problems. When you find out during your scheduled checks, you might have wasted a lot of money already.
It is possible to arrange for your team to do daily checks but this comes at a high cost. The best way to go about it is to let the software do the checks automatically. This is a smart way to reduce errors. With a robust management system, you will be able to set notifications to alert you when specific equipment and appliances are using energy above the pre-set levels.
When you have real-time knowledge of energy usage in different parts of your building, you can proactively check and correct any issues. When you can take the necessary measures immediately, you can be able to curb wastage.
You have a difficult time justifying your power retrofits projects
When investing in load orchestration systems, upgrades or retrofits, management needs to see positive results that prove a strong ROI. But without detailed data, there are high chances that you will end up with failing confidence and unreliable conclusions. With a real-time monitoring solution, you will easily quantify potential savings. You can also verify the impact of your actions once they are implemented. This enables you to expand the scale of your project to other areas.