Visit the Energy Systems Laboratory Homepage.
Technology Enablers for Next-Generation Economic Building Monitoring Systems
Loading...
Date
2001
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Texas A&M University (http://www.tamu.edu)
Energy Systems Laboratory (http://esl.tamu.edu)
Energy Systems Laboratory (http://esl.tamu.edu)
Abstract
The measurement of a building's electrical
and thermal consumption provides the
necessary data used to increase energy
efficiency. Measurements typically range
from hourly to monthly. Monthly data can be
used to determine if savings are being
maintained. Hourly data provides added
detail for diagnostics. Currently, the cost of
a complete monitoring system deters use in
buildings under 30,000 to 50,000 square feet.
Buildings can be optimized using techniques
like Continuous CommissioningSM (CCSM) and
experience a reduction in consumption
ranging from 10% to 40% [1]. Using hourly
data has proven to be very effective in
maintaining the initial level of savings over
an extended period of time [1]. The Energy
Systems Laboratory at Texas A&M
University (TAMU) has applied CCSM to over
100 buildings and obtained an average
savings of 22 percent. Currently, wholebuilding
and sub-metering relies on
conventional dial-up based data logging
systems. Development of a next-generation
data acquisition system is essential to achieve
a lower cost for building energy monitoring
and analysis. The next-generation system
discussed in this paper is a complete redesign.
It will be Internet-enabled and secure; take
advantage of current advances in smarter
sensors, use embedded micro-controllers and
mixed signal processors and use Java and
XML.