The EU’s target is to increase energy efficiency by 20 percent and lower energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by a fifth. Energy costs can be the second largest business expense after wages, which puts energy efficiency at the top of the agenda for any business-savvy owner. 

The choice of building services equipment can contribute up to 80 percent of energy costs, which can make a huge difference in the long-term. Around 40 percent of a commercial building’s energy is on HVAC and approximately 20 percent of this could be easily saved through access to data which identifies peaks and troughs in energy usage. 

Through analysis and interpretation of this data, strategies can then be implemented to increase energy efficiency and reduce costs, hence why data acquisition is vital in the evolution of intelligent buildings.

Although a Building Management System (BMS) generates high volumes of data, it is not designed to analyse it. However, Synapsys Solutions has recently introduced a free CPD-Accredited Guide and presentation on data acquisition, which will explain why we cannot simply rely on a BMS to operate a commercial building efficiently. In order to achieve energy efficiency on a large scale, we must not only acquire data but also process and interpret it in order to facilitate behavioural change.

Tim Barnes, business development manager for Synapsys Solutions, said: “Having a BMS in place to acquire data is only the start of the journey. Next, the data must be processed and analysed, allowing strategies to be put in place to lower energy usage and address business challenges. 

“No two buildings are the same, therefore a one size fits all solution does not apply. A building specific solution is needed to unlock potential savings and improve overall performance. By providing building owners and users with access and full visibility of their data, we believe this will be the catalyst in encouraging behaviour change.”