Reduce Energy Costs

Energy Management System

Many businesses are unaware that their energy costs could be cut in half or more simply by implementing an energy management system. These systems monitor all aspects of your facility’s HVAC system and can turn down your heating/cooling unit (or, alternatively, turn up your electricity) when necessary to reduce costs. As an example, many facilities will run both central heating/cooling units throughout the day—even if they’re not being used. If you turned one off and kept it off until nighttime use, you could save hundreds per month on energy costs. An energy management system helps identify these wasteful practices so you can streamline your facility operations to save money without negatively affecting building performance. These savings mean increased profitability for your business; let DataOut help you realize them!

How does an IoT Device Work?

The idea behind IoT is that everyday objects can be assigned an IP address, allowing them to send and receive data over a network. The industrial IoT takes that concept one step further by assigning every piece of equipment in your facility an IP address, which allows it to control functions like turning lights on or off or monitoring temperature remotely. As you’ll see below, there are several ways to achieve remote monitoring but one of our favorites is using an industrial controller to monitor systems and then feed that information back into the building management system (BMS). This way you get real-time updates without having to worry about multiple protocols or security concerns. Although IoT devices are making headway, they will not replace more traditional means of energy monitoring; however, they can serve as a supplement when utilized correctly. For example, if your utility company offers incentives for monitoring energy usage from certain outlets than an IoT device may make sense for those locations where you want to take advantage of these perks. At DataOut we have implemented devices connected via MQTT protocol capable of measuring electricity power consumption and sending such values to business intelligence tools (e.g., Google BigQuery) or cloud machine learning services like Google Cloud ML Engine. What does it mean? It means saving up to 40% on electricity costs!

The Different Types of Sensors Used in IoT Devices

Many IoT devices will require sensors in order to collect information from their environment. With that being said, there are several different types of sensors available depending on what type of data you’re trying to collect. Let’s take a look at some examples. If you want to measure temperature, there are thermocouples, RTDs (resistance temperature detectors), infrared devices and many others. If you want to measure movement or pressure (via flow rate), things get more complicated with everything from strain gauges to fiber optic sensors available. Other solutions need two-dimensional motion sensing, ultrasonic sound waves or even laser beams for precise positioning. These all have various uses but you can see how having an understanding of each sensor is important when building IoT devices designed for specific applications. In short, IoT projects requiring very specific sensing solutions need sensors for specialized functions; however, other solutions benefit from using multiple types of sensors with varying capabilities integrated into one platform.

How IoT devices can help Buildings Use Less Energy

According to a report published by Navigant Research, Buildings account for 40% of worldwide electricity use. With buildings using so much energy, it’s clear that we can save energy without negatively affecting building performance. A Building Management System (BMS) can help by monitoring building resources and adjusting them in real-time. But how? There are already many internet-connected sensors collecting information about temperature, power usage, humidity levels and other vital statistics... All of which is useful data when trying to maximize energy efficiency. For example, if you know you need more cooling but don't want your AC kicking on until it's reached 25 degrees outside you could set up algorithms that manage its activation based on weather conditions - no human input required! This is just one example out of thousands possible - The point is: IoT devices make savings possible without sacrificing efficiency or comfort. BMSs + IoT = Win/Win!

What are some examples from real life?

Most buildings today use old-fashioned building management systems (BMS). The problem is that BMSes were designed for simple automation. That means they don’t know how to manage devices like air conditioners or heating/cooling units. An internet of things (IoT) management system, on the other hand, is designed for precisely that: IoT manages everything in your building in real time, delivering customized control based on usage patterns, preferences and outside conditions. IoT saves energy by shutting off all unused lights at night or during off hours, while also preventing overheating by turning down temperature settings when no one is using a room. You can even save energy by doing nothing—that’s right, simply connecting IOT and your HVAC allows it to learn when no one is in the building so it can maintain comfortable temperatures even when everyone has left for home. IoT does all these things automatically; you just set them up once and never have to worry about them again!

The Complete Solution

DataOut key value is service excellence - we pride ourselves on treating all customers exactly as we would want to be treated ourselves. That means working closely with you from start to finish, addressing all issues promptly and professionally regardless of whether they're minor or major. You can rely on us to offer expert knowledge, innovative thinking and practical know-how so that your IoT project will be efficiently deployed while meeting exacting standards of quality.

We’re available for consultation and to answer any questions you may have about our IOT solutions, or how we can support your existing BMS hardware and software. Just fill out a request online using one of our contact forms (either of them), and someone will get back to you as soon as possible. If you prefer, simply call us on (+44)7427392233.

Once we’ve set up a meeting, we’ll discuss your individual requirements in more detail and discover how we can support you in deploying IoT technology to enable remote monitoring and control of your equipment. In some cases, there may be no charge for our time or for any software licenses needed for specific projects; in others, we might propose a full-service solution with clear costs identified from the outset (if you choose to go ahead with that option). You’ll always know exactly what you’re paying for, so there are no hidden charges or nasty surprises, which is another area where DataOut sets itself apart from other providers.