Skanska adds Synapsys energy monitoring to its UK headquarters building
The SPIe energy-monitoring solution from Synapsys Solutions has been selected by construction group Skanska to provide energy-performance information to staff and visitors at its UK head office at Maple Cross. Sean Smith, senior project manager with Skanska, says, ‘Our previous building controls system didn’t include an energy-monitoring capability, so we worked with our BMS partner Acme to look at several energy-monitoring options, and Synapsys’ SIPe stood out for several reasons.’
One of Skanska’s services involves working with organisations to reduce the energy use of buildings to decrease costs and tackle carbon emissions. To demonstrate to clients how this can work in real buildings, Skanska is using Synapsys energy monitoring at its headquarters to create public information displays on current energy performance.
Sean Smith explains, ‘We wanted a system that’s easy for our communications team to use to upload information, with an RSS feed and a video capability for more varied, topical and eye-catching displays. Also, we needed a system that works with tablets, owing to the high number of mobile devices we use. And of course, we liked the fact that with the Synapsys there are no ongoing charges for software, so we settled on SIPe as the front end of the new energy-monitoring programme.’
An intuitive dashboard user interface enables key performance information to be presented in a format that is easy to read and which is ideal for creating interesting and thought-provoking public displays.
The system helps Skanska increase employees’ awareness of energy consumption, track performance against targets and directly communicate green solutions and initiatives being implemented.
The system monitors about 30 points around the estate and its systems. To give a detailed overview of energy use, readings are taken from all meters and sub-meters for water, as, electricity, biomass heating, car-park lighting and solarPV system using an SIPe data logger.
There are separate admin logins for the FM team so they can change public displays, the green team so they can monitor energy performance, and one for the communications team so they can upload information.
Sean Smith says, ‘The FM team really likes the new system, as the graphical display makes it easy to see if there’s an unexpected spike in energy use at the weekend, for example, so we can investigate any anomalies.’
