DW Sports goes wireless to reduce its energy use
DW Sports, the fitness club and retailer, is adopting wireless BEMSs designed, installed and commissioned by WEMS International. Trials at three sites have shown energy savings of over 17%, and DW Sports is embarking on a phased roll-out programme.
Dan Hubbard, the company’s utilities and properties manager, says, ‘At a board level, DW Sports is committed to energy reduction and sustainability in a very real and proactive way. We had made some inroads by addressing the “low-hanging fruit” but knew the real energy-efficiency solutions involved taking greater control of plant.’
The company’s ready-built estate included two BEMSs to control some kit — plus a lot of independent control. DW Sports want to ‘remove human error from the equation’ in terms of more efficient operation and control of the estate. The WEMS solution was able to bring all the controls together.
At the centre of the system is WEMSprogrammer, which communicates with wireless controls and sensors to create a virtual ‘mesh’ network across the controlled space.
Mr Hubbard expects that intelligent control and the integration of ventilation and air-conditioning systems could soon deliver even greater savings than those already achieved. Part of the strategy is employees being required to work alongside the process to make the plant and buildings more energy efficient.
