Real-Time Energy Metering and Management Information Systems: The Next Frontier for Intelligent Buildings

摘要

Tens of billions of dollars in electrical energy expenditures are wasted every year in the commercial and industrial sectors of North America. The larger and the more complex the facility or building, the more likely energy will be wasted. Fortunately, advances have recently been made in the world of electricity metering and energy management information systems to help industrial and commercial energy users analyze their consumption and reduce their costs. In the past, the world of electrical metering was not able to provide technology to measure and communicate detailed operating data to those responsible for energy management in an economic manner.Traditional metering provides monthly energy consumption and peak demand information so that utilities can accurately bill clients at the building or facility level. This approach is about total consumption and billing, not about providing data to facility managers to monitor, analyze and minimize energy consumption and cost. Real time metering and energy management technology have not been introduced until recently because this type of state-of-the-art technology was far too expensive. Metering at this level of detail in an economic fashion is a new concept as is the opportunity to analyze more detailed and granular data.