Month: January 2011

The developed world is in the first phase of a major transformation as to how buildings are designed, constructed and operated. The reason for the change is obvious; energy and sustainability concerns have finally pushed design professionals, engineers, architects and building owners to make creative leaps in building design. The repeated, reused and legacy designs – the business realm of some designers – are history. While energy concerns may be the impetus for the transformation, technology is its primary enabler. The technical advances in building materials, use of three-dimensional modelling and design and new power generation systems at building sites are notable. However, the innovations and evolutions in building systems are especially impressive given that it is these systems that will provide the tools to properly manage building performance. Not only are these systems managing and monitoring energy usage, they also have a significant role in how the building is operated and the level of satisfaction of the occupants’ experience in the building. Given that about 75 percent of the lifecycle cost of a building is in the operations phase these systems not only affect energy use but also ongoing operational costs and ultimately the value of the building.

Transformative periods in the building industry have occurred several times in the twentieth century with the introduction of mechanisms and devices such as plumbing, construction cranes and elevators. Thirty years ago, just prior to the mass introduction of personal computers for businesses, the amount of technology in a building was meager. It consisted of the local regulated public telecommunications utility installing services in a building, a mechanical contractor installing a pneumatic control system for the heating, cooling and ventilation system, a fire alarm system and maybe a dedicated word processing system. While we’ve come a long way since those days, we’re still in a very early stage of fully deploying and integrating sophisticated building technology systems.
 
In due course, buildings will become full of technology: walls and ceilings will be embedded with sensors; every aspect of a building’s performance and use will be metered and measured; software tools will be used to automatically optimise building systems without human intervention; real-time information on the building will be provided to occupants and building management relevant to their particular needs; buildings will be fully interactive with the power grid; cars will be efficiently parked via conveyers and geo-spatial location systems will be deployed for every building asset. One of the effects of energy concerns is manifested by new and existing buildings installing more sensors and meters, thus taking more measurements of the building and other attributes, such as weather and sunlight, thus affecting the buildings performance. We now have building systems and devices to sense occupancy, sunlight, weather, motion, CO2, temperature, water flow, power consumption, humidity, air flow, signals from the utility grid, door openings and closings, window breakage, location of the sun, etc. Given the increase in data, more software analytical tools have entered the marketplace to assist building managers in sorting through and analysing the granular data in order to transform it into actionable information.

The integration of  building technology systems does bring several benefits, most importantly, enhancing system functionality that can’t be attained with separate systems. For example, an access control system or video surveillance system can provide data on building occupancy which can be used by the energy consuming systems (HVAC, lighting and electrical plug load) to properly align energy consumption to the actual building occupancy, thereby avoiding over ventilation or unnecessary lighting. In addition, integration allows for more efficient management of data shared between systems. The whole idea of integrated automation was legitimised and given credence with the release of the most recent MasterFormat (the guidelines for building construction specifications) and the creation of a specific “Division” for integrated automation. Integrating building systems is technically done at the physical, logical and application level of the networks. Integration also means that not only are systems integrated “horizontally” to interact with each other, but relevant data and information is shared “vertically” within an organisation; for example, energy information generated from data in the buildings systems is provided to facilities management, the procurement department, C-level executives, tenants, etc. While the integration of building systems is not the “Plug-and Play” of a personal computer, it is facilitated by the use of structured cable plant, open standard network protocols and standardised databases.

The move to smart buildings is accelerated by general energy concerns and specifically by the initiatives around the “Smart Grid”. Intuitively we know that a smart electric grid without smart buildings would be a greatly diminished deployment and a very expensive lost opportunity. Buildings will need two-way communication with the grid and be able to automatically react to signals from the grid. This is the case with demand responses schemes, integration of demand-side energy and resources, and timely information and control options for occupants and consumers. The nirvana of energy consumption is net-zero buildings (somewhat open to definition though). These low-energy-consuming buildings generally have on-site power generation and are operated with automation software and granular sensors that adjust to every change and movement within the building. Some prominent organisations have projected that net-zero buildings will be the building standard 15 to 20 years out; that timeframe is understandable given the difficulties of designing and constructing a net-zero building. However, they may have underestimated the global reach of the transformation, the rapid pace of technological evolution and the vast numbers of innovative intellects collaborating around the planet.

Sophisticated integrated building systems are on the right side of building cost, energy conservation and technology. If there are any concerns it is on the people side. The skill sets and knowledge base to design, construct and most importantly, operate buildings is rapidly changing. There’s no doubt that the challenges in building management have intensified over the last several years. Aside from the overall financial condition, there are tremendous pressures to address energy consumption, deploy technological solutions and work out internal organisational challenges. Moreover, the number of new systems and applications that  need to be managed have grown rapidly. These include such systems as electrical switchable glass, exterior shading systems, demand response planning, sun tracking systems and personal rapid transit systems; systems that only a few years ago either did not exist or were marginalised to a few specialties. However, these are challenges that can be addressed with education and training, they are inherent in any such transformation and will present tremendous new opportunities. Buildings will become smarter. If the ancient Egyptians achieved engineering excellence constructing some of the world’s most iconic structures with primitive methods, our technology-laden world certainly has the means and motivation to dramatically transform the spaces where we live and work.

If the past decade was defined by design innovation, the future will have a greater focus on functionality, as every aspect of building design now begins to require a secondary purpose. Glass has always been at the forefront of building development – allowing businesses and homeowners to create visual impact, extend, brighten and add an extra dimension of comfort to their properties. In the past, glass was used mainly for windows to admit air and light, but now it is integral to interior and exterior architecture. From façades, skylights and walkways to revolving doors and glass box extensions, it does so much more than just let light in – it provides architects with solutions for heat, energy efficiency and lighting requirements.

For many years the Pilkington brand has been at the heart of architectural glazing innovation. It was Sir Alastair Pilkington’s invention of the float glass process that gave birth to modern methods of glass manufacture, and the Pilkington brand, now part of the NSG Group, continues to build on this pedigree with advancements in glass functionality. The Group now operates or is involved in 49 float glass lines worldwide, selling its vast range of functional glazing in more than 130 countries.

Architectural glass is now heralding a new era, powering the green homes revolution, using more sustainable means to manufacture and helping governments meet carbon reduction targets. With its extensive range of high performance, value-added products, the Group brings benefits to its customers and the environment, capitalising on the modern role of glass by embracing functionality and fashion. It hopes to inspire the next generation of interior and exterior designers to create even more beautiful, sustainable environments in which billions of people live and work.

Vice President, Technology Building Products, Philip Ramsey, outlines the Pilkington brand’s future vision. The key, he explains, is how the shift from primarily aesthetics to performance and energy-efficiency informs his working, and he reveals how he is looking forward to finding new ways of developing further sustainable, functional, and aesthetically-pleasing glazing. “What’s important to remember is that glass is extremely versatile and has many applications. As consumers sit down to enjoy the view from a restaurant window, the glass used in that window preserves the view by reducing condensation and glare, while keeping diners comfortable by maintaining building temperature and providing safety. We have strong R&D programmes here to further improve the performance of our energy-saving products, both in terms of a reduction in heating requirements for cold climates and cooling for hot climates. Most of these developments are related to improving glass coatings, but the glass itself is also being modified, for example to allow even higher solar heat gain in cooler climates. The Group is also a leader in vacuum glazing technology with Pilkington Spacia™, the world’s first commercially available product offering the thermal performance of conventional double glazing within the same thickness as a single sheet of glass.”

Globally, the architectural glass market is trending more and more towards these types of functional glass. Architects, regulators, tradesmen and consumers are asking for more from glass, and glazing is now required to work harder in buildings. Pilkington has driven this shift, with a wide variety of glazing ranges including solar control, thermal insulation, fire resistant, safety/security as well as its revolutionary self-cleaning glass. Pilkington Activ Suncool™, for example, is an industry-leading range of high performance glass, designed to maximise natural light whilst ensuring solar control, low-emissivity, and self-cleaning properties, all in one product.

Guy Roberts, Business Planning Manager at Pilkington Building Products said: “Trends in the global architectural glass market are essentially driven by two things; building regulations and architectural fashions. With more and more countries pledging to cut their carbon emissions, and the energy lost through windows making up a significant part of a building’s average consumption, energy efficiency is becoming more of a key factor in glazing. Couple this with the long-term trend for more of a building’s skin to be glazed, and you’ve got the perfect scenario for global glazing innovation.”

With the recognition that buildings need to exist in synergy with their surroundings, energy efficiency is a huge driver for innovation in the industry. Buildings account for 50 percent of all the energy consumed in advanced countries, and since the Kyoto Agreement, glass manufacturers have been proactively working to produce ever-more efficient products in anticipation of the changes to building regulations. Glass for Europe studies show that the CO2 saved by replacing just one square metre of single glazing with low-e double glazing in a typical European building is 91kg per year. This means that in less than four months, Pilkington low-e glasses will have off-set the CO2 emitted during their manufacture, making them one of the industry-leading performers on sustainability and an excellent investment for any building purpose.

The Group is also one of the leaders in photovoltaic (PV) technology used to generate electricity via panels for domestic or commercial purposes, and is seeing this once-niche market expand very quickly. Solar energy panels offer alternative solutions for a range of energy requirements, from small-scale domestic applications to large scale-solar power stations, from cloudy northern rooftops to hot sunny deserts. Glass is an integral and important element of these solar panels, and the Group offers a wide range of high-quality products that are used in the three leading solar technologies aimed at converting solar energy into electricity: thin film photovoltaics, crystalline silicon photovoltaics and concentrated solar power applications.

The technical capabilities of the Group will enable the Pilkington brand to explore new possibilities for functional glazing and continue to extend its range of high-performance, value-added products. In the future, it is likely the industry will focus on the ability of glass to perform in more extreme conditions whilst continuing to optimise energy saving and cost efficiency. Improvements in energy performance will continue to be required as the demands of building regulations increase. Furthermore, the role of glass is likely to become more multi-functional. For example, a business may require glass to play a bespoke role in energy generation, as well as being self-cleaning and non-reflective. Digital touch screen panels will control the multi-functionality, ensuring the glass performs at optimum efficiency in its environment.

The role glass can play will become increasingly varied – technological advancements in the development of OLEDs (Organic Light Emitting Diodes) are likely to play a large part in architectural design in the push for ever-more environmentally friendly ways of working in the modern world. The possibilities such technology affords have the potential to revolutionise the way buildings are constructed, energy is used, and even the way in which people work. The NSG Group is committed to developing technology to enhance glazing performance and optimise functionality. As energy resources and efficiency continue to play a more important role in government and business agendas, glazing will play a larger role in reducing both costs and impact on the environment.

Further information: www.pilkington.com

They haven’t lodged firmly in the public consciousness – yet. But smart grids are coming. Increasingly they will be a big part of how we all consume – and rely upon – our electricity supply far into the future, whether we’re customers, manufacturers or energy providers.

They’re badly needed. Just about all developed (and developing) countries demand the kind of flexibility, efficiency and resilience to cope with an increasingly diversified power generation source and demand, not to mention changing use patterns. Throw in increasingly stretched transmission and distribution networks and it’s easy to see the advantages of smart grids.

“They give a high level of control over energy networks and that’s fundamental to curbing wasteful energy use and integrating intermittent renewables and small distributed generators into the grid,” says Dr Aijuan Wang. “Smart grids play an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions too.”

Dr Wang knows what she’s talking about. She’s a chartered engineer with over twenty years of technical and commercial experience in the energy sector with wide experience of project development, commercial contract negotiation and power asset expansion and strategy.

A smart grid is a new generation of the electric power transmission and distribution networks which will last deep into the 21st century. A smart grid can intelligently coordinate the behaviour and actions of all users connected to it – generators and consumers – and interact with them seamlessly. It’s not all about large infrastructure projects; smart grids have what you might term apps; these apps can regulate and direct energy where it’s needed, intelligently and quickly, so established systems don’t become overloaded. A smart grid is also about multiple power system operators, in particular distribution networks employing a broad level of communication and control. Much of this is manually controlled today. A smart grid is about how to supply and use electricity cost-effectively. But first, let’s look at the broader picture – and how smart grids fit into it.

Electricity supplies have been around for more than 100 years. However, the amount of energy we consume and how it is used today is very different to what it was one hundred years ago. That’s why many countries around the world struggle to keep their supply reliable. The existing infrastructure is simply not coping. “Just think about the California black-outs,” says Dr Wang. “It’s not just in California, of course. But it doesn’t give you confidence in the quality of the infrastructure when this happens.” Of course, in the developing world, the challenges are more critical. “Many existing networks are simply overloaded and can’t cope with the fast demand growth,” says Dr Wang. “The supply is often congested, unreliable and sometimes even unsafe.” To its credit, Dr Wang says the US administration is taking a hard look at how it can secure its energy supplies for the next 100 years – and is willing to do what is necessary. “The US is moving ahead in terms of not just the concept of how to bridge this gap but to move onto the next generation of power supplies.” It needs to. The vast distances between power bases means that the US, like other large countries, needs to ensure supply is reliable and network control is automatic. The expense will be considerable. But smart grids are cost-effective from day one. That’s because they save capital investment and offer consumers flexibility of energy use.

“The smart grid will allow operators to route electricity from supply source to point of demand via the most economical way,” says Dr Wang, “preventing local overload in the transmission and distribution system. If a line has a disturbance or outage the smart grid will find alternative paths and self-heal.”

There’s also a whole host of benefits to smart grids. Improved power quality and security. A dramatic lowering of outages. Lower maintenance and running costs. A far smaller CO2 footprint.

“Just think of some power plants,” says Dr Wang, “they don’t run regularly throughout the year; just during peak hours. It simply doesn’t make economic sense to build them in the first place. It is an expensive method of power provision. But we do have the dilemma of having to keeping lights on during the peak hours.  A smart grid can provide solutions by getting supply from demand response and control.”

So it’s a question of standing back and really looking at your load profile. What is really needed here? Well, smart meters could help for a start.There are also a load of client drivers that will be pushing for changes. “Energy customers will increasingly be given freedom of choice over when they use things, like their washing machine. Do they use it in the daytime when energy is expensive, or at night time when there’s less load?”

Of course, it’s hard to give concrete numbers for smart grid cost savings. They vary largely from one country to another depending on types of generation sources, locations of power plants and demand centres.  But when you build less generation to serve the same amount of demand, you effectively save on capital costs of power plants.  “This means that the transmission infrastructure requirement is subsequently reduced; you also save on distribution investment.  So it’s also about the overall efficiency of the investment in the electricity value chain,” says Wang.

Government investment is coming, but how much and when remains cloudy. For example, the UK’s Committee on Climate Change reckons the UK needs to invest between £300bn and £500bn by 2025 in order to meet its clean energy bill targets. That’s from both private and public sectors. Bottom line? This means an investment of at least £20bn to £30bn a year. These numbers are not insignificant, by any stretch of the imagination. The Low Carbon Network Fund also helps transmission and distribution companies to invest in smart grid projects and innovations.

Smart grids though are not just about technology for technology’s sake. The ‘smart’ bit is how this technology makes our energy go further – a lot further. “We have multiple energy challenges,” says Dr Wang. “The supply side is severely constrained. We’ve also got increasingly tougher emissions targets. The core technology to control and develop the infrastructure is already here.”

So really it’s a question of priorities and budgets. “We know that utilities are working very hard to squeeze what they have from current assets, which is where smart grids come in,” says Wang.

However, looking 10 years ahead, things will look very different. “Conceptually, it’s a kind of revolution in terms of how electricity is supplied and used. A quiet revolution. Large scale applications of new technologies will be happening.  Demand and interest is building. Electric vehicles are coming, and in a big way. That will not just put additional demand on our energy infrastructure but also place the issue of generation supply more publicly.”

She adds: “But I would say it’s about intelligently mobilising what we have already got. Customer engagement will also play a key role in achieving the goals of a smart grid although the challenges remain. It’s going to be a very exciting period.”

Further information: www.mottmac.com

With the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), more than $11bn (USD) was allocated for the creation of a bigger, better, smarter electric grid. The combined total of these investments will allow for the integration and use of greater amounts of renewable energy, increased utilisation of innovative efficiency technologies, and a reduction in the electric congestion that costs consumers billions of dollars each year. As a result, utilities now have an unprecedented opportunity to leverage public funds and become the “utility of the future”. But, in the meantime, while utility executives sort out the implications associated with the stimulus funding, they continue to tackle issues confronting their industry during this period of economic volatility – energy inefficiencies and costs, complex regulatory requirements, and ageing infrastructures. 

Most utilities use robust meter, network, and customer service infrastructures designed to support processes and systems for well-defined work routines and functions. In many cases, they use conventional meters with life cycles of up to 40 years – devices that worked well when energy markets were largely regulated and characterised by price regulations, easy access to energy resources, and sufficient infrastructure capacity. In that environment, organisations could rely on manual processes for everything from checking meter readings to determining future demand for electricity, without as much concern about margins, ensuring customer retention, energy efficiencies, and sustainability. But changes in the utilities industry in recent years are making it increasingly difficult to compete using traditional infrastructures and processes. Resources and infrastructures capacities are becoming more marginal and inelastic demand is restricting revenue growth. Then there’s a heightened focus on reducing carbon footprints. In addition, new legislatively mandated market rules demand that utilities compete for customers on the open market, so utility executives must find new ways to differentiate their services and capture additional revenue while increasing operational efficiency. And because customers can switch retailers relatively easily – especially in electricity markets – utilities need innovative processes to improve sales and customer service performance.

The reality is that current assets are ageing and a more adaptable infrastructure is needed going forward. For the near term, utilities must optimise current asset efficiency and availability. Downtimes must be limited to planned shutdowns and necessary overhauls only. Stringent maintenance processes can help ensure high levels of equipment reliability. Additionally, proactive planning can establish a stable environment where resources such as personnel, contractors, parts and tools can be optimised. Future increases in bulk transmission capacity, however, require significant improvements in transmission gird management. A smart grid, for example, can upgrade the use of capital assets while minimising operations and maintenance costs.  Smart grids precisely limit electricity power down to the residential level. Optimised power flows reduce waste and maximise use of lowest-cost generation resources. But how can utilities – and consumers – better understand and manage energy use? Enter technology. Because technology in itself is seen as a critical enabler for implementing the Economic Stimulus Plan, with billions in funding globally to be spent incrementally over the next five years, it can help utilities see, think, and act more clearly as they develop and execute the necessary strategies to:

Optimise energy efficiencies. New energy-grid technologies can help utilities balance supply and demand while improving the efficiency of energy delivery and consumer usage. These metering and data-exchange systems, however, require real-time communications and greater system interoperability.

Respond to sustainability concerns. Increasingly, the adoption of sustainable energy practices is becoming a business imperative. Today’s utilities are challenged to take a holistic approach to sustainability that simultaneously addresses compliance, globalisation, environmental impact, and energy politics. Visibility into all aspects of a utility’s operations and end-to-end process control are keys to success.

Develop higher-performing assets. Managing today’s ageing infrastructure for peak efficiency while making the energy investments that will deliver maximum value tomorrow are basic tenets of the stimulus programme. Utilities must be able to maintain existing equipment, model current and future assets, and analyse complex energy scenarios.

In regard to optimising energy efficiencies, advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) technologies can help utilities and consumers alike better understand and manage energy use. With AMI, energy consumption is recorded at regular time intervals (e.g., every 15 minutes) and then billed at different rates based on peak and off-peak hours. As a result, consumers and suppliers can collectively lower overall energy requirements and reduce carbon emissions. With these technologies, energy providers can improve the balance between demand and supply. The data collected through AMI helps utilities better profile energy requirements during both peak and off-peak hours and predict energy usage spikes due to environmental changes. Smart-grid technologies are also supported. These improve the delivery of energy by providing greater control over load shedding, energy leakage, and outage management.

AMI technology can also help utilities stay competitive in ways that older metering and data-exchange technologies simply cannot. But without a proper IT infrastructure that enables companies to implement and work with AMI in a cost-effective manner, utilities find it difficult to deliver the flexible pricing options that the market demands. AMI requirements for data management and real-time information exchange call for improved communications and collaboration between customer and utility. It also requires far greater interoperability of systems within the utility’s IT landscape and across enterprise boundaries. Upgrading metering and data-exchange infrastructure can increase the quality of a company’s sales and customer service processes. In addition, automated business-control processes can help utilities manage the variations between peak and off-peak production, thus reducing the overall cost to serve while lowering the cost per kilowatt hour.

As utilities develop and execute the necessary strategies that can help them see, think, and act more clearly to wisely spend the billions in economic stimulus  funding over the next five years, they need to execute those strategies decisively and effectively to endure the current environmental conditions and emerge in a stronger, more competitive stance. To gain this clarity, utilities need visibility to refocus business strategies and streamline operational execution and transparency to demonstrate compliant and sustainable business practices. Such “clear” utilities understand what is going on in every aspect of their business and business networks. They operate with increased speed, relevance, and accuracy. They are prepared for risk and uncertainty and can adjust operations nimbly as market conditions change. In short, they are transparent and accountable, lean and agile, customer-centric and collaborative.

further information: www.sap.com