Packaged Scalable Energy Information Systems For Hotels (2018)
Abstract: Building Energy Information Systems (EIS) are performance monitoring software, data acquisition hardware, and communication systems used to store, analyze, and display building energy data. Some $60 billion is spent annually on wasted energy in U.S. buildings, and actions taken
based on EIS data can enable operational energy savings of ~10 percent in the U.S. commercial sector (~2 quads of primary energy). However, EIS adoption is low due to various technical and market challenges. This paper provides technical specifications for standardized EIS packages that can help overcome barriers and accelerate scale.
A five-step approach was followed: 1. Identifying business drivers as key determinants for hotel sector-specific packages 2. Addressing heterogeneity to develop standardized, tiered packages 3. Determining performance metrics for key stakeholders 4. Recommending streamlined data architecture 5. Developing visualization enabling insights and actions.
Technical specifications for two tiers (entry and advanced) of EIS packages for hotels have been developed. EIS vendor, integrator, and client organization’s facilities and IT staff have been considered as key stakeholders. Findings from six field demonstrations show benefits of (i) cost-effectiveness, through reduced transactional, first, and operational costs, (ii) scalability, by accommodating heterogeneity across the building sub-sector, (iii) simplicity, by integrating meters, gateways, and software in the package, and (iv) actionability in organizations, across various decision making levels.
Building owners and operators can use these specifications to ease procurement and installation of EIS in their facilities. EIS software vendors can use them to develop new product offerings for underserved sectors.
Supported by:
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy Govt. of India, Gujarat Energy Development Agency, U.S. Agency for International Development iNDEXTb (Industrial Extension Bureau) Govt. of Gujarat, Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation, New Delhi
