Technology Enables Users to Maintain Constant Level of Energy Usage; Respond to Energy Demand
While the number of companies choosing to adopt more energy efficient strategies is on the rise, nearly 50 percent of buildings with energy controls still do not perform as expected. At the Greenbuild International Conference and Exposition being held November 19-21, in Boston, Convia, Inc./A Herman Miller Company will highlight the latest energy saving capabilities for its signature product, Convia Sustainable Infrastructure, including a new Dynamic Load Balancing software application that is making it easier for users to set and maintain energy usage within their facilities.
Convia Sustainable Infrastructure is a smart building platform that allows for the creation of more flexible, sustainable spaces. With a Convia-enabled building design, a facility's power delivery and other infrastructure and technology applications, including HVAC, security, A/V, occupancy and daylight harvesting sensors, and lights, are integrated into an energy efficient, easy-to-manage platform. By combining flexible power, energy management, and space optimization into one platform, users have more control over their spaces as well as the tools needed to program their environments to meet their changing needs.
"Simple energy strategies can make a large impact on energy costs and drastically reduce consumption--but only if they are maintained," said Randy Storch, president of Convia. "As we continue to evolve our Convia platform, we're committed to providing our customers not only with the tools to create more flexible, environmentally responsible spaces, but also with the solutions to help ensure that they're able to achieve ongoing performance management."
Simple Strategies, Significant Savings
Recognizing that the active measurement and maintenance of energy savings techniques are paramount to achieving a sustainable facility, Convia's latest innovation to its smart building platform is a new Dynamic Load Balancing feature. Providing the ability to set and regularly adjust a building's maximum power usage, the software application works in conjunction with Convia's Global Gateway--an interface that enables users to program the smart building platform from the convenience of their personal computers as energy consumption and savings are displayed in real-time.
"Maintaining a constant level of energy usage can be a real challenge for companies," adds Storch. "Building occupants are frequently moving throughout a space and turning various electrical devices on and off. Dynamic Load Balancing is designed to adjust to these changes so steady usage is maintained without occupants even noticing a difference."
When implementing the application, customers will key in target energy thresholds along with setting hierarchies of power zones and prioritizing equipment based on users' need. If usage in a space exceeds the set level, lower priority lighting loads will automatically dim to keep usage at the pre-determined level. For example, if a facility manager wants to maintain a usage threshold of 10kwh, the level is programmed into the software. Then, if someone were to turn on a light in their office--resulting in the target threshold being exceeded--the software might dim the lights in a lower priority area such as the conference room to help return the usage level to the 10 kwh specified.
The Dynamic Load Balancing software also makes it easy for facilities to comply with Demand Response programs. Utility programs throughout the country are increasingly implementing these programs to offer incentives to companies that are able to reduce their energy consumption or "load" on the electrical grid at any given time to help prevent electrical disturbances, or "brown outs," from occurring. In the past, companies were discouraged from participating in these programs because they lacked the resources to determine which power loads to shed. With Dynamic Load Balancing, companies can ensure that their target energy consumption levels will be met and maintained, while reaping the benefits of energy savings.
About Convia, Inc.
Convia, Inc./A Herman Miller Company, seeks to change the way people design, build, personalize, and manage space. Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, Convia offers agile and modular building platforms that enable radically flexible spaces and easy adaption to address evolving user needs and new technologies. Visit www.convia.com for more information about Convia Sustainable Infrastructure.