Energy and water waste is a difficult factor to quantify. But when identified and responded to, it yields a significant bonus in net-zero and decarbonisation targets. Specific monitoring and better information can tell us just how much waste is occurring.
With more than 1.7 million student rooms in the UK estate, the population is greater than that of our second city. Its space and water heating accounts for 70% of the energy it uses. But how much of that is essential? And how much is used unnecessarily?
We measure, monitor, and manage energy use throughout entire campuses via a secure internet portal. Automatically reducing unnecessary energy consumption, when windows are open, rooms are empty, or the ambient temperature is comfortable.
Focusing on use within individual student rooms and bathrooms, the big difference we are witnessing, is that our reductions have no impact on the room occupant. Our systems are controlling essential use, while identifying and reducing waste.
Sensors measure air temperature; electric current; water temperature, volume, and flow. They detect supplementary heaters; over-heating; leaking pipes; dripping taps; over-consumption; faulty cisterns; defective elements; vacant rooms; even the flow through a tundish.
Irus SMART Tank has revolutionised data gathering for water systems within our properties. Recently we alerted a site to a leak - by the time the maintenance team reacted, 26,000 litres of water and 1,283kWh of electricity had been wasted. Across another estate, over an 8-month period, 2.3 million litres were wasted.
Without our system these incidents would have gone unnoticed and could have become catastrophic.
Minute-by-minute monitoring provides reliable information and alerts, but the reaction is what counts!
Time spent developing a swift response procedure, so that notifications can be dealt with expediently, is an investment that will only pay dividends.
The outcome – eliminating waste. An easy win in reducing consumption, great for the bottom line, great for net-zero targets, and achieved without affecting student comfort.
