August 4th, 2009
Three real examples of intelligent building networks in action
It frightens me somewhat that I first covered Echelon more than 15 years ago, when I used to write about the early convergence of computer networks and facilities networks.
Flash forward, and the company offers some of the best practical case studies about how intelligent control networks can dramatically improve a building’s energy efficiency credentials. Here are three examples of where Echelon’s technology, LonWorks, has made a positive impact.
- The Sunset Millennium Building in Hollywood, Calif. - The 20-year-old building tackled the problem of an inefficient carbon monoxide monitoring system by installing 41 LonWorks sensors to keep its fans from running continuously. Previously, the building owner was paying about $242,000 to keep the fans for the monitoring system running 24×7. LonWorks has helped reduce the electricity consumption by 90 percent. Here’s a link to the complete case study.
- Connolly Middle School in Tempe, Ariz. - Built in 1972, the school adopted a climate control retrofit that was automated with LonWorks, providing more control over temperatures, carbon dioxide levels and so on. The system saved an estimated $58,000 in electricity costs in the first six months. This link leads you to an article with complete details.
- 1120 Vermont Ave. in Washington, D.C. - The 20-year-old Northwest building was outfitted with 700 programmable controllers that are linked to the LonWorks network management tool to control the chillers, pumps, cooling towers, boilers and generators inside. The annual savings in energy consumption is $500,000.
You can download some research about green buildings from the Continental Automated Building Association at this link, but you will need to register to do so.
Heather Clancy is an award-winning business journalist in the New York area with more than 20 years experience covering the high-tech industry. See her full profile and disclosure of her industry affiliations. See her full profile and disclosure of her industry affiliations.
Subscribe to GreenTech Pastures via Email alerts or RSS.
