Corporate energy management

Energy management and Green Building have become a regular topic of discussion in the Design and corporate milieu.

In an effort to become climate neutral, various systems and specialists can assist your business to reduce greenhouse emissions in an affordable, effective and visible way. An accredited carbon audit specialist can be contacted for a carbon footprint calculation and quote.

Many businesses already have energy management processes in place to reduce their carbon emissions. In residential and commercial buildings the opportunities for savings are reasonably well known and are generally applicable.

Passive management involves the retrofitting of light fittings, typically replacing old iron core control gear and fluorescent tubes with electronic warm cathode control gear and t5 fluorescent technology respectively. Most businesses opt to do this type of retrofit over a period of time. Typically, when lamps of fittings expire, replace them individually with the new technology. This type of retrofit is standard electrical work and can be carried out by the company’s maintenance team. Visit www.thorntongroup.co.za/carbon.htm for 20 further things your business can do to reduce its carbon footprint.

There are also fully automated energy management systems available that remove the “Human Factor” so that maximum efficiency targets can become a reality.

Active management involves technology such as occupancy sensors (intelligent systems and or dumb systems), multifunctional time switches, energy management devices, power factor correction, load shedding and HVAC control. These measures result in an “Intelligent Building” designed to be green & energy efficient. It involves specialised work and requires trained professionals as well as expensive and intelligent control devices.

Motion or occupancy sensors are often used in indoor spaces to control electric lighting. If no motion is detected, it is assumed that the space is empty, and thus does not need to be lighted. Turning off the lights in such circumstances can save substantial amounts of energy. In lighting practice occupancy sensors are sometimes also called “presence sensors” or “vacancy sensors”.

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