The Process and Benefits of Upgrading a Building with Intelligent Energy Optimization

This is a story of two hurdles and one perfect solution. The first hurdle is a big one that companies large and small around the world have been working to solve for many years. Multi-residential buildings account for more than a third (36%) of it. The negative, lasting impact of these buildings is ecological, economic, and even emotional. It impacts everyone.

Smart building technologies are solving these issues. Old heating systems are being replaced and renovated into AI- and IoT- solutions that can be controlled remotely and monitored online.

Ironically, those conversion efforts represent the second hurdle. While necessary and ultimately cost-effective, transformation to energy efficient buildings can be slow and costly. Many property owners and managers delay implementing smart solutions because the majority of them demand a high investment and a long time to recoup the initial spend.

What an intelligently optimized building looks like

The first step toward conversion is to understand the distinct benefits. The next is to quantify its returns. In its simplest terms, a modern building creates intelligent energy optimization through IoT, wireless sensors, centralized control systems, and AI-based automation. These resources generate thousands of continuous visual data points about external influences and human behavior. With the information, property managers can automatically adjust building temperatures to optimize energy use through a variety of controls, including:

Improved Energy Use Measurement

Sensors located around the property produce feedback and data visualization, enabling you to reduce energy consumption and mitigate potential errors.

Powerful Visualization

Real-time 3D images of the building highlight energy use patterns, trends, and abnormalities, giving you full climate control even if you are not on property.

Full Data Analysis

Makes sense of large data pools with user-friendly visuals that show exactly how, where, and in what order to optimize energy in each property.

Cost and Use Reporting

Get a detailed break down of energy, economy and CO2 savings for each property connected to the system.

Self-Learning Energy Optimization

With an AI engine engaged, the self-learning system gathers and builds upon millions of data points every day to make continuous improvements that make the energy optimization more and more efficient.

Lower Energy Fees

Continuous improvements are especially important for keeping costs down in buildings that are prone to astronomical fees for peak heat loads, which have become common with tariff models used by district heating companies.

Improved Budgeting Capabilities

Intelligent peak controls enable property owners to reduce peak heat load and energy charges without compromising the indoor climate.

Justifying the expense of converting to intelligent building technology

Property managers weighing the return on investment (ROI) of switching an existing energy management system to a smart building solution should factor in more than operating budget and property value improvements. You’ll reduce costly, often unpredictable energy use by 10-15%. You’ll contribute to reducing harmful global carbon dioxide emissions and your resident satisfaction will go up thanks to more even indoor climate.

Egain can help you to realize all of these benefits. We are the global experts on intelligent energy optimization in residential buildings. Since 2003, we have worked to address the issues of energy consumption and hurdles to converting traditional systems to intelligently optimized buildings. We can apply Egain Edge to more than 95% of existing heat systems thanks to our hardware agnostic platform. That compatibility means you can avoid costly reprogramming, sunk hardware cost and keep installation to a minimum.

The Egain ecosystem consists of a leading IoT platform that links to cloud-based AI software. It has three main components:

Egain Edge: An AI cloud solution that visualizes building opportunities and automatically optimizes energy consumption. It is compatible with most third-party sensors on the market and can connect with existing sensors and control systems installed on your property to maximize energy use and indoor climate.

Egain Hub: The hub connects to Egain Edge and replaces your outdoor temperature sensors. With it, you can receive forecasts, monitor temperature readings, and control your heating system.

Sense: Temperature and humidity sensors distributed throughout rooms and apartments gather and disseminate data.

The system is simple to install and use. Once in place, it begins to optimize energy usage quickly and continuously. In addition to working with your existing heating system, the Egain system ultimately will increase its lifespan. You save 10-15% of your heating costs, your residents enjoy a more comfortable and stable indoor climate, and the planet is not burdened by high CO2 emissions. It impacts everyone – positively.