Data Driven Energy Centered Maintenance

Fadi Alshakhshir, Marvin T. Howell

• Publisher: River Publishers
• Year: 2021
• Print ISBN: 9788770223577
• eBook ISBN: 9781000418330
• Edition: 2
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Industrial Management
• Index: Business

Over recent years, many new technologies have been introduced to drive the digital transformation in the building maintenance industry. The current trend in digital evolution involves data-driven decision making which opens new opportunities for an energy centered maintenance model. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are helping the maintenance team to get to the next level of maintenance intelligence to provide real-time early warning of abnormal equipment performance.

This edition follows the same methodology as the First. It provides detailed descriptions of the latest technologies associated with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning which enable data-driven decision-making processes about the equipment's operation and maintenance.

Technical topics discussed in the book include:

• Different Maintenance Types and The Need for Energy Centered Maintenance
• The Centered Maintenance Model
• Energy Centered Maintenance Process
• Measures of Equipment and Maintenance Efficiency and Effectiveness
• Data-Driven Energy Centered Maintenance Model:
• • Digitally Enabled Energy Centered Maintenance Tasks
  • Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Energy Centered Maintenance
  • Model Capabilities and Analytics Rules
  • Building Management System Schematics

The book contains a detailed description of the digital transformation process of most of the maintenance inspection tasks as they move away from being manually triggered. The book is aimed at building operators as well as those building automation companies who are working continuously to digitalize building operation and maintenance procedures. The benefits are reductions in the equipment failure rate, improvements in equipment reliability, increases in equipment efficiency and extended equipment lifespan.

1
Energy Reduction

1.1 Energy Cost

In the United States, around $500 billion a year is spent on energy. Energy costs normally represent up to 30% of most corporations’ operating expenses. The U.S. Green Buildings Council estimates that commercial office buildings use, on the average, over 20% more energy than they should, which is a significant dollar loss to industry due, primarily, to the fact that management does not know where the waste is occurring and how to eliminate or reduce this loss.

The three ways to reduce energy consumption are shown in Figure 1.1.

A common Goal established by many organizations is to reduce energy consumption by 10% in the next two years compared to the energy baseline of last year. The goal drives action and the components contributing look like the following: Goal---Strategy---Objectives---Action Plans or Projects.

A Strategy is simply a plan of how you are going to achieve the goal. Our present strategies shown in Figure 1.1 are as follows:

1. Implement the low hanging fruit and address identified energy waste.
2. Implement energy conservation program in our organization.
3. Implement energy efficiency measures which include energy efficiency projects and energy centered maintenance.

1.2 Implementing Low Hanging Fruit

Low hanging fruits are the most cost-effective actions that can reduce energy use and costs. These measures can be applied immediately such as behavioral changes as switching off unnecessary lights or adjusting set points and time schedules for HVAC systems or that require little investment such as conducting testing and balancing for some mechanical systems. The simple payback can be immediate and seen in the future energy bill.

Figure 1.1 Energy reductions.

Low hanging fruits are those hundreds of things that are available for an organization to select (pick) and implement at no or little cost but do reduce energy. They are:

• Not already implemented.
• Easy to implement.
• For my organization, low cost or no cost.
• Can sell to my management.
• Will reduce energy consumption.

Examples are:

1. Establish a compelling energy policy.
2. Implement an energy star procurement policy.
3. Turn off lights and communicate energy conservation plan to all personnel.
4. Unplug appliances and electronics when not in use.
5. Use power chords that turn off when not in use.
6. Verify equipment operational hours and time schedule.
7. Checking illumination levels and switching off excess lighting.
8. Ensure doors and windows are closed as much as possible to prevent heat loss or infiltration.
9. Check door or windows sealant and insulation performance.
10. Conduct an energy awareness campaign that educates the staff, residents, and tenants about their impact on energy use.

1.3 Identifying Energy Waste Brainstorming Sessions:

Identifying energy waste is an excellent strategy. Once you know where and what the energy waste is, it is possible to develop countermeasures that eliminate or minimize them. There are several methods to do so. Re-commissioning and an energy walkthrough audit are the two most known. However, the organization may have to pay a cost to get these done. Some utilities will do free for their customers. In almost every case, these two methods will result in a cost avoidance or savings well above their cost to accomplish. Two cheaper methods can prove excellent at identifying energy waste; they are management/employee brainstorming sessions and energy walkthroughs.

1.3.1 Management/Employee Brainstorming Sessions

First, the team should develop an energy awareness training. Next, the energy team leader, energy manager, or energy champion should accompany a member of top management to the employee/management brainstorming session consisting of a large department’s personnel or several small departments or sections.

The senior management representative gives a short speech mentioning the organization’s energy goals and the reason and purpose of the brainstorming session that the organization is going to engage its entire people in reducing the energy consumption and cost. Next, the energy awareness training is given by the energy rep that came with the top management rep. After the energy awareness training, the energy rep with the help of a scribe will do the following:

1. Specify clearly the main objective of the meeting, which is related to identifying the potential energy waste in your workplace, for example: “What Energy Waste is Experienced or Evident in your work Area?”
2. Perform “Silent Generation” by having each person identify three energy waste items in their job areas. For example, computer monitors and CPU are not turning off after being idle, the brightness of computers has not been reduced, not using duplex printing, and curtains are over windows not letting light into the room thereby reducing the lumens in the work area.
3. Go “Round Robin” by having the energy rep go around the room and have each participant offer one of their three suggestions and have it written on white board or pad by the scribe. Continue until all possible ideas have been written.
4. Discuss each idea, eliminating duplicates, altering some by consolidation, etc., until a final list is obtained.
5. Normally the ideas are prioritized, and selections are made. However, in this situation, the list is given to the energy team to do the selecting.

These brainstorming sessions are conducted throughout the organization to get inputs and ideas from all the team’s personnel. It gets everyone engaged and gives the top management a chance to show their support and commitment. The energy team will consolidate the lists into one main list. The energy team will determine a countermeasure for each idea that will eliminate the waste or at least reduce it. The energy team will track the list until countermeasures have been implemented. Ongoing communications as to progress and results should be provided to the organization’s personnel.

1.3.2 Walkthroughs or Energy Audits

Energy walkthroughs are investigations and analysis of facility energy use; it is aimed to identify measures for energy reductions and savings in greenhouse gas emissions. Further, energy walkthrough results in financial benefits by reducing energy consumption. Energy walkthroughs are essential for identifying energy management measures.

To perform an energy walkthrough, several tasks are typically carried out depending on the type of the walkthrough and the size and function of the building. Therefore, an individual energy walkthrough procedure shall be put in place for each facility by itself. Energy walkthrough results in identifying possible energy management measures, and it directs the energy management program to the largest energy use equipment.

The energy team should perform the detailed energy walkthrough and prepare a comprehensive report of findings and recommendations inclusive of feasibility study and return on investment calculations. The report should identify a clear projection of the energy consumption reduction and savings subject to this walkthrough audit.

Saving calculations and energy use reduction should include the following:

• Projections of savings.
• Energy efficiency measures.
• Comparisons with baseline data.
• Tariff rates.
• All anticipated costs for energy efficiency measure with its return on investment.
• A precise time bounded plan for implementation of actions.

Energy walkthroughs are inexpensive and can produce excellent ideas on how to reduce energy use and consumption, provided the team members are experienced in doing energy audits and have facility maintenance and engineering experience.

Purpose: To identify energy waste and determine the appropriate fix.
Who? Facilities, engineers, technicians, energy team leader, and others who can contribute.
What? Kick-off meeting, walk around the building and record anything that uses energy, what it is the amount of energy used (if pos-sible), whether it can reach a state of excessive energy consumption, what preventative maintenance is being performed now, and other pertinent information.

Walkthrough Focused Areas: Observations:

1. Occupancy Sensors: Observe infrequently visited areas and determine whether an occupancy sensor will save energy. Look at restrooms, break rooms, copying or printing areas, mechanical areas, hallways, and other areas.
2. Lights in Administrative Areas: Note types such as T-12s, T-8s, and T-5s. Look for areas daylighting can be used and skylights would help. Look at light bulbs and see if they are dirty with film covering them.
3. Building Envelope: Search for leaks in doors and windows. Determine if windows should be glazed, caulked, or replaced. Weatherstrip the doors where needed or replace them.
4. Walls and Roof Insulation: Check the insulation level and determine if more would help.
5. Motors and Other Equipment Except for HVAC: Note each and check the switches and sensors associated with each. Check time schedule of each equipment and whether it runs according to it or continuously running.
6. Data Centers: Look for hot and cold aisles and whether hot air is kept from commingling with the cold air on its return to the computer (CRAC).
7. Security Lights: Check to see if they are adequate and energy friendly.
8. HVAC: Note brand, capacity, date installed, the motors, and switches associated with the system, and check roof vents and other parts for adequacy and maintenance.
9. Building Automation System (BAS) and Metering: See if BAS is outdated. Note where additional metering can help identify potential problem areas.
10. Computers, monitors, imaging equipment, fax machines, and other office equipment.

Walkthroughs can also be done along with ECM when the machine is selected to be in ECM or when...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Dedication
• Preface
• Glossary
• List of Tables
• List of Figures
• 1 Energy Reduction
• 2 Different Maintenance Types and the Need for Energy Centered Maintenance
• 3 Energy Centered Maintenance Origin and Model
• 4 ECM Process – Equipment Identification
• 5 ECM Process – Data Collection
• 6 ECM Process — ECM Inspections
• 7 ECM Process — Measuring Equipment Current Performance
• 8 ECM Process — Identifying Corrective/Preventive Action and Cost Effectiveness
• 9 ECM Process — Updating Preventative Maintenance Plans
• 10 Energy Centered Maintenance to avoid Low Delta T Syndrome in Chilled Water Systems
• 11 Energy Centered Maintenance in Data Centers
• 12 Measures of Equipment and Maintenance Efficiency and Effectiveness
• 13 Energy Savings Verification
• 14 Building Energy Centered Behavior Leading to an Energy Centered Culture
• 15 Data Driven Energy Centered Maintenance Model
• 16 Conclusion
• ECM References
• List of Acronyms
• Index
• About the Authors