Energy, CO2 and financial monitoring system in 200 public buildings: software program

By project EMPOWER

Published on 27 June 2019

Slovenia

Vzhodna Slovenija

About this good practice

ENERGAP has implemented energy monitoring system – Central Energy Management System (CEMS). It is web based software tool, which works for monitoring and analysing energy related data (energy bookkeeping) and preparing reports. It can take into acount saving measures, price of energy, possible savings and CO2 emission. In the partnership with Municipality of Maribor and some other municipalities in Podravje region, ENERGAP has installed the CEMS in cca.200 public buildings. In each building the person in charge is monthly manually inputting the energy consumption data (heat, electricity, water) into the system. ENERGAP as a central point is able to see all the objects data and is able to provide the analysis. Energy agency follow the data, analyse it and inform the owner and the user about the results. We also recommend needed measure to lower the energy and costs. The data from is also used for the preparation of energy certificate and documents need for investment. We also provide the information on the measuremets for saving – noninvestment and investment ones. Accompanying activities of the CEMS are educational and informational workshops that Energap organizes for people in different municipal sectors, at schools etc. Some of the workshops are more general (importance of energy matters in public buildings) but some of them are more specific, oriented towards CEMS and electronic bookkeeping. Special trainings are organizing also for persons in charge of energy bookkeeping

Resources needed

The budget for the program is 20.000 EUR/year, which means one energy manager to work on the system and one person to work on educational activities. 75 % of the financial sources are covered by Municipality of Maribor and 25 % by European Commission.

Evidence of success

With the CEMS the user’s awareness of the importance of reducing energy consumption is higher, due to the educational activities.By using the program, we are able to identify cost anomalies, mistakes and weak points in the buildings.By comparing different buildings, we can decide which building is the most suitable for retrofitting, where the user’s behaviour is irrational, we make economic analysis etc. Municipality has already reduced the energy costs, so payback period is now less than 2 year

Potential for learning or transfer

We estimate that the project with its energy management tool and educational approach has a very high potential for replication elsewhere in Europe. Example of the software tool for distance energy management could be easily used in any other European public or private sector. It is for everyone that is willing to reduce energy consumption and to save money. In the field of education about energy related issues nowadays a lot of information, case studies and materials for teachers and pupils has been development and many documents are available on-line. The CEMS is easily transferable to other regions, especially if there is availability of any kind of funds for that kind of monitoring system.