Reducing our energy consumption is an important action in the fight against climate change. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council are committed to reducing their energy consumption at an organisation level. In 2019, they decided to explore how data could be used to drive that change.
They launched a pilot project, searching for the best way to capture energy-usage data. That data could then be used to drive changes in behaviour and policy.
Project Activities
The canteen in County Hall was chosen as the initial test site. An Internet of Things (IoT) network was established on-site with industry partner Cognition.
The IoT network comprises 12 sensors, placed at strategic locations around the canteen and kitchen. They measure and monitor consumption of electricity and environmental conditions such as lux (light), temperature and humidity. The sensors are connected to LoRa (low-power wide-area network) networks that transmit the data to the cloud.
During the first month of the project, the sensors ‘passively’ monitored the environment, collecting baseline data against which improvements could be benchmarked. Energy usage (kilowatt hours), asset usage (on/off time), occupancy, temperature, humidity, lux levels and the variances of these environmental conditions were measured during this phase.
Once the monitoring phase was complete, data could be collected and monitored to make improvements. Large amounts of data are collected from the sensors at 15 minute intervals. This data is then analysed in the cloud. The insights gained from that analysis are then visualised on a dashboard.
The dashboard shows important information about how energy is being consumed and a monthly report with improvement recommendations. Decision makers can use these insights to inform decisions and policy.
Impact
The IoT network built for this project delivers operational intelligence and efficiencies for the Council. Based on the data collected, significant energy savings can be made in electricity and heating fuel consumption.
The optimised use of energy, achieved as a result of this project, can reduce the Council’s CO2 emissions, helping them achieve their goals, as set out in:
- Climate Change Action Plan: 2019-2024,
- Public Sector Energy Efficiency Strategy
- National Energy Efficiency Action Plan (NEEAP).
The ISO 500001 Energy Management certification process aims to help safeguard our future by making a positive difference in the here and now. This project made a significant contribution to the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Energy Team’s successful application for ISO 50001 recertification.
