Development of a building energy management system for demand side management

Abstract

The rapid increase in urbanization has inevitably called for an increase in the demand of energy usage worldwide. Statistics have shown that the energy consumption had increased by up to 40.25% from 1990 to 2010 and predicted to increase by up to 56% [1]. This increase is definitely the result of the greater number of industries and modern housing being built. To further enhance the comfort and improve the quality of life, various equipment, gadgets and appliances have been produced and it is uncommon to find the various electronic appliances in every household. With the increase in energy consumption, environmental effects such as gas emission and global warming coupled with the increase in its cost have become a major cause of concern. This concern thus calls for an effective energy management aims at reducing if not eliminating the possibility of power outage and power consumption. In 2012, manufacturing and construction industries in Singapore made up the major energy consumption with a record high of 16136.4GWh [2]. With the proposed installation of building management system, these industries could see a reduction in both energy consumption which would eventually benefit the environment and the organizations in the long run. This project, involving both software and hardware development, considers the use of renewable energy resources, use of shifting load(s) from peak to off peak periods, shedding of load(s) based on the priority settings. It also studies the cost benefits by comparing the various lightings that may be installed in a building. The implementation would provide an optimization of energy usage through monitoring and controlling without having to compromise the comfort level of occupants and the use of crucial equipment in buildings.