Photo par seier+seier via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)In short:
- Instrumenting before deciding makes it possible to rank works on actual rather than theoretical consumption.
- Part of the consumption gap comes from settings and usage patterns, and can therefore be closed without heavy works.
- Starting with the highest-consuming and most heavily used buildings gives the best information at the lowest cost.
- Measurement remains useful after the works, to verify that the expected effect is observed.
Why measure before deciding
A public building estate is heterogeneous: schools, sports halls, offices, sometimes listed buildings. Decisions on works often rest on theoretical assessments, which describe what the building ought to consume.
The gap between theoretical and observed
That gap carries the useful information. A properly insulated building whose heating schedule does not follow occupancy hours consumes more than a less well insulated building that is correctly set. This kind of gap can be closed without committing to heavy works.
Where to start
Instrumentation has a cost, and covering the whole estate from the outset is not sensible.
| Priority | Type of building | What measurement brings |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | High consumption, heavy use | The largest savings potential |
| 2 | High consumption, light use | Usually settings to revisit |
| 3 | Low consumption, heavy use | Comfort in use rather than savings |
| 4 | Rest of the estate | Overall monitoring is enough |
Readings then flow to a territorial data platform that keeps their history and makes buildings comparable with one another.
Verifying after the works
Measurement keeps its usefulness once works are complete. Without subsequent readings, an authority cannot establish that the spending produced the announced effect.
One project among others
Buildings are not an authority’s only energy item. Connected street lighting follows the same logic of managing through measurement, with different payback periods. Both fit into the broader smart territory approach.
Frequently asked questions
How do you manage the energy retrofit of public buildings using data?
By instrumenting buildings before committing to works, so that actual rather than theoretical consumption is known. Meter readings, indoor temperatures and occupancy hours make it possible to rank the estate and identify the buildings where the gap between expected and observed performance is widest. That gap often comes from settings or usage patterns rather than the fabric itself, and can be closed without heavy works. Data then serves to verify that the works carried out produce the expected effect.
Should the whole building estate be instrumented?
No. Starting with the highest-consuming and most heavily used buildings gives the best information for the lowest cost. Instrumenting the entire estate from the outset means paying for collection much of which will never be used.
Does data replace an energy audit?
No, it complements it. An audit describes the fabric and its equipment at a point in time. Readings describe how it behaves over time, including seasonal drift that an audit cannot observe.