Main content:
EnSim – Simulation-based energy management for real estate property
-
EnSim, the simulation-based energy management tool: combines building control technology with an energy management system, simulation tools and data recording and management.
© zafh.net – Hochschule für Technik Stuttgart
This is a new approach for online monitoring operations in complex buildings and real estate property: the EnSim energy management system intends to improve the coordination of the building services technology in larger real estate property and will be used to apply optimised control strategies. The system is currently under development and, as part of the research project, it is planned to test it in two large properties and continually further develop it. A special feature of EnSim is the integration of a continual "online simulation" for the performance-deciding system technology. This enables automatic monitoring of the building operation. In future, dynamic effects regarding the building energy efficiency shall be taken into greater consideration by automatically adjusting the control strategies. In addition, data from the building control system is processed and visualised in order to make it easier to identify and rectify malfunctions in individual system components and problems in the operational management.
Technology summary
| Software type | R&D-Tool |
|---|---|
| Term of project | 02/2009 bis 01/2012 |
| Identification code | EnSim EM-Tool |
| Key aspects |
|
Project description
The system technology in larger office and administration buildings is often very complex. Various studies have shown that energy savings of up to 30 per cent can be achieved through just using control-based optimisation measures. However, the installed building control systems (BCSs) often only have limited functions for real estate-based and systematic energy management.
What’s it about?
Firstly, the BCS systems in large-scale real estate property are often not uniform. Sometimes such systems do not exist at all and sometimes different and frequently proprietary BCS systems are implemented. It is therefore very difficult to achieve integrated energy management at the control technology level. In addition, the options for graphically displaying complex operating data tend to be very basic or are even non-existent.
What has been achieved until now?
That is why zafh.net has been working for some years on an energy management system that can cope with different BCS systems and is also able to read and interpret data from additional, supplementary recording systems. The main concept and distinguishing feature of the newly developed system involves the integration of a continual simulation that accompanies the system operation, whereby the online simulation tools continually calculate the “target conditions” for the building in accordance with the current situation. Based on this information, the energy management system derives suitable operational management strategies and respective control parameters. The operational management is therefore continually adapted to the current requirements and optimised in accordance with the simulations. The data is displayed using scatter or carpet plots.
The developed system is being tested in two properties: prototype systems are being deployed at Robert Bosch GmbH in Schwieberdingen and at SWR in Stuttgart. Here numerous energy volume and electricity meters had to be retrofitted and connected for recording data. In collaboration with Siemens and DMS, the necessary interfaces were matched with the respectively installed BCS systems and their databases. In addition, the site- and security-related incorporation of the EnSim calculator in the respective networks with external access possibilities was coordinated with the responsible network administrators.
EnSim is structured according to the client-server principle, whereby the EnSim server organises and administers all tasks concerning the data communication such as interfaces and data point addresses. It is generally installed on a computer within the local network and communicates via TCPIP with the BCS system and its database. The system is operated via clients that run either as network-based applications on user computers within the local network or which access the EnSim server from computers outside of the network via secured Internet connections (SSH, VPN, etc.).
Project partners
The project partners SWR and Robert Bosch GmbH in Schwieberdingen have channelled their extensive expertise and experience in operationally managing large-scale real estate with complex technical systems into the project. They organise and monitor the installation of the necessary additional sensors and energy volume meters as well as their connections to the BCS systems. In addition, the project partners implement control-based and hydraulic optimisation measures and evaluate their impact on the energy consumption and the user satisfaction.
zafh.net at Stuttgart University of Applied Sciences is responsible for coordinating the project as well as for developing and implementing the simulation-based methods for automatically monitoring and optimising the operation. zafh.net combines these in the EnSim energy management system with the necessary interfaces to the BCS systems and expands them with tools to evaluate and graphically depict the operational data.
Next steps and milestones
The system and building models required for the online simulation will be completed and validated during the next few months. From autumn 2011, it is planned to deploy a prototype of the EnSim tool at the properties of Robert Bosch GmbH in Schwieberdingen and SWR in Stuttgart. An interface to Nemetschek’s Allplan CAD system is currently being developed.
Application-ready product
The EnSim tool is still under development and will become available as a Beta version at the beginning of 2012 at the earliest. It is planned to further develop it to achieve market readiness so that it can then be marketed.
