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5 Minutes With… Gareth Fox, Business Development Manager for AXON

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In the latest instalment of our energy management executive interview series, we sat down with AXON Business Development Manager, Gareth Fox to talk about industry challenges and the opportunities, with a focus on how to develop strategies for greater building efficiencies…

What is the biggest priority for the Energy Management industry in 2020?

We need to start thinking of buildings as machines, productivity is the output whilst energy and people are the inputs. 

Approaching the management of a building from the people stand-point means we can deliver greater efficiencies. Providing a responsive space for occupants, by connecting and integrating services, is the next priority for greater building efficiency. 

We do this with cars, modern cars know fuel economy, tyre pressures, speed, lets you know when it needs a service or there is a problem, tells you when to turn right or left to avoid traffic, what the temperature is inside and outside (some even turn on your vehicle in the morning so that the frost has cleared and the car is comfortable and ready to drive at a predetermined time at the correct temperature).

We have similar measures within a building but data is currently siloed, if a single building performance platform could combine this information then it takes on more meaning. 

In your mind what is the biggest challenge the industry faces currently?

Moving on from measuring performance by energy data alone is the biggest challenge. 

Being efficient is key to all aspects of life, whether it’s doing the job right first time, using the right tools for the task, having the correct information to make decisions, all of these help improve efficiency and energy reduction is a by-product of these efficiencies. 

To make the correct efficiency choices, it is best to have precise information and the right skill set in place. Building Performance Information is key, combining the Energy Data, with Building Services and People & Wellbeing to give the total picture of performance vs productivity vs costs. Its no-good turning equipment off to save money but adversely affecting your business performance.

We need to be clever in mapping data, so to deliver meaningful insights. Managing buildings and estates is more than just energy data, with Smart buildings and IoT we are able to gather data from other plant and services, so giving a more rounded data picture on how to develop strategies for greater building efficiencies.

And what are the biggest opportunities?

I still see messaging around basic “Top Hat” energy profiling. Whilst this is fundamentally correct and has been for at least the last 16 years that I have been associated with the industry. However granular information of each service to a building e.g. lighting, HVAC, Energy, Room Booking, Access Control, Way Finding, etc. can reap more rewards when combining data to make improvements. The approach being that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. 

What if you were able to map your energy usage with occupancy usage, to tailor building services to demand? 

Not so long ago our mobile phones, were just that, phones. We didn’t need them to be anything else. We had a camera, we had an MP3 player and we had a bank card. Now our phones are wallets, calculators, maps and whatever else you choose according to the apps you have installed. We wouldn’t want to leave the house without them. 

Smart building technology means the way we interact and manage our buildings is evolving in a similar way. Building management is more than just a BMS interface, a lighting network, an HVAC system. With cloud-based technology and IoT we can gather data from all these elements and more. We can map this data onto one platform and provide Big Building Data.

For example, you could map the BMS data with your lighting and your meeting room booking system. In this instance you could manage the energy around meeting rooms in an office location more effectively. When not in use you could power off all appliances in that space. You could even instruct for cleaning to be put on hold.

What technology is going to have the biggest impact on the market this year?

The industry is at a juncture, we know we have the building data we are just unclear how to proceed to make this big building data of use. The combining of information from multiple disparate services is seen as a challenge. I see AXON at the forefront of this challenge, providing a way to overlay existing systems, to provide meaningful building performance data. 

Tell us about your company, products and services.

AXON seamlessly integrates data onto one platform. A technology independent platform, AXON acquires data from multiple sources for energy, metering, lighting, environment and occupancy, providing estate performance analytics at all levels. Providing actionable insights so you can optimise the management of your estate. The platform provides visualisations and reporting to support the various stakeholders within the building, providing actionable insights for carbon reduction, energy and operational efficiencies. 

In 2025 we’ll all be talking about…?

About the measurement of proven in-use outcomes against design intent. Hopefully we will have realised the benefit of mapping data and be thinking more holistically about our smart buildings, measuring performance values not just in terms of energy data. With this new data we will then be turning our thoughts to how the building is performing against the design, so closing the loop on building data, from design, construction and in-use. Ultimately we will be approaching building management for the occupants point of view. We will be using a wide range of technologies to deliver interactive spaces that meet their requirements in real-time, providing ever smart spaces that promote happy occupants.

Contact Gareth to find out more:

Gareth Fox

Business Development Manager

AXON Building Performance Solutions

+44 7810 636536

gfox@axon.eco

linkedin.com/in/gareth-fox-axon

www.axon.eco

Electricity Savings In Plain Sight

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Take a look at your electricity bill. What do you see? Many will probably look at the rate and the bottom line £ amount, and often that’s about it before it gets passed for payment.

Energy savings in the past has been associated with re-broking to secure a better rate.  Even then, fewer than 60% of UK businesses use a broker.  Negotiating a better rate is right and proper. But what you or your broker is actually doing is only affecting around 40%-50% of the bill – the wholesale element – and the scope for savings in that is limited.

BUT TAKE A CLOSER LOOK at your bill – particularly the itemised elements – you will find that over 50% of most electricity bills relates to “NON-ENERGY” costs (we regularly see 58%-60%).

“NON-ENERGY” costs are the recharges being made through your bills for Government subsidies for renewables obligations, contracts for difference and feed-in-tariffs, and also grid use of system charges (DNUos, TNUoS etc). These charges are generally shown as a £/kWh, and are set to rise by 30% over the period to 2030, due to known contractual commitments.   So that’s 30% more on 60% of your bill will impact by 2030 – that’s an increase of at least 18%.

What many businesses don’t realise is that if you generate power at your premises, and don’t use the grid, then these “non-energy” costs aren’t payable as they are only charged based on kWh consumed through the grid.

However, taking measures to generate energy on site may face a longer payback than you are willing to invest in.  This is one of the reason Onsite Energy Projects exists, to help businesses implement both energy efficiency and on-site generation measures for these longer payback measures.  We recognised the challenge of capex availability and can provide a no-capex, off-balance sheet solution

If you would like to know more email us at info@on-site.energy or call on 0161 444 9989.

Onsite Energy Projects provides energy savings and energy generation solutions to energy intensive businesses, without capex if required.

5 Minutes With… Nathan Morgan, Commercial Services Manager at Waterscan

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The Energy Briefing team recently sat down with Waterscan Commercial Services Manager Nathan Morgan to find out more about his company, industry challenges and market opportunities…

Tell us about your company, products and services

Waterscan is an independent consultancy wholly focused on helping clients push the boundaries of sustainable water management. We provide practical and technical support from creating full water strategies to helping them make better water purchasing decisions in a recently deregulated marketplace. 

What have been the biggest challenges the water sector has faced over the past 12 months?

It has been nearly three years since the non-residential water market across England and Wales became a competitive marketplace. This ‘open market’ introduced customer choice for the first time and it’s been good to see change happening and innovation occurring. 

However, I think all involved parties would like it to happen faster. The development of the market is being impeded by poor data quality, anti-competitive behaviour and inconsistency across the marketplace. This is because we currently have dispersed systems, divergent processes and some market codes that are open to interpretation. This situation enables wholesalers to implement different solutions. This gives rise to a non-standard customer experience which is still driven by geographical location rather than the high quality, standardised single market experience that we’re striving for. 

And what have been the biggest opportunities?

Self-supply, without a doubt. Customers that are choosing to self-supply their water are the highest performing trading party in the open water market, according to official Ofwat data. There are nine active self-suppliers to date across a wide variety of industrial sectors including, for example, Whitbread, Coca Cola European Partners, Kellogg’s, John Lewis and BT. This self-supply community is outpacing the rest because it is customer-led. These businesses have ownership of their own market performance and are motivated to deliver the best outcome that they can for themselves. 

What is the biggest priority for the water industry in 2020?

Tacking long-unread meters (those that have not been read for 12 months or more). These are a huge issue across the water marketplace because, without accurate consumption readings, there can’t be accurate customer billing. 

The self-supply community is driving change and signalling to other trading parties just what can be done on this. Our work with BT is a great example. BT has reduced its long-unread meters by 88% in less than a year and, with more than 5,000 supply points, this demonstrates what is achievable across a sizeable estate.

What are the main trends you are expecting to see in the market in 2020?

I expect to see water’s leading ladies – Rachel Fletcher and Sarah McMath, the Chief Executives of Ofwat and MOSL respectively – getting strict with any parties that are impeding progress towards an efficient open market. They’ve already been sending strong signals that they will no longer accept poor performance and reluctant relationship building – from any market participant. 

What technology is going to have the biggest impact on the market this year?

Fast-tracking the planned industry bilateral hub will solve many of the issues around data, efficiency and the customer experience, leading to a more effective market.

In 2025 we’ll all be talking about…?

I would like to see the introduction of further competition when it comes to the supply of water and wastewater services; for example, in meter operations and in waste collection and treatment facilities. A centralised, digital marketplace to allow third parties to introduce new products and services to companies operating in the market would also fuel further innovation. 

What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learnt about the water sector?

From my experience of attending the Self-Supply Users Forums, it’s interesting that control has proved to be a more important driver for customers over price. Through initiatives like the Self-Supply Users Forum, self-suppliers have gained a strong and clear understanding of the market which enables them to make decisions and take positive actions that support their operational and sustainability goals. This level of control has proved to be an incredibly important factor.

What’s the most exciting thing about your job?

Realising the benefits of innovating. Seeing customers who have chosen to take the leap into unchartered waters and self-supply achieve great things. They have transparent data on which to make effective business decisions. Many are achieving consumption savings that go beyond initial expectations. For those organisations with a complex property portfolio, there are tangible administrative efficiencies too. 

And what’s the most challenging?

A key challenge is that there’s a general apathy around the open water market. Unlike when the gas and electricity markets opened, awareness of the opportunity to renegotiate and switch water suppliers – currently around 50% of eligible businesses – is not high enough and few feel the need to act.

Part of the reason for this is that water is rarely part of the conversation when it comes to sustainability. We talk a great deal about the impact of carbon, plastics and the food chain but not about the impact of water inefficiency and that’s a real problem. The Environment Agency predicts that water demand (which is going up due to population growth and business development) will exceed water availability (which is going down due to climate change and aging infrastructure) in the UK within twenty years. At this tipping point, when water starts to become a scarce commodity, businesses will start to prioritise water. My challenge is to get them thinking about water long before this. 

www.waterscan.com

Energy Management Summit: All your organisation’s requirements in one place

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On October 5th & 6th 2020 you’ll have the chance to meet with the best suppliers in the sector, all in one place, at the Energy Management Summit.

This is a bespoke and highly-targeted event created specifically for senior energy management professionals.

It is entirely FREE for you to attend. Simply register your place here for the opportunity to meet with:-

  • EBM Papst
  • Energy & Technical Services
  • ENGIE
  • Nicotra Gebhardt
  • Kinect Energy
  • Onsite Energy

…and many more.

When: October 5th & 6th 2020

Where: Radisson Blu Hotel, London Stansted

Format: Corporate ‘speed-dating’. As our VIP guest, you will be provided with a bespoke itinerary of pre-arranged, 1-2-1 meetings with suppliers relevant to your requirements. A series of seminars will also be hosted throughout day, and you can network with professionals who share your challenges.

Overnight accommodation, all meals and refreshments, plus an invitation to our gala dinner with entertainment, are included with your free ticket.

Who Attends: Senior energy management professionals.

Would you like to join them? Register your free place here.

Are you an industry supplier? To secure your place at the Energy Management Summit, contact Lia Rose on 01992 374 077 / l.rose@forumevents.co.uk.

www.energymanagementsummit.co.uk.

Don’t miss the Building & Construction Summit – Register today!

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There’s a complimentary guest pass waiting for you at the Building & Construction Summit – Can you join us on 16 & 17 March at the Radisson Blu, London Stansted?

This unique event is entirely FREE for you to attend – simply reserve your place here for the opportunity to:-

  • Source new innovative and budget-saving suppliers
  • Attend inspirational seminar sessions from industry thought-leaders
  • Network with like-minded peers
  • Complimentary overnight accommodation, plus all meals and refreshments
  • Join us at our networking dinner

RSVP now to avoid disappointment!

Do you specialise in Renewable Energy Solutions? We want to hear from you!

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Each month on Energy Management Briefing we’re shining the spotlight on a different part of the market – and in February we’ll be focussing on Renewable Energy solutions.

It’s all part of our ‘Recommended’ editorial feature, designed to help energy management buyers find the best products and services available today.

So, if you’re a supplier of Renewable Energy solutions and would like to be included as part of this exciting new shop window, we’d love to hear from you – for more info, contact Lisa Rose on 01992 374077 / l.rose@forumevents.co.uk.

Our features list in full:

Feb – Renewable Energy
Mar – Carbon Managemen
Apr – Metering & Monitoring
May – Water Management/Strategy
Jun – Energy Efficient Solutions
Jul – Data Collection & Management
Aug – Waste Management
Sep – Solar PV
Oct – Lighting
Nov Heating & Ventilation
Dec – Utility Management

Half of businesses in the energy sector believe Brexit will have ‘a long-term positive impact’

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A state-of-the-nation study into how businesses in the energy sector are prepared for Brexit has revealed 62% believe the process of exiting the EU is currently having a positive impact on their business, while just 15% feel it hasn’t had any impact at all.

Commissioned by Huthwaite International, the report shows that post-Brexit business prospects remain positive, with 52% of businesses believing their growth potential will prosper post-Brexit, regardless of the outcome.

When looking at what worries businesses most about the UK leaving the European Union, international trade, uncertainty around trade agreements and changes to laws and legislation ranked as the highest concerns.

Improving negotiation skills also ranked as the biggest priority amongst businesses before the Brexit deadline, with many sighting it to be a key priority when it came to safeguarding profits and reducing overheads.

Tony Hughes, CEO at Huthwaite International, said: “Gaining the skillset and knowledge to survive this economic uncertainty is vital for business success. The UK is packed with ambitious and prosperous companies that in theory should flourish regardless of economic uncertainty, however the importance of obtaining the core skillsets to flourish shouldn’t be underestimated.

“One of the few certainties the UK faces is that, for selling organisations, things are getting tougher. As buying organisations entrench, delaying or even cancelling purchasing decisions, sales teams across all sectors and markets are having to up their game. This means sophisticated negotiation skills aren’t just important to ensure the UK secures a quality deal with the EU, but also form the fundamentals for ensuring business success across the UK too.”

Huthwaite International has published a white paper looking at five key elements businesses can implement to increase sales success in times of economy uncertainty. These include:

  • Confidence through coaching
  • Aligning capabilities
  • Utilising your service resources
  • Negotiation skills
  • Effective qualification

To access the full research white paper, visit: https://info.huthwaiteinternational.com/improving-corporate-negotiations.

RENEWABLE HEAT ENERGY: Incentive Scheme Set to End

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If you use hot or warm water (or cooling) within your operations, and are interested in reducing your carbon footprint or in using renewable energy, you need to have until 31 March 2021 to benefit from the Government’s Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) subsidies.   

This subsidy provides a “per kWh” financial contribution for installed qualifying technologies, which helps to reduce the payback time.  The subsidy is paid for 20 years and increases annually in line with the Consumer Prices Index (CPI). The technologies that can qualify include solar thermal,  heat pumps (ground, air and water source), biomass boilers, deep geothermal and biogas combustion.

We can offer a CAPEX-FREE SOLAR THERMAL, using a leading British solar thermal technology, for less than the cost per kWh you are paying presently for gas or electricity.  The heat supplied is metered and installation is simple.   An installation of 150 kW (which is around 450m2) would produce around 190-200,000 kWh of heat annually in UK – at 45oC-60oC – the equivalent of over 100,000 showers.   

This is ideal for swimming pools, hotels, sport facilities, healthcare facilities and companies with a year round demand for hot water (for instance food manufacturing)

We can also help specify and install qualifying heat pumps. 

If you would like to know more, pls email us at info@on-site.energy or call on 0161 444 9989.

Onsite Energy Projects provides energy savings and energy generation solutions to energy intensive businesses, without capex if required. 

Energy Monitoring and Targeting – Mapping data to gain more meaning

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Gathering energy data to measure the performance of your building estate is commonplace. With rising energy costs and a move towards reducing carbon it is of course important to monitor and report on the energy usage across your building estate. Automatic Monitoring and Targeting (AM&T) is a standard process for energy reduction, but what if there was another way?

A more intelligent approach to energy use in buildings

What if you were able to map your energy usage with occupancy usage, to tailor building services to demand? Resulting in an optimised, more efficient building. What if you were able to collate data from different building services to provide a more intelligent approach to usage? For example, you could map the BMS data with your lighting and your meeting room booking system. In this instance you could manage the energy around meeting rooms in an office location more effectively. When not in use you could power off all appliances in that space. You could even instruct for cleaning to be put on hold. But when a meeting is scheduled you could automate the HVAC to bring the room up to temperature in time for the start of the booking, you could initiate the lighting and instruct for cleaning to take place afterwards. Additionally, if the meeting was cancelled yet not updated on the system, the space if not entered in the first 15 minutes, could be relaxed and automatically made available for others whilst also saving valuable consumption. By mapping different services within one building you are then able to be smarter with your energy and service provision.

The AXON platform gathers big building data, to provide visualisations and reporting on energy, consumption, lighting, environment and occupancy, for estate performance analytics at all levels. By seamlessly integrating your building data onto the technology independent AXON platform you can optimise the performance of your estate today. There is no need to change or install different plant equipment, AXON is brand agnostic and can be connected to your existing BMS.

Providing fair and transparent recharging of utility costs to occupants

Another added benefit to gathering big building data is the ability to accurately bill energy costs to tenants, known as intelligent apportionment. With AXON this process can be automated and is something we have done for buildings such as London Bridge City estate including Hays Galleria, Cottons Centre, No 1 London Bridge City and 2 & 6 More London. Broadgate Estates were looking for a platform that was technology independent, a platform that could integrate disparate data streams from the technologies installed within the estate. Broadgate Estates wanted to reduce the overall energy consumption of their clients’ building stock, whilst also provide fair and transparent recharging of utility costs to occupants. 

Broadgate Estates have experience in using the disparate technologies within a building to reduce consumption and deliver occupier bills. Yet existing solutions, in their opinion, were not integrated or automated sufficiently; or there was a commercial bind between the software platform and a specific brand of hardware. Importantly they wanted to combine data from both the energy management system (EMS) and BMS to identify energy reduction opportunities, to then also prove the outcome of the remedy.

Working with AXON they were able to achieve a significant reduction in operational hours per annum resulting in identified energy savings of 1,935,876 kWh.

If you wish to take a more informed approach to your building management then please get in touch with the AXONteam to learn more. CONTACT US

Are you looking for new energy management solutions?

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
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The Energy Management Summit returns on October 5th & 6th 2020 – And it’s your chance to meet with the best suppliers in the sector, all in one place.

This is a bespoke and highly-targeted event created specifically for senior energy management professionals.

It is entirely FREE for you to attend. Simply register your place here for the opportunity to meet with:-

  • EBM Papst
  • Energy & Technical Services
  • ENGIE
  • Nicotra Gebhardt
  • Kinect Energy
  • Onsite Energy

…and many more.

When: October 5th & 6th 2020

Where: Radisson Blu Hotel, London Stansted

Format: Corporate ‘speed-dating’. As our VIP guest, you will be provided with a bespoke itinerary of pre-arranged, 1-2-1 meetings with suppliers relevant to your requirements. A series of seminars will also be hosted throughout day, and you can network with professionals who share your challenges.

Overnight accommodation, all meals and refreshments, plus an invitation to our gala dinner with entertainment, are included with your free ticket.

Who Attends: Senior energy management professionals.

Would you like to join them? Register your free place here.

Are you an industry supplier? To secure your place at the Energy Management Summit, contact Lia Rose on 01992 374 077 / l.rose@forumevents.co.uk.

www.energymanagementsummit.co.uk.