Shift Energy System ‘Sits On Top Of’ Other Building Management Systems

Shift Energy’s Energy Optimization System (EOS) sits on top of an existing Building Management System (BMS), taking into account weather forecasts, occupancy comfort, space requirements, energy trend, demand response and many other factors. The process analyzes over 5,000 variables, constantly evaluating them with 16 patent-pending algorithms. An optimization plan is then send back to the BMS.

Shift Energy calls the process Intelligent Live Recommissioning. The small, incremental changes can add up to substantial savings. Shift Energy validates the results using International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP).

Shift Energy recently completed a project with the University Health Network (UHN) in Toronto, where its EOS was able to cut energy costs in the pilot areas at the Toronto Rehab facility by 18 percent, and the rolling average is anticipated to climb to over 20 percent.

As part of the integration, 12 meters and 2,000 data points were targeted, according to a case study about the UHN project.

Shift Energy says that hospitals are motivated to become more energy efficient, but healthcare facility managers must be careful about making changes to their building management systems. Changes may affect sensitive equipment and critical areas such as operating rooms, compromising patient safety or damaging expensive equipment. Healthcare facilities also have a complex mix of spaces, some of which are in continuous use. As a result, sporadic alarm-driven or complaint-driven recommissioning has limited potential to eliminate energy waste in a manner that persists over time.