As energy prices continue to climb, companies and households are set for a winter of high bills ahead. Fortunately, there are several tech solutions available to help manage energy usage and reduce your costs.
Whilst high energy bills seem inevitable this winter, you can make them more bearable by considering your energy consumption. In Luxembourg, the average consumption of energy per capita is almost double the EU average, so we should consider our energy use more carefully.
Commercial buildings consider HVAC systems
Where commercial buildings spend most on energy is their heating, ventilation and air conditions (HVAC) systems. Over the years, however, the use of smart and internet of things (IoT) technology has made them more efficient. Sensors can be used to track temperatures, monitor the number of people in the building at any given time and measure air quality. Using this real-time data, smart HVAC systems can optimise their energy requirements. As Delphine Desgurse, Secretary General of the Smart Buildings Alliance explains, “with more sensors, you can monitor much more accurately your heating and cooling system, and reduce your energy consumption according to the exact needs of the people in the building.”
Sensors can be combined with a wide range of smart building tech, such as automatic blinds to help control light and temperature depending on the position of the sun. And they can be used to turn off lights when nobody is in a room. This technology will become more advanced with the use of AI.
Whilst it’s easier to incorporate smart technology into new buildings, as Jorge De Oliveria, CEO of Smart Cube explains, you can adapt old buildings “by updating the conventional technology with smart technology. Different technologies are available for old buildings.”
Smart tech for the home
IoT technology for the home is also available. You can control your heating from your phone, wherever you are by installing an intelligent thermostat on your heating system, timing your heating to come on just before you get home. And, the use of energy monitors can help you see where you’re consuming most energy and, therefore, which appliances you need to consider using less. Mobile integration lets you track this data through your phone.
Going a step further, you can also look to produce your own, green energy, using technology like solar panels or heat pumps. This requires a large initial investment, but there are government subsidies available to help with the cost. And, in the long term it could reduce your energy bills, not to mention help the environment.
This article was first published in the Silicon Luxembourg magazine. Get your copy.
