Energy monitoring in public buildings

Abstract

The article considers energy monitoring in public buildings as a tool for systematic management of energy consumption, operational efficiency and justification of energy efficiency measures. It is shown that energy management and energy monitoring form an organizational, analytical and regulatory basis for the transition from episodic control to continuous energy management. The legislative prerequisites for the implementation of energy management systems in Ukraine, their significance for local governments, budget institutions and technical modernization of facilities are analyzed. Six typical energy monitoring schemes are identified: basic manual or semi-automated, a scheme with distributed accounting, an automated scheme, a microclimatic monitoring scheme, an analytics and management response scheme, as well as a model integrated into the logic of ISO 50001 and the PDCA cycle. The scope of application, data composition, possibilities for detecting deviations, management value and limitations are outlined for each scheme. It is substantiated that the effectiveness of energy monitoring is determined not so much by the level of automation as by the presence of the full cycle of “data - analysis - decision - action - result verification - adjustment”. It is shown that even with limited funding, it is possible to gradually implement a monitoring system from simple collection of indicators to an expanded digital platform. It is concluded that system energy monitoring allows you to identify inefficient consumption, assess the effect of measures, prioritize investments, increase user comfort and form an evidence base for management decisions. Special attention should be paid to staff training. It is separately emphasized that for large, energy-intensive and technically complex facilities, it is advisable to switch to distributed and automated metering, while for institutions with limited resources, a simplified model with regular measurement of indicators and subsequent analysis can be the starting point. It has been proven that the key condition for effectiveness is the availability of trained personnel and managerial response to identified deviations for budgetary institutions.