BMS Time schedule 15 minute challenge
BMS04
This conservation measures applies the theory of marginal gains, it assumes you have completed the BMS time schedule optimisation conservation measure and have a broadly effective time schedule, this is your next step.
Congratulations, you have an optimised time schedule, building users are content and your energy usage is significantly reduced. Now is the time to start pushing the boundaries and seeing how far you can go, the theory of marginal gains leads us to accept that after the initial big wins have been applied it is a series of small marginal gains that will take you from good to great.
Specialist energy focussed BMC companies
The 15 minute challenge requires that you revisit your time schedule with the mindset a further reduction of 15 minutes from every time schedule should be possible. For example, in your first time scheduling review of the time scheduling you may have scheduled that a particular floors air-conditioning, after consultation with the users, will operate from 8am through to 8pm. That has been applied and every one is happy. What would happen now if you started the time schedule 15 minutes later or ended it 15 minutes earlier, better still taking 15 minutes from each end of the day, would the users of that floor even notice? The likelihood is that they wouldn't, if they do it validates that your initial time schedule was perfectly optimal.
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This conservation measure is referring to 15 minutes but that really is notional. If the floor users were happy with an end time of 8pm but you get negative feedback when you apply 7:45pm how about 7:50 or 7:55......the theory of marginal gains suggests that even 7:59:59 is better than 8pm!
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If you are able to take a few minutes off here and a few minutes off there it soon adds up to a notable further reduction in your energy consumption. This should be considered as a regular activity, if you trimmed 15 minutes from the schedule a month ago and are still getting no negative feedback how about having another round of optimisation and taking a further few minutes from the schedule. To give a perspective of the potential value that this conservation measure can bring, assuming a time schedule operates for 12 hours, trimming 15 minutes from the schedule is slightly more than a 2% reduction, trimming 15 minutes at each end of the day and you are up to 4.2%. The general principle you should consider when applying this fine tuning is that every time schedule has something more to give and it is your role to get it.
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It is important to recognize that this conservation measure has been framed around systems where you are delivering building user comfort, they will let you know if you have gone too far. The same approach cannot be applied for systems where optimisation wouldn't be apparent to the user, some building services system have minimum required performance criteria required to achieve a safe, healthy, legally compliant workplace. Ensure that your search for energy conservation does not compromise your statutory responsibilities.