Hundreds of Small Plug Loads Are Often Not Included in Campus Energy Management Strategies

Facilities managers have a tall task when it comes to managing the large numbers of plug-in electronics and appliances spread out across schools and universities. Water fountains, vending machines, computers, window HVACs, electric heaters and many other types of plug loads typically consume, as a combined system, more than 20% of total campus electricity.

Controlling these loads as a single system has previously been nearly impossible. Hundreds of plug loads dispersed throughout different buildings, floors and spaces create the incredibly difficult task of physically managing each plug.

Long Vacant Periods With Dynamic Operating Hours Make Plug Load Conservation Challenging

With dynamic occupancy periods, large properties, and busy facilities managers, managing plug loads with simple timers is impractical. Most plug loads are left on continuously, or managed by individual users randomly.

Treating these plugs as a single system, where schedules can be broadcast to large groups of plugs in an instant, and where energy consumption can be tracked by device, floor, or building, is essential to any property energy management strategy. Many plug loads, such as window HVACs and personal space heaters can consume a very high portion of total building energy, particularly in older buildings without central HVAC systems.

Realized & Baseline Energy Savings

Installs

BOSS Controls and its partners installed more than four hundred smart plug controllers at three education facilities in contrasting climates, including campus-style universities with multiple distributed buildings and K-12 schools where buildings operate with contrasting peak times. Locations included: university (FL),high schools (IL, FL), middle school (IL).

Method

Facilities were initially surveyed for plug load peak and average power consumption, as well as facilities operating hours and operational profiles. High energy consuming devices were mainly targeted, but a variety of smaller electronic devices were also included to gather information on a range of plug loads.

Appliances controlled included: vending machines, refrigerated water fountain, wall-mounted TVs, electric space heaters, window HVAC (110V), coffee makers, desktop computer and monitor, other various smaller plug loads

A baseline (“uncontrolled”) period was compared to a mirrored “scheduled” period, and results were compared. Estimates were adjusted for typically expected manual energy management.

Results

Savings were achieved in three basic ways:

• Shutting off equipment during unoccupied hours. BOSS controllers completely shut down equipment, controlling both vampire loads and equipment running during overnight, weekend, and holiday periods.
• Responding to dynamic scheduling and occupancies. Staff can remotely schedule and control plugs throughout a building from anywhere.
• Understanding when and how individual devices and groups consume energy. Staff can adjust schedules using operational data and prioritize equipment for control, service, or replacement.

With large periods of vacancy, heavy consuming appliances such as HVAC, water fountains, refrigeration equipment and TVs, can offer simple paybacks in 4 to 6 months and make a big dent in energy efficiency targets. Many smaller devices also demonstrated returns in 12 months or less, and some devices, such as copiers, were proven out, surprisingly, to not consume much energy at all.

 

Appliance	Annual kWh Saved
Vending, Chilled	2,190
Water Fountain	1,460
Window AC (Results vary with climate)	1,370
Electric Heater (Results vary with climate)	1,082
Television, 42″+	626
Large Fan	580
Desktop Workstation	370
Coffee Pot	290

BOSS SmartEdge Solution Features

• Single 120V (15 Amp) or 220V (20 Amp) grounded plug-in controller
• Use your existing WiFi network with no additional networking infrastructure required
• Controlled via mobile device or computer with internet connection
• Program with 7-day schedules and easily upload saved schedules to large groups of devices
  simultaneously
• Monitor real-time and peak power usage (watts)
• Monitor and graph energy consumption (kilowatt hours)
• Group and simultaneously control multiple devices by location, device type or any user defined
  category

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