Machine Learning Is Used in Building Energy Management, Even the Empire State Building Is Convinced
By Super Neuro
Scenario description:Through technologies such as machine learning, a technology service company in New York has successfully solved the problem of building energy consumption, saving costs while contributing to energy sustainability.
Keywords:Machine Learning Energy Control Technology Services
You may not know that buildings consume an astonishing amount of energy. In a 2017 UNEP report, building energy consumption accounted for 36% of total energy use, and a large proportion of this came from building consumption.
It can be said thatA modern high-rise building is like an energy black hole. To solve this problem, a reasonable energy control solution is necessary.
There is a company in New York that uses data science and machine learning algorithms to assist building managers in optimizing building energy usage, saving hundreds of thousands of dollars for a building each year.
Committed to reducing energy consumption in buildings
This company called Cortex focuses on providing intelligent service technology. They use technology as a weapon to reduce the energy consumption level of buildings.
Cortex Homepage
For a building, the most powerful energy reduction measure is heating, ventilation and air conditioning (abbreviated as HVAC, which includes control systems for temperature, humidity, air cleanliness and air circulation).
For example, choosing the right time to turn on and off the HVAC, adjusting the building's temperature within an appropriate range, etc., these measures will avoid high energy consumption.
Cortex uses AI technology to process and analyze building energy data, and provides real-time feedback to management engineers through mobile applications, allowing engineers to accurately control increasingly complex HVAC systems.
According to their service information, in the cases that have been implemented,The average annual saving per building is $850,000, contributing to energy sustainability: reducing a building's energy consumption by 5-10% is equivalent to removing 850 cars from the road each year.
In New York City, there are many office buildings using Cortex services, and the number is increasing. The Woolworth Building and 110 William have achieved energy reductions of 5% and 11% respectively using Cortex technology.
The Empire State Building is also using Cortex's technology services
Even the Empire State Building has benefited from their system, with reports stating that with the help of Cortex, the Empire State Building has reduced its energy bills by approximately $800,000 per year.
Intelligent planning of energy consumption: electricity, temperature, fresh air, etc.
Cortex manages the system's historical data, combines current and predicted conditions, and then integrates multiple pieces of information such as weather forecasts, dates, and previous day usage to use machine learning to come up with accurate predictions.
In one case, Cortex partnered with Maniflod, an AI engineering company.
They collected four indicators from sensors in the building: temperature, static air pressure, power demand, and steam demand. Using the upgraded Canny edge detector algorithm, they accurately extracted the edges of the data, which is how they found the time when the corresponding items were turned on and off.
Data of four indicators
Then, we use machine learning methods to automatically find relevant parameters, thereby realizing the prediction of future situations.
Edge extraction operation example
Finally, the collected information is communicated to management engineers in real time through the APP using simple and intuitive charts and graphs, allowing them to operate the property efficiently and seamlessly.
Cortex mobile app interface display
Engineers will also receive alerts when set points for monthly peak electricity or steam demand are reached, helping to avoid unnecessary peak demand charges.
With these recommendations and guidance, managers can know when to turn off coolers or fans and make decisions in the most energy-efficient way.
The technology is excellent, and the service behind it is even more touching
There are other technology companies on the market, but Cortex has achieved nationwide deployment in the United States based on its own strength. In New York, they serve office buildings covering an area of more than 10 million square feet.
The reason why they are popular is not only their excellent technology, but also their high standards of service quality.
Cortex's technical service architecture
In the case of the Empire State Building, in addition to the real-time recommendations provided through the app, the Cortex team also participated in monthly discussions on improvement plans alongside Empire State Building engineers and published data assessments on a regular basis.
In addition, Cortex also spent a lot of time with them face to face, answering questions and communicating. The Empire State Building staff said, "We have 24-hour access to the application and communicate with Cortex team members every day."
Their final energy solution saved six times more money than the estimated cost. Cortex also makes more people willing to choose them by providing simple, easy-to-use but reliable smart services.
Empire State Building management engineers praise the user interface
Bryan Bennett, founder and CEO of Cortex, said,Our main task is to solve the specific problems faced by building management engineers and provide them with satisfactory solutions to energy consumption issues.
We firmly believe that technology can bring an empowering effect, and we provide engineers with timely and reliable information so that they can make more reasonable decisions.
We were born for this and will continue to work hard for it!"