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Technology Technik

Technical Monitoring – The Foundation for

Energy Efficiency, Decarbonisation and

Digitalisation

Technisches Monitoring – Fundament für

Energieeffizienz, Dekarbonisierung und

Digitalisierung

For decades, building automation has been potentials of more than 20% lie dormant in are appropriately engineered. Where Modbus
attributed with significant potential for energy almost all building portfolios. or KNX systems are used, structured data point
savings. In practice, however, these promises have lists must be provided. A decisive factor for
largely remained unfulfilled across the building Technical Monitoring Instead of Blind AI efficient implementation is the standardisation
stock. The cause is not a lack of technology, Enthusiasm of data point naming, for example through
but rather its incorrect or insufficient use during the BACtwin User Addressing System (BAS)
operation. A growing PropTech industry promises exactly in accordance with AMEV Recommendation
Seit Jahrzehnten wird der Gebäudeautoma- these savings – often under the label of “artificial 174. Open platforms such as the B-CON
tion ein erhebliches Energieeinsparpotenzial intelligence”. This usually requires connecting suite enable coordination-free integration of
zugeschrieben. In der Praxis bleiben diese building services systems to cloud-based technical monitoring by translating data into the
Versprechen jedoch in der Breite unerfüllt. services. However, the principle applies: “Shit BACtwin BAS – both for integrated, on-premises
Ursache ist nicht ein Mangel an Technik, in, shit out.” As long as systems are incorrectly technical monitoring within the management and
sondern deren fehlerhafte oder unzurei- configured or defective, AI cannot deliver operating system and for the optional connection
chende Nutzung im Betrieb. sustainable optimisation. In addition, particularly of external solutions, such as those offered by
in critical infrastructure (KRITIS) environments, TÜV Süd or other providers.
Particularly in non-residential buildings, it external internet connections are viewed critically
becomes evident that existing automation from an IT/OT security perspective. On-premises From Monitoring to Optimisation
systems fail to realise their potential without solutions operated within the building owner’s IT
continuous monitoring and professional technical infrastructure are significantly more robust and Once technical monitoring has been imple-
management. secure. mented, responsibility lies with the building
operator to remedy the identified faults. This
Regulatory Pressure from EPBD 2024 Technical Monitoring as the Basis requires in-depth understanding of the build-
ing services systems, which is often not avail-
Against this background, legislators have taken Through systematic and recurring supervision, able on site. Coordination is therefore ideally
action. With the revised European Performance technical monitoring ensures that malfunctions carried out by specialised internal departments
of Buildings Directive (EPBD 2024), technical and misconfigurations are detected and or external engineering service providers. Only
commissioning management for new non- reported. It is essential for proper acceptance once proper operation has been ensured do
residential buildings with a thermal rated in accordance with AMEV Recommendation further optimisation measures unfold their full
output above 290 kW – and above 70 kW from 170, for subsequent energy-efficient operation, potential – for example predictive operating
2030 onwards – has become mandatory. The and for overall operational reliability. Experience strategies that take weather forecasts or occu-
objective is to ensure the energy performance of shows that achieving average savings of around pancy predictions into account, regardless of
building services systems from the outset and to 20% – and in individual cases up to 40–50% whether these approaches are primarily based
maintain it over the long term. – typically does not require major investments, on thermal building models or on data-driven
but rather transparency regarding the actual AI methods.
Main Causes of Energy Waste system condition combined with sound expertise
in building services engineering. Standards and Guidelines as a Framework
The greatest energy losses occur in heating,
ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. Open Data Platforms and Standards The technical foundation for technical monitor-
Frequently, systems are operated in manual ing is provided, among others, by the following
mode, with incorrect setpoints or unsuitable BACnet-based systems demonstrate one of their standards and guidelines:
A
time schedules, or were never properly key strengths in this context. They generally ƒ MEV Recommendation 158 – Technical
commissioned. Without systematic monitoring, allow technical monitoring to be retrofitted with Monitoring
A
such faulty conditions often remain undetected relative ease, as data points can be read directly ƒ MEV Recommendation 170 – Commission-
for years. As a result, energy and CO reduction from the network – provided that the controllers ing Management
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60 BACnet Europe Journal 44 03/26