The Challenge
Hoke County Schools wanted to understand how its buildings used energy, and change how they operated, to lower energy costs. The district needed plug load measurement, analysis and control with real-time usage data and scheduling and reporting tools, in line with its initiative to become a "21st Century Learning System."
The Solution
The district chose Brady Trane for a performance contract that included BERT plug load management alongside new chillers, advanced environmental controls, tankless water fountains, weatherization improvements and LED lighting.
Because BERT measures actual energy use in real time, the district installed 638 BERT Smart Plugs in 12 of its schools and in the Board of Education building. After reviewing the data, facilities staff built schedules that turn equipment off during nights, weekends and holidays, when the buildings are empty. Threshold logic keeps projectors from switching off before they finish their cooling cycle.
The Results
The published study reports about 90,000 kWh saved a year. BERT reports let the district view usage for the whole district, individual schools, or groups of devices such as projectors and printers, by hour, day, week, month or year.
“The real-time data lets us create optimized energy saving schedules for all of our vending machines, laptop charging carts, projectors/smartboards, printers, and water coolers.”