Energy monitoring and targeting

Energy monitoring and targeting (M&T) is an energy efficiency technique based on the standard management axiom stating that “you cannot manage what you cannot measure”. M&T techniques provide energy managers with feedback on operating practices, results of energy management projects, and guidance on the level of energy use that is expected in a certain period. Importantly, they also give early warning of unexpected excess consumption caused by equipment malfunctions, operator error, unwanted user behaviours, lack of effective maintenance and the like.

The foundation of M&T lies in determining the normal relationships of energy consumptions to relevant driving factors (HVAC equipment, production though puts, weather, occupancy available daylight, etc.) and the goal is to help business managers:

The ultimate goal is to reduce energy costs through improved energy efficiency and energy management control. Other benefits generally include increased resource efficiency, improved production budgeting and reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

M&T is an established technique that was first launched as a national program in the UK in 1980, and has since then spread throughout Europe. These techniques are now also rapidly growing in America.

Throughout the numerous M&T projects implemented since the 1980s, a certain number of benefits have proved to be recurrent:

Monitoring and Targeting techniques rely on three main principles, which form a constant feedback cycle, therefore improving control of energy use.

Monitoring information of energy use, in order to establish a basis for energy management and explain deviations from an established pattern. Its primary goal is to maintain said pattern, by providing all the necessary data on energy consumption, as well as certain driving factors, as identified during preliminary investigation (production, weather, etc.)

The final principle is the one which enables ongoing control of energy use, achievement of targets and verification of savings: reports must be issued to the appropriate managers. This in turn allows decision-making and actions to be taken in order to achieve the targets, as well as confirmation or denial that the targets have been reached.

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Wikipedia