Trend Controls, the international building energy management system (BEMS) manufacturer and supplier, has unveiled a new version of its energy management software – Trend Energy Manager v2.0, which it says ‘delivers numerous enhanced features that will enable building owners and managers to investigate how they are using energy, and devise strategies to reduce carbon emissions and save money’.
Designed to maximise the potential of an existing BEMS, Trend Energy Manager v2.0 can be installed on a company’s own server, or be remotely hosted through the Trend Energy Solutions and Support Team. Once connected, it will browse the BEMS and produce a list of system meters and sensors from which the data collection points can be selected. By using meter readings and other variables, it provides automatic reporting, and allows rapid diagnosis of energy misuse.
In an effort to provide the most comprehensive account of a how a building consumes energy, Trend Energy Manager v2.0 allows a wide range of plant items, such as meters, sensors, pumps, and boilers, to be incorporated and plotted. A setpoint can be logged when its value changes, and the effects followed through the enabling of the plant, and in turn the energy consumed. Trend says: “This level of granularity clearly highlights the impact of specific actions and activities within a building.”
The system’s ability to interact with, and collect data from, third party devices, is another significant development. By utilising the Trend Open Protocol Server (TOPS) software application, it can interoperate with BACnet configured devices, as well as Trend Open Network Nodes (TONN), which enable third party controllers to interact directly with the system.
Having also recognised changes in the ways users access information, Trend Energy Manager v2.0 now has multi-browser support. As well as offering visibility via PC based browsers such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, and Microsoft Internet Explorer, the interface has also been configured to work with tablet and smartphone browsers including the Apple iPad and iPhone. This ‘always on’ access to information means decisions can be made immediately – whether the operator is on site or not – offering what trend claims is’ unrivalled versatility and flexibility’. The company adds: “The software is simple to install and configure via a DVD, requiring just five clicks. No prior knowledge of programming is needed.”
“The ongoing reporting and analysis of a building’s energy consumption is vital in order to lower its carbon footprint, reduce wastage and save money,” said David Field, product manager at Trend Controls. “Trend Energy Manager v2.0 provides a fast, cost-effective, and user-friendly way of controlling energy use, and saves the user valuable time compared to manual analysis. Equally importantly, it raises the profile of energy consumption within an organisation, and clearly demonstrates the consequences of certain patterns of behaviour.’
