Building Optimisation, as a consultancy practice, is gaining momentum amongst landlords, building managers and facilities managers to help them protect and make the best use of their property as valuable corporate assets. Optimisation of heating systems for improvements in efficiency, comfort and maintenance, with the help of related information services is the key component in overall building optimisation.

It provides a continuous means of assessing performance of plant and building controls (BMS) and the effectiveness of maintenance programmes.

As a monitoring and advisory service it highlights questionable performance of heating controls and plant against “best practice” or their original commissioning standards. Local building services and (BMS) contractors are then instructed by clients or their FM’s to re-programme controls or to re-commission plant. Optimisation invariably involves the installation of hardware for acquisition of data from existing controls networks.

Fuelstretcher is taking optimisation to a new level by introducing its innovative Smart Heating Optimisation programme for medium to large size buildings We consider it to be “smart” in the following ways

1. It exploits our unique and proven boiler optimisation algorithms
2. We integrate with existing BMS networking protocols to reach into the heating system
3. We have introduced the “internet of things” for improved effectiveness of Building Services.
4. We only expect to get paid from the efficiency and savings we generate.

Unlike many Optimisation Consultants we adopt a “hands on” approach to heating optimisation and we interact with local controls and maintenance contractors for the benefit of our mutual client. We try to develop a team relationship with them by sharing of the system data that our Bureau remotely acquires and analyses. We can also agree with them, an action plan to be signed off by the building manager in order to address any issues.

Low cost remedial measures can be programmed into contracted maintenance regimes and visits at no additional cost. Signs of more serious threats to comfort or efficiency can be analysed by our Bureau and reported to the building manager and his contractors to provide an informed agenda for maintenance planning and budgeting meetings.

• Network with BMS sensors and attributes to acquire performance data.
• Transfer our protected thermodynamic techniques and boiler optimisation to the BMS network.
• Display acquired system performance data for comparison with optimal benchmarks
• Incorporate secure internet communications between authorised users and the heating system
• Issue alerts to enable potential threats to occupant comfort to be predicted and addressed.
• Provide a web–based “Optimisation Dashboard” for building manager overview of system status
• Enable development of bespoke web-based information services for portfolio management e.g.
  • Corporate Plant Maintenance & Asset Management
  • Utility Management i.e. integration with existing Automatic Gas Metering
  • HMG Display Energy Certification targets for Carbon Reduction

Our Bureau facilitates the continuous monitoring of Heating Systems to ensure it is operating and being maintained in a cost effective way with performance of plant and controls continually and visibly optimised and improved.

We have our own BMS specialists who are expert in systems integration and the FS HUB is a platform for both our OWT boiler optimisation and data acquisition from the BMS network. Its processing power ensures that we are on continuously on top of system performance for the peace of mind of the building manager and for the guidance of his contractors.

Our web-based dashboard is managed with absolute internet integrity and security. It is also capable of being developed on a bespoke basis for additional services and presentation of key financial and operational management information.