Discover the Benefits of Smart Buildings

You don’t have to be an expert to know the benefits of a smart building. While it might sound complicated and difficult, converting your building to an energy efficient operation isn’t that costly or time consuming.

The concept of a smart building is easy: it’s the integration of technology, energy management systems, the building itself. Of course there’s also the need for human interaction and participation to ensure success.

So why make the effort and the investment? The benefits of a smart building are numerous. They include:

• Optimal lighting level for better appearance
• Reduced energy usage
• Increased security
• Increased efficiency
• Operational cost savings
• Energy cost savings
• Decreased chance of human error

A Happier, Smarter Hut

Energy Efficient Technologies has worked with numerous clients representing a wide array of industries. Our services have been used across the nation and around the world.

In our hometown of Baltimore, we assisted a local Pizza Hut franchise who needed to cut costs in the form of energy savings, and run a more efficient operation.

Restaurants can consume a great deal of energy running HVAC and refrigeration systems, plus making sure that food preparation and cooking are operated correctly.

There’s also human factors that need to be addressed due to the fast pace of the food service industry, along with a workload that can be overwhelming at times. Plus, there are different subgroups of employees within a restaurant.

Wait staff, kitchen staff, management, and operations personnel all have different goals and responsibilities. While it might seem easy for them to work together, the demands of their jobs can hinder this need - to no fault of anyone involved.

All of these factors, and many more, can take away from a restaurant’s profitability - and in an industry where profit margins are thin, every little bit of savings helps.

The Human Touch

EET decided that the human factors needed to be addressed. They were the most obvious, and could be solved with a small degree of effort.

After studying the restaurant, we installed the following solutions:

• ​​Timed controls to turn the lights and HVAC up or down, depending on occupancy
• Employees are alerted to close walk-in freezer doors.
• Arming the security panel as the employee closes up for the night, which allows the building to enter “nighttime mode” in which ovens, lights, HVAC and the fireplace are turned off or to a very low setting.
• E-mail advisories sent out 24/7 to the maintenance crew, who learn about the specifics of a problem as it occurs — whether it’s routine or an emergency — on a dedicated webpage. The page also provides immediate access to equipment documentation and parts specifications.
• The entire store is monitored and controlled from a web-based system that can be accessed via smart- phone, iPad or computer.

This effort helped to increase the restaurant’s energy savings by 43%, and along with that bonus came rebates from the local utility that amounted to 50% of the project’s cost.

The bottom line for this conversion to a smart building approach: a 2-year payback.

Get Smart with EET

Smart buildings don’t have to be difficult, it’s a matter of working with experienced experts who partner with you to find the best, most efficient ways to save money and reduce your energy costs.

You can find out more about how we can help your building get smarter, and more profitable, when you email us or call (800) 344-8132.

For a Free Assessment, please complete our form and a representative will be in touch.