Turnkey Operations to Save Energy Costs
| Pages | 19-21 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb057254 |
| Date | 01 May 1982 |
| Published date | 01 May 1982 |
| Subject Matter | Economics,Information & knowledge management,Management science & operations |
Turnkey Operations to Save Energy Costs
The Debenham Group aware of the escalating energy costs
incurred in their department stores and associated premises
have formed their own energy management company —
Welsmere Energy Management Ltd. Based at Welsmere
House, Basingstoke, Hants, the new company has been
formed from the nucleus of staff which comprised the
engineering department at Debenhams Head Office, plus
additional specialist enegineers. Their function previously
was the design and supervision of engineering services
associated with new and refurbished Debenhams stores
and warehouses, and this has now been extended to pro-
vide a complete energy management service to industry
and commerce. This covers building services design and
project management, energy management control systems,
energy auditing and cost management, and planned
engineering maintenance.
Energy wastage cannot usually be attributed to any
single factor, but is an accumulation of the inadequacies of
design, installation and commissioning, followed by ineffi-
cient plant operation and lack of effective preventative
maintenance. Therefore, to achieve successful control of
energy costs it is essential that the company responsible has
influence at all stages of plant design and operation. For
this reason WEM are promoting the "turnkey" engineer-
ing operation. From the client's
brief,
limits are set for
both engineering capital and energy costs; WEM are able
to assume total responsibility from the conceptual design
stage, right through installation and commissioning to
plant operation and maintenance. This total management
service also extends to WEM taking responsibility for the
energy bill, after agreeing a contract sum with the client,
the energy savings being split between the client and WEM
on an agreed basis.
WEM provide a full building services design facility in
accordance with the conditions of appointment of the
Association of Consulting Engineers. The fee structure is
negotiable and depends upon the extent of the other pro-
fessional services required. Feasibility studies, design and
project management services can be provided for:
Mechanical Services
Heating & Ventilation
Air Conditioning
Refrigeration
Water Services
Industrial and Medical
Fire Services
Electrical Services
HV and MV Distribution
Power and Lighting
Control Systems
Lifts and Escalators
Security and Communications
systems
Energy Audits
WEM carry out energy audits on existing plant and
establish areas of high energy
use.
This involves a survey of
the premises and plant, together with an analysis of the
relevant fuel bills. A report is then submitted detailing
methods of improved plant efficiency and reducing energy
costs.
An annual energy cost is agreed between the client
and WEM; all fuel bills are then paid by the company and
savings made throughout the contract period shared bet-
ween the client and the company.
An essential factor for efficient energy management is
planned preventive maintenance. Lack of maintenance
results in increased energy costs due to reduced plant effi-
ciency. The maintenance feedback incorporated into the
energy management system is monitored via the central
station. With this information WEM can provide the client
with a specialised contract to carry out planned preven-
tative maintenance on their
behalf.
WEM supply and install the Transmitton Micropower
energy management systems. These consist of intelligent
outstations installed in the client's premises controlling the
engineering services. These operate entirely independently
to control the operation of the various items of engineering
plant and equipment which are monitored and adjusted,
when required, via telephone link to WEM's central pro-
cessor at Basingstoke.
As a first stage WEM are supplying energy management
services to the Debenham stores at Ipswich, Guildford,
Reading, Bristol,
Cardiff,
Swansea and Middlesborough.
Each of these stores is equipped with a Micropower in-
telligent outstation connected via telephone links to the
central station at their Basingstoke offices. A further batch
of
20
stores with high energy consumption
will
be added to
the system later in 1982 with the remainder of the group's
stores forming a third stage in 1983.
The Debenham Group through Welsmere Energy
Management
—
a wholly owned subsidiary of the group
—
please turn to page 21
MAY/JUNE 1982 19
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