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KZN mall cuts energy tariffs with Building Management System

According to ESI-Africa, energy tariffs at Gateway Theatre of Shopping in KwaZulu-Natal skyrocket when power consumption exceeds the notified maximum demand (NMD). Following the implementation of Johnson Controls Metasys Building Management System (BMS), power consumption has been closely monitored and managed, a move that will save property owners Old Mutual Property (OMP) a considerable amount in energy costs a year.

Prestigious shopping mall Gateway has 150,000m2 of general letting area, almost 400 shop fronts, and 24 million people a year pass through its doors. Since Eskom's NMD tariff rules are in force, if the centre exceeds notified maximum demand, the facility is charged a premium on power usage. "Maintaining a cost effective green facility is non-negotiable criteria for OMP as a founding member of the Green Building Council of SA," Ken Davidson of the property investments division of OMP, says.

Ian Hargreaves of Johnson Controls describes the challenge faced at Gateway: to adequately manage the facility's consumption and utility bill, he says, it needs to measure power usage in real time and act quickly to keep usage in peak periods below the maximum. "We have been able to do this by integrating a panel track energy metering system to the shopping centre's now upgraded and IP enabled Metasys building management system," Hargreaves tells ESI-Africa.

Read the full article on www.esi-africa.com.

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