McMaster teams up with IBM to create energy-smart buildings on campus

In an effort to cut greenhouse gas emissions and save on operating costs, McMaster
University is partnering with IBM to create energy-smart buildings on campus.

The unique partnership – announced on Monday – will use IBM technology to assess,
simulate and forecast energy consumption from 60 campus buildings and the hospital,
using the latest modeling techniques in physics, mathematics and statistics.

“Among other things, we'll be able to predict how weather patterns will affect
McMaster's heating and cooling operations,” said Tony Cupido, assistant vice-president
facility services at the University. “For instance, in the summer, if a cold front is on its
way to Hamilton, we'll be able to gauge how long it will take to get here and how much
it will lower the temperature and begin to turn down our air conditioning systems,
saving
energy on cooling buildings that won't need it.”

The operation of buildings is a major source of energy consumption and green house
gas emissions. Reducing energy use by improving its consumption efficiency is an
important focus for governments and institutions, including university campuses in
many cities and municipalities.

The new analytics capability from IBM Research will help McMaster analyze information
from a variety of activities in campus buildings (heating, cooling, hot water, lighting,
running equipment, etc.) as well as factors contributing to inefficiency in energy
consumption.

“This is a very exciting project that opens new grounds with the endless capabilities
analytics can provide. The University will benefit from added intelligence to better
understand the factors that affect energy consumption in a public campus setting,” said
Cupido.

Working with IBM, McMaster will be able to develop building performance models and
analytics using real-time data from sensors, actuators and meters, and dynamic-
pricing data – along with IBM Information Management software – to accurately assess,
track, forecast, simulate and optimize energy consumption. The system will also
identify under-performing buildings and the causes of energy inefficiencies.

“The project with McMaster will make significant contributions towards a better
understanding of energy conservation and greenhouse gas reductions, which is
knowledge that can be used by all kinds of corporations and institutions as they look
for ways to be more environmentally and energy efficient,” said Bill Oliphant, Industry
Lead, IBM Global Technology services. “With global concerns about energy, the
environment and sustainability, being able to help organizations be more efficient,
accountable and socially responsible can have a profound impact.”