FAQ
What is automatic monitoring and targeting (aM&T) technology?
aM&T technology provides real-time information on activity and energy consumption in key (targeted) areas within a building or for machinery such as boilers and air conditioning systems.
t-mac is an automatic monitoring and targeting device which allows businesses to remotely monitor, manage and identify opportunities to make their processes more efficient and cut energy use. (Efficiency of performance and energy consumption) within a building or for individual pieces of machinery. Ultimately aM&T technology helps businesses to identify opportunities to introduce energy-saving measures.
What is a mini building management system (BMS)?
A mini BMS allows businesses to centralise and optimise the monitoring, operating, and management of a building through control of equipment such as heating, ventilation, refrigeration and cooling. A building management system is designed to ensure equipment is operating to the desired level.
t-mac is a mini building management system. It provides all the functionality of a standard building management system but is designed for smaller buildings such as retail outlets and offices. A mini BMS is more cost effective than a larger scale BMS.
In addition to being a mini BMS, the t-mac enables remote management of multi-site BMS activities in more than one location, providing a single, central portal for BMS management via an online software tool.
A BMS or mini BMS helps monitor and control energy consumption, helping to save money and carbon emissions.
How does t-mac work?
t-mac works by wirelessly gathering energy consumption data from multiple utilities and energy intensive equipment, such as lighting, heating, air conditioning and refrigeration. It then displays the data in a variety of formats for easy analysis of energy consumption and areas for improvement.
t-mac as an aM&T system (for metering and monitoring only) can help achieve up to
15-20per cent energy savings. As a mini BMS (for metering, monitoring AND controlling equipment), t-mac can help achieve up to 30-40per cent energy savings.
Unlike other mini BMS or aM&T systems t-mac has the added function of remote control allowing users to log-on to the my t-mac webpage and perform functions such as turning an air conditioning unit on or off if heat levels are not comfortable.
Users can also pre-programme the system, for example heating can be programmed to come on in the morning prior to working hours so the building is at a comfortable temperature when occupants arrive.
t-mac also sends SMS or email alerts which can be sent to users when levels deviate from pre-set ranges or when levels become abnormally high or low, ensuring users are alerted to any problems and are able to rectify them before they escalate in time, energy waste and expense.
Easy-to-read reports provide an understanding of equipment use and highlight any unusual consumption patterns. These reports can also be used for environmental accreditation, such as IS0 14001, for internal reporting, to prove the building is meeting Government targets and even to act as proof that corporate social responsibility practices are being taken seriously.
What is smart metering?
Smart meters monitor utilities and allow businesses to see energy patterns and assess suitable tariffs for their properties. Smart metering provides utilities readings day+1.
Smart metering helps businesses reduce their energy consumption. By providing data day+1, businesses can track energy consumption over short time periods, enabling them to make the necessary adjustments to reduce consumption moving forward. Smart metering also eradicates estimated billing.
However, smart metering is still day+1 and only provides information on mains utilities. To increase energy efficiency, businesses need to identify ‘reasons’ for energy consumption through sub-metering and need to know this information ‘now’ through live readings/displays. t-mac provides smart metering but also ‘live’ reads, instead of day +1, and incorporates sub-metering to enable businesses to identify the causes of mains consumption and target areas for improvement.
What is sub-metering?
Sub-metering measures energy consumption in a particular area or piece of equipment. It identifies activity and energy consumption and individual costs. t-mac accommodates a large sub-metering facility, as it can incorporate up to 32x multi-functional power meters attached to a single point on the t-mac device or up to 255 pulse meters.
How much does t-mac cost to install?
The financial investment required to set up and install a t-mac device depends on the requirements of a building, area or site and what is to be monitored. The average return on investment is 12-18 months.
What is energy management?
t-mac believes energy management is about more than smart metering. Smart metering only provides information on mains utilities and only on a day+1 rate. With t-mac, businesses can access smart metering data for billing purposes, incorporate sub-metering to identify key causes of energy consumption and waste, and control equipment performance to reduce energy consumption and eradicate waste*
*t-mac views energy waste as equipment performing unnecessarily (out of hours or a/c working at the same time as heating) or performing inefficiently (pulling too much load.)
Businesses need to incorporate technology which not only provides metering data but also identifies the what, why, where and when of energy emissions. Once this information is gathered equipment use and performance can be controlled and carbon emissions reduced.
t-mac’s energy management ethos is to help businesses achieve significant carbon reduction by providing the best energy management solutions.
What is t-mac’s energy management strategy?
t-mac believes a proactive and comprehensive energy management strategy should follow these steps:
- Mains metering of utilities to identify total cost and consumption.
- Sub-metering to identify where and when energy is being used.
- Monitoring and analysis to highlight the peaks and troughs of energy use and consumption.
- A strategy to reduce energy consumption and ultimately minimise cost.
- Internal promotion of the strategy to ensure staff buy-in.
- Highlight positive results to demonstrate success and boost corporate social responsibility.
What legislation does t-mac help our customers to meet?
- Carbon Reduction Commitment
- Display Energy Certificates
- Part L of Building Regulations
Carbon Trust and the Enhanced Capital Allowance Scheme
t-mac has secured a place on the Carbon Trust’s coveted Energy Technology List. The Energy Technology List (ETL) allows businesses purchasing listed equipment to apply for 100per cent Enhanced Capital Allowance (ECA) and aims to encourage UK companies to invest in energy-saving technology.
What can t-mac monitor?
t-mac can monitor any area where there is energy and utility use. It tracks the energy emissions and consumption of a number of variables, from heating and ventilation equipment to full buildings lighting schemes and server rooms.
Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs)
t-mac monitors and manages a wide range of equipment, and is perfect for OEMs wishing to incorporate remote management into their product offering. t-mac has been incorporated as a bolt-on technology for compressors, air conditioning systems and industrial air dryers.
Do you have a question that hasn’t been answered here? Then ask t-mac directly via our online contact form.