Investigation for reducing energy consumption for a university campus in Dubai using automation

Energy saving in buildings is given paramount importance today by governments all over the world because it not only saves money, but also helps protect the natural resources and make a sustainable future for the upcoming generations. Building Management Systems (BMS) have become an integral part of all modern constructions and help in continuous monitoring of physical conditions of a building so as to effectively maximize occupant comfort with minimal energy consumption. The main essence of creating energy savings is consuming only the energy that one actually needs, and keeping the equipment turned off when not required. In the Lighting arena, there is a profound interest in implementing LEDs rather than incandescent bulbs or fluorescent lights for general illumination due to the potential they offer for superior energy saving, environmental friendliness and new opportunities in lighting design. This paper aims to highlight the advantages of Automation and its energy saving potential for a University campus in Dubai, United Arab Emirates treating this as a case study. The paper describes how a HVAC savings potential of 15.60% could be achieved with 20.58 months as the payback period. Similar results were obtained for retrofitting the University Campus with LEDs, replacing the fluorescent lighting with efficient LEDs. Also, the function of lighting energy costs with respect to varying electricity tariffs has also been plotted. Thus the paper advocates the necessity of Automation and energy saving strategies for a sustainable future.