The primary objective of an Energy Management System (EMS) is to allow organizations to make smarter decisions that will help them meet their goals - financial, infrastructure, and/or environmental. Whether intentional or not, an EMS is also one of the first steps toward decarbonization.

An EMS is an integrated system that manages the energy consumption of a building in real-time. It works as the “brains of the building” – the control center – and connects and facilitates communication between all energy sources. It monitors and offers real-time visibility into energy usage and allows building operators to adjust based on intelligent data captured.

Why an EMS? You can only manage your energy output if your meters and sub-meters (electric, gas, and HVAC) are tied into your building automation. Even though they are often conflated, a Building Automation System (BAS) is not an Energy Management System unless it provides full connectivity between your devices, units, and system across your enterprise. Energy Management Systems have evolved considerably over the years to become an essential part of doing business. Whether your organization’s objectives are to lower energy costs, increase energy efficiency, educate, maintain compliance, improve uptime/reliability, or reduce carbon footprint, an EMS has the capabilities to deliver against these organizational goals through Accessibility, Optimization, and Intelligence. These components work in tandem allowing you to make smarter decisions to meet your goals. 

What does this look like in practice? Energy Management Systems can prove valuable in achieving a variety of objectives. Air filtration offers an excellent example of how organizations witness the value of an EMS in action.