The University of Nottingham uses a Building Energy Management System (BMS) to monitor and control energy use across our campuses. By automating heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) controls, the BMS helps reduce energy waste while maintaining optimal indoor conditions for students, staff, and visitors.
Efficient energy use is crucial not only for reducing the university's environmental footprint but also for managing operational costs. To achieve this, we carefully assess when and how heating systems should be used. This ensures buildings are warm when needed while preventing unnecessary heating when conditions allow.
As the colder months come to an end and external temperatures start to rise throughout the day, we have noticed some buildings becoming too warm for a few different reasons. To mitigate the overheating, we have implemented a new software on the BMS to monitor a boiler's temperature against its boiler calculated target temperature. If a discrepancy arises, our system flags it for further investigation, allowing us to make real-time adjustments.
Additionally, we are actively reviewing indoor temperature trends across our BMS controlled buildings and implementing measures to optimize heating efficiency while keeping energy use in check.
Your Role in Smart Energy Management
If you find yourself in a space that feels too hot or too cold, please report the issue via Planon or the Estates Office helpdesk, and the team will investigate.
The Sustainability Team is also here to help with advice, posters, stickers, and resources to support your efforts to save energy.
More on what you can do
Posted on Thursday 27th March 2025