The Challenge
With no HVAC visibility or control across hundreds of locations in Canada, the Multi-site Parts Distributor had no ability to identify, action and monitor energy savings, and was stuck in a break-fix approach to maintenance.
The Details
Easy Installation Across Locations: Compared to alternative solutions, Cognition is easy to install. The Cognition team provided rollout project management support, and Cognition cellular connectivity works out of the box, avoiding costly networking hassles. The result: install savings of ~$75/unit installed.
Visibility for Operational Savings: Prior to Cognition, all thermostats across locations were managed with a hold, resulting in unnecessary equipment operations and energy use. The Cognition Dashboard enabled users to create flexible schedules, while also indicating when schedules were adjusted, driving more responsible use of HVAC equipment. Where necessary, the Multi-site Part Distributor HQ has leveraged the remote lockout feature to manage poor onsite decisions. Since installing Cognition,
HVAC runtime is down on average 20% across locations, resulting in
8-11% savings on utility bills.
Cognition has centralized information management. Equipment Notes have made it easier for stores to manage information about equipment operations, settings and service calls, and HQ now has access to the same information. Utility Bills are uploaded to the Dashboard for quick access and review, and to validate energy savings.
Easy Installation Across Locations: Cognition hardware for HVAC and Refrigeration was quickly installed by a single HVAC Pro, enabling multiple location installs per day. With cellular connectivity that works out of the box, quick pairing bluetooth sensors, and configuration completed on a smartphone, the process avoided wifi and security networking hassles that drive up costs.
