User Manual

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Source: Novatlantis – Sustainability within the ETH
Overall energy usage should be decreased by reducing the primary energy use for the building within
the red intersecting region.
Energy saving potential with building automation and control
Building automation and control systems are the building’s brain. They integrate the information for
all the building’s technology. They control the heating and cooling systems, ventilation and air
conditioning plants, lighting, blinds as well as fire protection and security systems.
The building’s brain is thus the key for an effective check of energy use and all on-going operating
costs.
Quote by Prof. Dr. Ing. Rainer Hirschberg, FH Aachen Germany
“Primary energy use for heat in buildings amounts to some 920 TWh (Terawatt hours) in Germany.
Of which more than half (approx. 60%) comes from non-residential buildings where it makes sense to
use building automation and control. A cautious estimate in business management (based on
EN 15232) indicates that 20% can be saved by building automation and control, corresponding
roughly to 110 TWh and a primary savings, extrapolated to overall consumption, of 12%, thus largely
achieving the German government’s stated target by 2020.”
This finding certainly applies to a similar extent for other countries. Therefore the intelligent use of
building automation and control can make a significant contribution to EU savings targets of 20% in
2020.