Valuable energy control at your fingertips

A building energy management system (BMS or BEMS) monitors all the energy used to heat, cool and light a building and run its equipment. It lets you respond quickly as energy demand changes – even remotely – and reports on energy use over time.

By using a BMS to monitor energy use and increase efficiency, you can make substantial savings.

Benefits of a BMS 

  • Centralised control of a buildings’ energy systems. 
  • Real time data tracking, and trend data recording. 
  • Ability to flag excessive or unnecessary energy use. 
  • Can detect inefficiencies and equipment failures early, leading to lower maintenance costs. 
  • Reporting capabilities such as dashboard reporting on demand and consumption.
  • Wireless networks make BMS installation easier and more affordable than they have been historically. 
  • Ability to integrate with electricity grid demand response systems – to help manage load on the grid during periods of peak demand, and keep costs down.
  • Can ‘learn’ over time and optimise controls, such as temperature, based on inputs like weather forecasts.
  • The payback period for an existing building can be a fast as 5 years or less, if there are significant inefficiencies waiting to be identified.  

There are 2 types of BMS

You can install a completely new BMS, or modify an existing system that monitors essential building services and security.

  • Monitoring and targeting systems – designed to monitor energy use and target areas for improvement.
  • Continuous commissioning systems – adjust your heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) and other systems continuously to meet demand.

Step-by-step guidance

Reduce your energy use and the carbon footprint of your building with support from EECA’s Commercial Building Decarbonisation Pathway.

Get access to free tools and resources designed for New Zealand commercial building owners and managers alongside industry experts.