Automatic Energy-Saving Operations System Using Robotic Process Automation

Toru Yamamoto, Hirofumi Hayama, Takao Hayashi and Taro Mori
Additional contact information
Toru Yamamoto: Intee Corporation, 2-14 Nihonbashi 3 Chome, Chuoku Tokyo 103-0027, Japan
Hirofumi Hayama: Division of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, N13-W8, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8628, Japan
Takao Hayashi: Hirosawa Electric Corporation, 2-13-14 Nishikoujiya, Ohtaku, Tokyo 144-0034, Japan
Taro Mori: Division of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, N13-W8, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8628, Japan

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 9, 1-14

Abstract: We have developed an energy-saving operations system featuring remote operation of central monitoring equipment installed in a building. This system applies robotic process automation to remote operation to automatically perform energy-saving operations on behalf of the operations manager. Furthermore, as another feature, the system requires only a local area network to connect to the central monitoring equipment enabling automatic operation to be performed regardless of the specifications of the central monitoring equipment. The items targeted for energy-saving operation by this system are the optimal operation of a heat source system, setting of the supply water temperature of heat source equipment, setting of room temperature, and setting of outside-air intake volume. At present, the operations manager has the role of performing these energy-saving operations, but finding the optimal value for each of these operations is a difficult task. An operations manager, moreover, is responsible for tasks other than facility operations such as maintenance management, so changing optimal settings accurately at regular intervals on an ongoing basis can be quite a burden. This system uses robotic process automation technology, so it is capable of performing all energy-saving operations that can be executed by the central monitoring equipment. We installed this system in a large-scale shopping mall and performed energy-saving operations on outside-air processing units. In this trial, we achieved a 44% reduction in the amount of energy required for outside-air processing and a 47% reduction in CO 2 emissions.

Keywords: energy-saving operation system; robotic process automation; building management device; automatic operation; continuously and optimally operation; reduction of carbon dioxide emissions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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