Maria Sotberg

Janot Dohrmann

Writer

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Maria-Sotberg-

Energy Advisor

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Janot-Dohrmann

Get to grips with energy management. On our blog, you will find energy optimization and management content suitable for novices and energy experts. Find blog posts, use cases and videos on energy analysis, energy optimization, and reporting, just as relevant for commercial buildings, public works and industrial buildings as for housing cooperatives or multi-residential properties.

Energy Management

Remote reading: your gateway to seamless data transfer

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Want to know more about open, flexible and independent systems?

Theme overview

Love all things proptech? Get ahead on building automation with Kiona. On our blog, you will find content on automation suitable for newcomers and tech-savvy partners. Find blog posts, use cases and videos on everything from systems automation, machine learning and AI to Smart functions, Rest API, drivers and IoT for use in technical installations.

Building Automation

<p>The need for intelligent building management has never been greater. Building owners and operational teams must be able to stay on top of many different functions and systems, all while striving for efficiency and optimization. Fortunately, there are solutions out there that can make this work easier and more effective. APIs and REST APIs have become vital tools in energy and building management, bringing significant benefits to building owners and operators alike.</p>



<p>Allowing developers to create innovative solutions that equip operational teams with more insights than ever is changing how buildings are managed and maintained.</p>



<p><strong>But first things first – what are APIs, and in what way can you benefit from them?</strong></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-apis-and-integrations"><strong>APIs and integrations</strong></h2>



<p>Simply put, <a href="https://www.ibm.com/topics/api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">API (or "Application Programming Interface")</a> is a set of instructions or, specifically, a code that lets two sets of data within different systems communicate with each other. This allows an app, website, or system to access data and use it in different ways.</p>





<p>When the API of two systems is connected, it allows easy sharing of data that can be used to automate all kinds of processes.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-benefits-of-apis-for-energy-and-building-management">Benefits of APIs for energy- and building management</h2>



<p>APIs have revolutionized how building management systems are connected and automated. Using APIs, building systems can be connected to a network of smart devices, allowing for real-time monitoring and control of the entire building.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://kiona.com/app/uploads/2022/06/production-and-manufacturing.jpg" alt="Factory illustration of technical equipment that can be connected through APIs." class="wp-image-9357"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Image: Connect all the technical equipment at your plant through APIs and utilize the data in your building management platform.</figcaption></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-better-performance-of-technical-installations">1. Better performance of technical installations</h3>



<p>By, for instance, connecting your building management system with your energy management system, you can track, evaluate and adjust as needed, with data being automatically sent between your systems and to your technical equipment.</p>



<p>With greater visibility and control over the building's systems, operations teams can also utilize this data to detect and repair inefficiencies. This provides a great tool for increasing the longevity of systems.</p>



<p>All in all, better performance = fewer problems and more efficient teams.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-increased-efficiency-and-improved-data-quality">2. Increased efficiency and improved data quality</h3>



<p>With no time to waste for busy teams, APIs let a crucial but time–consuming part of your operation be done easier. Instead of manually measuring values and punching data, the data is automatically exchanged and collected. This also reduces the chance of costly mistakes and human errors.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-easier-integrations">3. Easier integrations</h3>



<p>Have you ever tried a solution just to figure out that it didn't work the way you wanted or needed it to? APIs can help you escape the large and expensive integration projects where you either have to adapt systems to do something they were not designed for or build something from scratch.</p>





<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-about-open-apis">What about Open APIs?</h2>





<p>Having an open API means that all technical information is open and available online. The big advantage is that more people get access to it, and it's easier to investigate what opportunities exist.</p>



<p>Open APIs are key to creating a more efficient and <a href="https://kiona.com/products/">seamless integration of technical equipment</a>. This lowers the threshold for creative developers who want to go all-in designing, utilizing, and benefiting from different systems – overall creating better solutions in the long run.&nbsp;</p>

APIs in buildings: making operations more efficient

Easier projects and faster roll-out – using your existing hardware

Making sense of it all with Edge

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Berlinovo Apartment GmbH – saving tonnes of Co2

Want to know how you can operate your systems more efficiently?

Berlinovo Apartment GmbH

<p>Every year, we present the Sustainable City Award to customers who have achieved outstanding savings. This requires active and planned management and a thorough commitment to meeting energy targets.</p>



<p>For Berlinovo, the path to efficient and environmentally friendly buildings has been a long-term focus. In addition to the optimization by <a href="https://kiona.com/products/edge/">Edge</a>, Berlinovo regularly works with the energy data to ensure ongoing improvement.</p>



<p>All these factors come together in our project with Berlinovo Apartment GmbH, the latest recipient of the Sustainable City Award (2021). Within just one year, over one million kilograms of CO<sub>2</sub> were saved.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://kiona.com/app/uploads/2022/06/Berlinovo-sustainable-city-award-1024x576.jpg" alt="Constanze Dühring and Ute Rüße (right in the photo) receive the Sustainable City Award from Eva-Maria Metz and Janot Dohrmann (Kiona)." class="wp-image-9038"/><figcaption>Photo: Constanze Dühring and Ute Rüße (right in the photo) receive the Sustainable City Award from Eva-Maria Metz and Janot Dohrmann (Kiona)</figcaption></figure>



<p>The supervising Kiona energy expert, Janot Dohrmann, confirms:&nbsp;<em>"Berlinovo is working in an exemplary manner to increase the efficiency of its properties without losing sight of the concerns and comfort needs of the tenants. This project shows how ecological and social factors can be reconciled. And last but not least, it pays off financially."</em></p>





<h2 id="h-the-starting-point">The starting point</h2>



<p>Berlinovo Apartment GmbH manages approximately 6 500 furnished apartments in 31 residential complexes in Berlin. With almost fifty years of experience, the company is the market leader in the temporary-living segment in Berlin. But they faced the challenge of connecting different types of systems and collecting missing data from their properties.</p>



<p>The properties are heated partly with gas and partly with district heating via one-pipe and two-pipe systems. Tenant complaints could not be verified before the project began, resulting in high administrative expenses due to on-site visits.</p>



<p>Therefore, the project's objective was not only to realize savings through the algorithm but also to establish an energy management system that could be handled by the management team.</p>



<h2 id="h-installing-edge">Installing Edge</h2>



<p>With these data and objectives, the necessary sensor equipment was decided.</p>



<p>In the case of Berlinovo, 685 room sensors were installed in 30 buildings to measure temperature and relative humidity. Because the room sensors are wireless and easily installed inside an apartment, the customer was able to install them themselves, with telephone support from Kiona. The sensors on the heating circuits and the outdoor temperature sensors/data gateways (Edge Hub)were installed by a local installer.</p>



<h2 id="h-energy-management-up-and-running-in-six-weeks">Energy management "up and running" in six weeks</h2>



<p>Within a short time, all buildings were online. The customer portal was set up with the data now available. Special attention was paid to the system's structure, and navigation setup according to the heating type. This makes it possible to quickly compare the consumption values within the respective group.</p>



<p>In addition to evaluating consumption and CO<sub>2</sub> emissions, an alarm was set up for room temperatures that dropped too low.</p>



<p>Berlinovo's energy management is supported by Kiona with annual energy analysis. Continuous savings potentials are generated by the algorithm. Thus, a large part of the portfolio can be left to self-learning optimization.</p>



<h2 id="h-results-and-outlook">Results and outlook</h2>



<p>Since the start of the project, the heating energy requirement has been reduced by an average of 19.8 kWh/m² across all properties compared with the reference year 2018. At the same time, over 1 million kg less CO<sub>2</sub> has been emitted to date. These figures are based on measured and weather-cleaned consumption values.</p>



<p>But the optimization path does not end here. Climate-neutral buildings involve a series of measures that must be planned and monitored. The Energy Target module is designed for this purpose: Based on the recorded consumption data, the path to climate neutrality is simulated via measures inside Edge. This way, it can be explicitly determined which action can be used to achieve the necessary CO<sub>2</sub> reduction.</p>

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Edge AI is our software service (SaaS) that connects to your existing building systems through API integration. Access to data on how thousands of buildings behave under different circumstances informs the algorithm. And by constantly adding collected data from your building back into it, the AI is self-learning.

About Edge

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<p>Understanding and optimizing energy consumption is paramount.</p>



<p>However, understanding energy consumption has traditionally been a challenging task. It involved getting permission from your energy company, coordinating with installers to come and connect new hardware, dealing with potential problems, and waiting for weeks to get the system up and running. All these factors made the process time-consuming, costly, and far from efficient.</p>





<p>And if you have many meters, it can be a huge project.</p>



<p>Luckily, there is a simpler way. Using your building's existing hardware from <a href="https://group.vattenfall.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vattenfall</a> and their API – <a href="https://kiona.com/products/edge" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Edge</a> can automatically collect, analyze, and present all your energy data in an easy-to-understand summary. Here is how it works and what benefits you can expect:</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-remote-reading-your-gateway-to-seamless-data-transfer">Remote reading: your gateway to seamless data transfer</h2>



<p>Vattenfall collects and reads data from your energy meters remotely. Vattenfall's API integration also allows for <strong>remote data reading to other systems</strong>, simplifying the process of energy monitoring. Edge can obtain this data via the API every 15 minutes, providing a real-time overview and analysis of your energy consumption.</p>



<p>This level of detail can help identify trends and areas for improvement. Plus, no one likes being surprised when the energy bill lands in the inbox.</p>





<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-easier-projects-and-faster-roll-out-using-your-existing-hardware">Easier projects and faster roll-out – using your existing hardware</h2>



<p>Gone are the days of chasing down multiple parties, waiting around for installations, and dealing with unexpected problems. Also, by using hardware that already exists in your building, we reduce the need for additional components and devices, promoting sustainability. That's good news for our planet.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-making-sense-of-it-all-with-edge">Making sense of it all with Edge</h2>



<p>Once the data is in, it's sent to our self-learning AI, Edge. This is where the magic happens. The data gets crunched, analyzed, and turned into insights about how you're using energy. <strong>While Vattenfall uses this data for billing, we use it to give you a clear picture of what's going on with your energy consumption – and how you can improve.</strong></p>



<p>Edge works around the clock to optimize your building's energy usage and show you, using historical and real-time data, whether you are on track.</p>



<p>Armed with this knowledge, you can make smart decisions and really get a handle on your energy use.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-want-to-know-how-you-can-use-vattenfall-s-api-with-edge-talk-to-me">&nbsp;<br>Want to know how you can use Vattenfall's API with Edge?&nbsp;Talk to me!</h3>