Building energy management. Implementation of a sophisticated web-based software tool.

Reference Number

NE/H003371/1

Title

Building energy management. Implementation of a sophisticated web-based software tool.

Status

Completed

Energy Categories

Energy Efficiency(Residential and commercial)

Research Types

Applied Research and Development

Science and Technology Fields

SOCIAL SCIENCES (Business and Management Studies)
PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Computer Science and Informatics)
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Architecture and the Built Environment)

UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation

Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Consumer attitudes and behaviour)
Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Technology acceptance)
Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Other sociological economical and environmental impact of energy)

Principal Investigator

Prof NJ Eyre
Environmental Change Institute
University of Oxford

Award Type

Standard

Funding Source

NERC

Start Date

01 October 2009

End Date

30 September 2010

Duration

12 months

Total Grant Value

£116,666

Industrial Sectors

No relevance to Underpinning Sectors; Transport Systems and Vehicles

Region

South East

Programme

Investigators

Principal Investigator

Prof NJ Eyre, Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford

Web Site

Objectives

The purpose of an NERC follow-on award would be to scope the viability of commercializing an existent web-based building energy management software tool aimed at Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) (Smeasure-www.smeasure.org.uk). The software makes available for the first time to SMEs sophisticated building energy management feedback that dueto cost constraints are not well catered for by the bui lding energy management community. We argue that a web-based service will make energy management tools cost effective and generate a substantial revenue stream to the service provider.

The objectives to be achieved through the NERC award are:

Technical development of the software tool for a viable commercial offering.This will involve implementing in two phases core specifica tion in the areas of data input, energy feedback, degree day analysis, globalization and integration with other energy-based systems.
Develop a detailed 2-year commercialization plan for Smeasure in the UK
Investigate the market potential and competitive landscape for Smeasure in the UK and then for Europe and the USA. For each region: a) identify market segments, size and growth and b) identify competitors and commercial synergies.
Market research with pilot participants of their willingness-to-pay and service preferences.
Establish a community of users to introduce a commercial offering from completion of the second pilot.
Development of an initial business plans w ith businesspartners, which will include formalising at least three business partne rships and assessing the viability of spin-out opportunities.

Abstract

Researchers at Oxford University have developed a prototype software application for use by businesses to measure, benchmark and target their building energy use and carbon emissions. The software designed for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) supplies them with sophisticated feedback so they can assess a buildings energy performance and make informed decisions in prioritising energy saving investment. The software does not require users to have any prior technical knowledge of building energy management. In addition, successful uptake of the software will produce large scale datasetsof energy use in non-domestic buildings for use in primary building energy research. Our application to the NERC follow-on fund is to identify the best routes for commercializing this innovativesoftware.

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Added to Database

11/10/10