Embracing the energy conservation approach  

            With signs of the global recession hitting rock bottom, government s around the world are factoring energy-saving strategies into their recovery plans. Massive investments in the green agenda have provided ripe opportunities in a myriad of industries.

Security technology has been used to monitor and conserve the environment and is now moving to cover energy-saving applications. With signs of the global recession hitting rock bottom, government s around the world are factoring energy-saving strategies into their recovery plans. Massive investments in the green agenda have provided ripe opportunities in a myriad of industries. Security players are encouraged to find new applications for their technology and modify products to be more environment-friendly. In addition to protecting assets and preventing crime, surveillance systems now have to help generate utility savings. Automatic energy-saving systems ensuring efficient use of power have gained traction. Cameras with onboard intelligence can send alerts when a door is left open, saving heating and cooling expenses, another popular application is integrated green building control, where card access triggers HVAC and lighting system coupled with chiller and boiler optimization. Reducing energy consumption results in sizable savings at large establishments, making industrial buildings, pharmaceutical factories, four- and five-star hotels, hypermarkets, shopping malls and critical infrastructure key verticals.

Energy-efficient devices
Lighting is another expensive necessity and accounts for a significant portion of power consumption. Today, one of every five dollars spent globally goes to lighting, estimated FLIR Systems, and much is lost through excessive and inefficient use of light. Instead of leaving lights on to see that nothing is happening at warehouses or buildings, customers prefer thermal cameras that produce crisp images in the dark, given that a security system needs to be in operation 24/7, a 100-watt lamp is often required to run at least 12 hours a day. Similar to general video solutions, thermal cameras consume 3 watts, and those installed on a pan/tilt unit can go up to 50 watts; however, there is no cost on lighting and more energy-friendly.

Energy control
Surveillance devices used to allow for better energy control do not lack in efficiency compared to non energy-saving equipment. Green applications, therefore, of video monitoring and access control solutions have become an added appeal to customers.

Video surveillance
Lenox Instrument, specialized in video systems for industrial applications, helps reduce fuel consumption by as much as 2 percent. Its high-temperature remote viewing system enables real-time monitoring of operational processes in boilers, furnaces, kilns and incinerators. Through regular inspections of video information, combustion performance, manufacturing efficiency and cost savings can be realized. This is especially true in the steel industry, where furnace performance and efficient manufacturing processes are crucial to reducing cost. Another IR solution designed by FLIR saves energy by detecting common problems of industrial furnaces, such as coking, scaling and ash build-up. FLIR also provides IR cameras that identify greenhouse gas emissions. With the ability to trace small quantities of gas leaks, the high-resolution IR cameras protect against revenue loses and ensure workers’ safety. Swift and effective scans enable wide-area coverage, improving operation efficiency and reducing power consumption.

Access control: The idea of preserving energy with access control systems has been around for years and plays a key role in building automation. The UN “A Global Green New Deal” report shows that buildings account for 30 to 40 percent of all energy use, carbon emission and waste generation. A well-designed building management system (BMS) generally save users 5 to 20 percent of energy costs annually, and up to 20 to 30 percent, if the building runs HVAC and lighting around the clock. Achieving roughly 35-percent savings in electricity consumption and cutting overall costs by 25 percent,  BMS slashes energy bills and improves comfort. It encompasses a variety of systems: access control systems to determine building load, HVAC control, flexible lighting schedule that adjust to sunset, sunrise and daylight savings, demand-limiting and load-shedding to avoid peak-hour penalty charges, and optimized chiller/ boiler operation. Depending on buildings, BMSs pay for themselves within a period of 12 to 60 months. Without integration with building systems, some access control solutions serve as easy tools to manage energy consumption.

Challenges
Climate change is high on today’s global agenda and has already affected our way of life. Examining running cost to cut energy bills receives growing attention, spurring demand on security solutions powered by sustainable energy. What started as only government facilities and critical infrastructure utilizing solar-powered video surveillance at off-grid and remote establishments is now an area of interest in commercial and residential sectors.

Large hotels and private estates are keen on using solar-powered surveillance systems to manage their security requirements, on the other hand, in a volatile economy, environmental considerations are thought of as an unaffordable extravagance by some people. Installing BMSs for energy savings is still considered a costly solution rather than an investment.  Also, integration with third-party systems and productivity enhancements are common obstacles. Central management of power meters, generator sets, fire alarms, public address systems, lighting control with PIR sensors and security systems pose challenges. The green movement is a definite trend, with the need to save energy continuing to drive the development of low-power consumption solutions.