Introduction

The project is focused on real-time monitoring of media (energy, heat and water) usage and its costs in public service’s buildings in the city of Częstochowa.

Objectives and target audience

The main aim of the project was to optimise costs and media usage in the buildings. It was important to asses the existing situation in terms of media consumption in the buildings, as well as to identify the potential energy, heat and water losses (irregularities, failures in the system, etc.). The assessment is supposed to be the first step to strategies further activity and investments in the public service buildings. Additionally, there is an education and information role of the project.

Financial Resources and Partners involved

Monitoring system – town hall buildings – city of Częstochowa funds (4 new employees)
Monitoring system – School’s buildings – city of Częstochowa funds (4 new employees),
Grant from the Programme “Rising environmental awareness, strengthening the NGOs role for the building the monitoring systems” (Transition Funds Programme 2004, FEWE)

Process

The tasks which were undertaken as part of the project where:-

• Data mining – basic information about the buildings, energy sources (What kind of energy source? Where is it coming form?), what is the energy consumption?;
• Building the data base – energy, heat and water consumption, cost of the media use;
• Building the monitoring system – building infrastructure, installation of technical equipment for real time measurement of energy, heat and water usage; building the digital system of the data management.

Results

Monitoring is giving the opportunity for constant optimisation of the of media use and its costs. Real –time measurements help to identify failures in the system, and immediate action and reparation. Monitoring reports and statistical comparisons give the opportunity for more efficient and cheaper media use (for example: decreasing the energy consumption in peak hours, etc.). Additionally monitoring reports are used to verify the energy consumption invoice.

Critical Success Factors / Challenges

New solution for the energy (media) use management in public service buildings;
Real time monitoring is tool which can be use in all buildings (offices, industrial, etc.)
The universal tool for cost optimisation as well as rationalisation of the media use.