In this sponsored post, t-mac Technologies details the completion of a coveted metering contract with award-winning exhibition and conference venue Manchester Central.
The large-scale modern facility, which is the venue of choice for some of the UK’s leading events, employed t-mac Technologies to undertake a detailed programme of metering to boost sustainability across the site.
The t-mac units have been installed across Manchester Central to give full visibility of the site’s energy consumption and provide real-time 24/7 data on where energy is being used and potentially wasted in every space of the venue. The data will help Manchester Central’s facilities team to target areas of inefficiency to generate further reductions and savings. Also, t-mac will take a granular approach to metering data, providing information on every inch of the venue.
The units monitor a number of points within Manchester Central and more than 174 meters are now being monitored by the t-mac system. These meters include mains gas, electricity and water as well as sub-metering of many other items such as distribution boards, plant rooms, kitchen equipment and waste disposal units. The consumption information generated is visible on a web based dashboard and can be viewed on computers, tablets and smart phones. It is also planned that the energy saving data will be displayed on digital signage around the venue.
Lisa Gingell, director at t-mac Technologies, explains: “Working with Manchester Central and helping them to achieve their energy reduction targets has been a real coup for us. From mapping the venues mains consumption we were able to see the whole energy profile and create targets through the t-mac software.
“Enabling business to meter, manage and control energy use and ultimately reduce carbon and cost is at the core of t-mac. We work with clients to help them ‘listen’ to their building and forecast consumption so that they can shape energy saving plans for the future.”
Russ Forshaw, director of facilities management at Manchester Central, said: “We have made massive sustainable strides over the last two years to cut carbon and reduce our energy bills by more than a third. These meters will now allow us to take sustainability to the next level.
“We can now get an excellent understanding of where energy is being wasted, whether that’s during an event, in build or breakdown. Manchester Central operates 24/7 so we need to monitor energy 24/7. This will lead to more sustainable events, a more sustainable venue and further significant energy savings.
“Manchester Central has 25 meeting spaces and three conference and exhibition halls of 23,000m². Something as simple as leaving lights on can be very costly to the business. These meters will not only save money and energy, they will give us a much greater understanding of the energy resources different events, exhibitions and conferences require.”
T-mac Technologies’ energy engineers also project managed the installation. Commenting on the installation, one of the t-mac engineers said: “The installation shows the diversity of the t-mac system being retro-fitted into two very different environments – one modern version and the other over 30 years old. Our aim throughout was to ensure a smooth transition to get the best solution and stop the need for any shutdowns on critical/sensitive equipment during installation.”
Manchester Central is one of the first major venues in the UK to achieve the international standard for sustainable events management – ISO 20121.
