Prices are rising and the energy crisis affects everyone. From a citizen waiting for increasingly higher electricity and heating bills, through entrepreneurs calculating the costs and profitability of business, to city and commune councils that are struggling to meet the budget.
Do you want to reduce energy consumption in your city? Are you wondering what actions the city can take to save money and maintain the comfort of life for residents? Read the article below and find out what cities are already doing to manage their energy and utilities effectively.
What is efficient energy management in the city?
It is a balance between reducing energy and media consumption and maintaining a satisfactory energy level.
For residents, this means, among others:
- maintaining thermal comfort in public buildings,
- adapting the city lighting system to the needs that change throughout the day,
- appropriate hot water temperature.
This is a challenge for city managers. On the one hand, they must take financial savings into account, on the other – they have to watch out for the quality of life and satisfaction of residents. Therefore, the choice of solutions supporting the city in energy management is crucial.
How to reduce energy consumption in the city?
Introducing the smallest changes – in terms of the needs of the city – can mean significant savings.
The list of actions and investments that the city can undertake includes, among others:
- reduction of energy consumption by public facilities thanks to e.g. temperature control in rooms, improvement of heating installations or thermal modernization of buildings to prevent heat loss,
- proper thermal insulation of new investments,
- introduction of variable electricity tariffs,
- modernization of the lighting network – replacement of sodium or mercury lamps with energy-saving LED lighting,
- implementation of a city lighting management system that will prevent lamps from being accidentally switched on during the day or switched off at night,
- shortening the time of displaying Christmas illuminations,
- installation of photovoltaic panels on municipal buildings.
Technology in the service of efficient energy management
A step towards effective management of energy consumption is the implementation of modern technologies. Digital transformation is the future of cities, which is why city managers more and more often decide to implement systems for intelligent control of lighting infrastructure or the metering of public facilities.
The systems enable the collection of data on energy and utility consumption – they facilitate their analysis and allow you to assess the effect of the changes introduced. In addition, they guarantee intelligent adjustment of energy and heat consumption to the needs of users, e.g. changing load of public buildings or traffic intensity.
Hence, it is close to sustainable development in line with the idea of a smart city, where optimal energy consumption is one of the important indicators.
What is a smart city and why is it more effective in managing energy consumption?
A smart city is a concept of sustainable city development, which is based on the use of modern technologies to improve the functioning of the city. The goal of a smart city is to make the most of the existing infrastructure and available resources by collecting data and making accurate decisions based on their analysis.
The living comfort of the inhabitants of a smart city is higher and covers various areas, e.g. public transport, environment, or security.
Want to learn more about smart city solutions? We wrote more about the benefits of implementing the smart city concept here.
The benefit of environmental protection
Reducing energy consumption is primarily a cost reduction, but not only. Cities also reduce energy for environmental reasons. Energy consumption is associated with the emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and is an additional burden on the environment.
Negative climate changes on a global scale also affect city dwellers at the local level. Therefore, the health and quality of life of the inhabitants depend on the responsible attitude of the city authorities in terms of energy and media management.
Where to start implementing changes in energy management in the city?
As experts advise, it’s best to start with data analysis. Knowing which areas need improvement is the basis for taking immediate action and planning investments that will bring long-term savings. The first step should therefore be an audit and careful monitoring of energy consumption.
Do you have any questions about how modern technologies can help in the effective management of energy and utilities? We are waiting for your message. We will select the most optimal solution for your city.
