Unlock the full potential of building energy systems: achieve cost savings, decarbonization and resiliency

Buildings are among the largest consumers of power, and as global electrification accelerates, their demand for energy will only grow. It’s estimated that 60 billion sq ft of new commercial floorspace is expected to be constructed by 2050 in the US alone. Currently, we’re seeing the proportion of building energy derived from electricity nearly double. This shift creates a significant opportunity use power more wisely—because incremental improvements will not only help reduce energy costs but also make significant strides toward sustainability and uptime goals.

Realizing these gains requires smarter energy strategies and more flexible, capable infrastructure so your electrical infrastructure automatically uses the most cost-effective sources of electricity based on real-time conditions. That puts new levers in place to identify and decarbonize the most energy-intensive processes.

At Eaton, we’re reinventing how energy is consumed and managed to help customers around the globe unlock these capabilities. Our Buildings as a Grid approach reimagines energy systems to meet today’s demands while preparing for tomorrow’s challenges. With an advanced energy management system (EMS) at the core of your building energy management strategy, facilities can continuously:

1. Analyze: Leverage real-time insights to make energy decisions aligned with sustainability, efficiency, consistent uptime and other business goals.
2. Optimize: Refine energy usage patterns to lower costs and carbon footprints.
3. Monetize: Participate in energy markets, generating new revenue streams and transforming energy systems into valuable assets.

The EMS platform makes it all possible. By combining real-time data analytics, smart sensors and intelligent controls, the software platform enables the facility to strategically maximize renewable energy consumption when utility rates are highest while providing the insights needed to target future efficiency improvements. The evolution of EMS technology has turned energy management into a predictive, responsive and revenue-generating capability—which is becoming an essential differentiator for an electrified future.

Building the business case for smarter energy management

Traditional building management systems (BMS) have long supported facility operations, but they often fall short when integrating DERs. This disconnect leads to inefficiencies, higher costs and underutilized assets. EMS platforms bridge this gap by seamlessly integrating DERs into building operations, monitoring grid conditions to utilize energy assets effectively and enabling facility management teams to utilize their time more wisely.  

Take the Florian Hotel in Amsterdam, for example. This facility faced rising energy demands from EV chargers and utility constraints necessitated a solution that wouldn’t overload the grid. By implementing Eaton’s Buildings as a Grid strategy, the hotel’s ownership integrated a 30 kWp rooftop solar array, an Eaton xStorage battery and EMS software to solve its challenge. The system’s intelligent features now balance load among EV chargers to prevent exceeding limits and utilize stored solar energy for peak shaving during high-demand periods. The result? Reduced energy costs, increased resilience and measurable progress toward decarbonization goals without negatively impacting the local electric grid.

Plus, our research shows that facility managers spend nearly 40% of their time on energy efficiency tasks, detracting from strategic initiatives. EMS platforms automate these processes, enabling managers to focus on higher-value activities while achieving significant operational improvements.

The transformative capabilities of modern EMS platforms

A complete transformation of energy systems is unlikely to happen overnight, but EMS platforms can help buildings establish a scalable foundation to target continuous improvement. By adding intelligence and flexibility to your building energy system, you’re able to:

1. Automatically optimize energy consumption: EMS platforms can predict and adjust energy usage based on factors like weather and occupancy. For instance, at the Florian Hotel, pre-cooling the building during off-peak hours minimized HVAC costs during peak demand periods, all while ensuring comfort for guests.
2. Participate in demand response programs: EMS platforms enable facilities to participate in utility incentive programs, which reward reduced energy use during periods of high grid demand. Automated adjustments to DERs, HVAC systems, and lighting help stabilize the grid while delivering financial incentives.
3. Meet rising energy demand with intelligent load management: As buildings go through electrification and adoption of EV chargers and other DERs, EMS platforms help prevent overloads and costly utility service upgrades by balancing onsite energy production and consumption. This ensures sufficient power is delivered to critical systems while avoiding overloading of electrical systems.
4. Simplify predictive maintenance: EMS platforms continuously monitor equipment for inefficiencies, enabling proactive maintenance that reduces downtime, extends asset life and enables organizations to “do more with less.” Facility teams are empowered with better tools to handle larger building portfolios by focusing efforts where they are needed most.
5. Monetize energy systems: In our recent research report on commercial buildings, it was noted that the most significant challenge in implementing smart building initiatives is ROI/cost v. benefit analysis (52% of respondents said this was a top concern). With bidirectional grid connectivity, EMS platforms allow buildings to participate in virtual power plants (VPPs) to sell surplus energy back to the grid - generating revenue, offsetting operational costs and hedging against rising energy prices.
    

Supporting the electrified buildings of tomorrow, today  

For decades, building energy systems were managed based on historical data and static assumptions about energy requirements. Today, facilities must adapt to a dynamic ecosystem of onsite renewables, EV charging networks, extreme weather patterns and energy market dynamics. Namely, the transition to more electrified infrastructure in the face of rising energy costs requires flexible infrastructure that can do more for the environment and the bottom line.

From our perspective, these seemingly compounding challenges present a remarkable opportunity to rethink building power systems to drive sustainability, resilience and profitability. The key to unlocking these gains? Adopting a strategy that maximizes the functionality of your building today and creates value for the future. And that strategy starts with the real-time analytical, optimization and monetization capabilities that only an advanced EMS platform can provide.