Microcomputer applications in energy management

Abstract

The microcomputer revolution has made available high capability, low-cost computers, software and printers which can help businesses, government, and institutions reduce their energy use and costs. Microcomputers can help managers and design professionals manage their energy costs in a number of different ways: verification and analysis of utility bills; automatic calculation of BTUs from kWh, therms, pounds of steam, gallons of oil, etc.; automatic calculation of Energy Utilization Index (EUI) in BTU/sq.ft/yr; graphical analysis of utility bills; life cycle costing (LCC) of energy conservation opportunities; building energy analyses using public domain and/or commercially marketed programs; and computer-aided project management. The advantages of using micros in energy management include greater productivity, the ability to perform more comprehensive analyses, and the ability to more effectively manage projects. Specific examples of each of these applications will be presented in this paper.