Edinburgh-based technology firm NetThings has launched a £900,000 project to develop breakthrough technology in Scotland's energy efficiency market.

In partnership with Swiss research company CSEM, the two-year study will "develop an analytical platform to save energy and increase equipment reliability in commercial buildings".

Many councils, schools, commercial properties and government buildings have traditional Building Management Systems (BEMs), often only installed at construction stage due to cabling and instrumentation which is complex, time-consuming and disruptive to business.

With approximately 5.4 million UK private sector businesses having limited options for energy management, the scheme's overall aim is to save significant sums of money using technology that will both monitor and control energy usage, as well as flagging when specific plant/machinery requires servicing.


George McGhee, CEO, NetThings, said: "Technology is advancing globally to support sustainable and smarter cities, and our project will address some of the barriers that prevent viable solutions being retrofitted into established commercial properties.

"The EU has ambitious targets to meet by 2020, with energy efficiency initiatives expected to deliver 20% energy savings which is approximately the equivalent to turning off 400 power stations. Eliminating wasteful use of energy in commercial buildings that have lacked suitable systems is essential to driving sustainability on this sort of scale.

"Leveraging our technology expertise and CSEM’s 32 years of applied research experience, this project will result in more cost effect ways of addressing this challenge."

Both NetThings and CSEM have been awarded 50% funding towards the project from Eurostars, a joint programme between EUREKA and the European Commission.

Image: George McGhee, NetThings CEO.

(LM)