Apleona: centralised energy management and complex reporting simplified using MRI Energy
Apleona has been using MRI Energy since 2015. As a leading European real estate and facilities management company, they required a comprehensive and centralised energy management system that could report on energy consumption, carbon emissions, identify ECMs to reduce energy consumption and produce reports in compliance with German regulations. Implementing MRI Energy has drastically reduced manpower required each month to achieve its energy reporting function.
The requirement
Apleona provides integrated facility management, building technology and interior fitouts through to real estate. Global in nature, its operations span more than 30 countries and employs over 20,000 people. Its Düsseldorf-based department “Building Advisory Energy” focuses on consulting Institutional investors in ESG and sustainability topics.
The overriding challenge for Apleona was reporting on energy consumption for its customers’ buildings. The in-house reporting solution was not sufficient in coping with the business’s growing reporting needs and additional time and resource was needed each month in ensuring the data was accurate.
Prior to using MRI Energy’s reports, energy data would be exported into Excel each month: a mammoth task considering the growing number of buildings in the portfolio.
At the heart of Apleona Building Advisory Energy’s business is the provision of solutions that are both sustainable and efficient for its customers in order to further optimise their energy management. A system was needed to not just manage energy consumption but to identify energy conservation measures (ECMs).
On top of all these requirements was having the ability to fulfil reporting requirements in compliance with German policy; The Climate Action Plan which set a target for Germany to be carbon neutral by 2050 and EU’s 2030 climate targets which are already legally binding in Germany.
The solution
Initially MRI Energy was implemented with 600 data points connected. Over the years as Apleona has increased its buildings portfolio, there are now more than 2,100 data points being tracked and monitored.
Carbon and sustainability reporting
While energy tracking and management is crucial for Apleona, increasingly important is CO2 reporting and will soon be a legal requirement for organisations to report on their carbon emissions. Using MRI Energy, Apleona is already able to track and report on this criteria.
A key piece of analysis Apleona needed to conduct was reporting on climate adjustment data. In order to achieve better accurate comparisons in consumption data, Apleona worked with MRI Software Energy’s development team to create a multiplier to reflect the climate adjustment. This work enables Apleona to see consumption data based on 20 year average degree day values and allows for additional analysis to be undertaken on this data.
“MRI Energy is a really good tool. We are measured by reducing energy consumption. Our main and most important project for 10 buildings is reducing energy consumption by 25%. The MRI Energy software will enable us to achieve that.”
Stefan Schaefer, Building Advisory Energy, Apleona
Project tracking
A key capability of MRI Energy is the project tracking module which identifies opportunities and quantifies project savings from the energy data in MRI Energy. Project information and existing consumption data is interrogated to prioritise opportunities to save energy. This module has been key for identifying areas to save energy, money and carbon emissions.
Automated reports
Uniquely configured, automated and branded reports using SSRS have been created by MRI Energy for Apleona. These automated reports replace the manually executed reports which were produced using Excel taking two people two days to produce each month. Taking advantage of the language packs available in MRI Energy, these reports are produced in German and English.
Benefits of using MRI Energy
Since switching to MRI energy management system, Apleona is able to track and manage the energy consumption of its buildings. Further, it can produce accurate, consistent and compliant reports based on the energy usage. Using the project tracking module enables Apleona to identify and quantify energy conservations measures and streamline energy efficiency.
Apleona’s business is continually expanding as new buildings join the portfolio. Having a leading energy management system already in place is very appealing for potential customers where energy management, efficiency and cost reduction is a top priority.
Apleona is measured on its ability to manage energy consumption and reduce energy costs. Using an advanced energy management system gives them a competitive edge in attracting new customers while operating and reporting within Germany’s legally binding 2030 Climate Targets.