The aim of the project is to maximise energy saving in buildings, by controlling energy flows and environmental parameters to allow consumption relating to technological systems to be contained.
The G.E.CO. Project was launched in 2009, with the University's desire to equip itself with instruments for the remote monitoring, management and control of the heating and air-conditioning systems in its buildings. The project is aimed at seeking maximum energy savings, by controlling energy flows and environmental parameters, so as to allow the containment of consumption related to technological systems and ensure maximum environmental comfort. It envisages the provision in the various buildings of control and data acquisition systems and the implementation (already implemented) of a single web-based platform for the management, collection and processing of data and the possibility of setting parameters and operating times.
The project is structured in two parts:
In 2018, the settlement of the former Zuccherificio in Cesena was completed. The tender-based project was improved in the part of remote management of the plants. The system based on the LonWorks platform allows timely control of most of the technological installations in the complex. Work continues on bringing the electrical substations up to standard, with the implementation of the remote control system that allows power and consumption to be measured in real time.
By 2022 they are equipped with remote management and remote control:
and work is already underway to extend the functionality to other buildings; the final objective is to equip all the University buildings with remote management and remote control.
For the implementation of the GE.CO. project, the University uses "On Energy", a specially customised release of the BMS (Building Management System) platform "iOtto", web-based software operating in the Internet-of-Things field.
On Energy is able to collect, store and make available for analysis all the data collected from the field meters; it allows the remote control of all the 'smart' devices implemented, also enabling the integration, control and management of systems operating with third-party software, thus offering the vision and control of different plants and systems in a single operating environment.
The field instruments are all market-standard equipment, equipped with communication technologies on open and standard protocols, connected to iOtto controllers that allow their integration with programming and remote management software and with the University's network infrastructure.
