The SHM Controller is a low-cost “smart” boiler controller for buildings that reduces natural gas consumption for heating by 30% on average. It employs a novel method for controlling boilers, hot water tanks, pumps and valves in buildings, provides complete remote control over the building's heating system and sends user-programmed email/text alerts - all at a very affordable cost.
What is the typical saving on gas consumption?
Typical annual gas savings generated by the SHM Controller are 30% on average, based on actual gas bills from the many wood-frame, concrete, low and high-rise apartment buildings in which the SHM Controller has been installed and tested in for several years.
What is the typical saving on electricity consumption?
Actual annual electricity savings generated by the SHM Controller will depend on the operation and infrastructure of each specific building, but can be predictably modelled in advance, with projected savings on electricity of up to 40%.
How are you able to achieve such dramatic savings?
Older buildings were not designed with heat efficiency in mind. At the time, natural gas and electricity were inexpensive commodities, resulting in little incentive for additional spending on heat efficient designs and construction. Further, the development of advanced sensors, computers and wireless technologies offer a new-found capacity to manage a building’s HVAC systems.
Our system uses industrial grade long range wireless temperature sensors placed on all inputs and outputs in the mechanical room as well as inside tenant-occupied spaces. Using cutting edge technology and patented predictive-adaptive algorithms, our controller monitors and predicts conditions, and then instructs the boilers, pumps and valves to efficiently generate and deliver the correct amount of heat to the different parts of the building - exactly when needed.
Do you have consumption comparison reports from existing installations?
Of course! Please check out the case studies page for actual gas bills taken from SHM installation sites, showing gas consumption measured before and after the SHM Controller was installed. The year-over-year comparisons reflect identical time periods and average outside temperatures. The examples cover a variety of different buildings types, including wood-frame, concrete, low and high-rise apartment buildings, all located in the Greater Vancouver area, Canada.
Can this system alert me when the hot-water tank is too cold?
Absolutely! In fact the SHM Controller can send email/text messages to many different recipients concurrently, based on different events and scenarios, customized by the recipient. For example:
A tenant apartment is too cold/hot
Domestic hot water is too cold/hot
Domestic hot water tank malfunction is imminent
Boiler malfunctions
Pump malfunctions
Water flood on the floor
Power outage
In some cases the SHM Controller sends alerts even before the problem actually occurs. By analyzing data over time, the system can send an alert highlighting an imminent boiler or hot water tank failure even hours before it happens!
Do I need to have Internet connection in the building?
No. We connect to the control box directly via a wireless connection.
What other benefits does this system have?
The ability to remotely control the heat and hot water in the building: Traditionally, boilers and heating systems require an in-person on-site visit by a technician to determine the problem and the course of action. Often that action is merely a simple adjustment to the boiler settings. Having complete remote control over the entire heating system allows for most setting adjustments to be done remotely, saving the time and cost of the technician's visit.
Email and text alerts for potentially problematic situations: Usually when a hot water tank malfunctions or if a boiler is not working, the building manager learns about the situation only hours later, when tenants complain. Using the SHM Controller the building manager and maintenance team would be automatically alerted by email or text messages regarding any equipment malfunction or emergency situation as it occurs. In some situations, the system can even predict and alert in advance as to an imminent equipment failure. This is done by analyzing heat signatures over time. These pre-emptive mechanical failure alerts provide lead time for repairs, avoiding further equipment damage, reducing repair costs, and limiting tenant inconvenience.
How much time does it take to install the system?
Being a retrofit wireless system, our technicians would only need a couple of hours to install the SHM Controller. The system settings are then configured, refined and monitored by us remotely to make sure the system is always working properly.
How much does it cost?
Unlike other boiler room equipment, the SHM Controller is very affordable. As apartment building owners ourselves, we are very much aware of working within tight operating budgets. Accordingly, the price is typically structured as a modest initial set-up fee and a small on-going monthly monitoring fee. The result is that the SHM Controller typically pays for itself in less than a year. Other pricing structures are also available for commercial / industrial buildings and public schools.
Is there a limit to the property size or to the number of controlled boilers, pumps and hot-water tanks?
No. The SHM Controller utilizes an industrial grade wireless network. While the standard system setup is sufficient to cover most small and medium buildings, our wireless network is extendible using our own low cost wireless repeater units. These wireless repeater units are included in every SHM Controller installation, providing full wireless coverage to virtually any property size. There is also no limit to the number of wireless control units and temperature sensors that can be added to our SHM Controller, allowing it to control an unlimited number of boilers, pumps, valves and hot water tanks.
