The North Face Cuts Energy Costs and Improves Operational

Efficiencies in Stores with Centrica

30
Centrica Business Solutions
 CHALLENGE

The company has a set of far reaching

corporate social responsibility and
sustainability goals, and is committed to
eliminating waste and inefficiencies across all
facets of its operations. It was looking for a
scalable solution that would help to identify
energy waste, and drive savings and
efficiencies.

SOLUTIONING

Approximately 150 circuit-level energy

sensors were placed across the four locations
that fed real-time data. The sensors were
placed on critical systems that included HVAC
and lighting.

150
Sensors

31
Centrica Business Solutions
 IMPACT

• In Palo Alto, the AC fan system was not

working properly. Through early detection,
the management identified 69,420
kWh/year ($10,500) worth of savings and
avoided an equipment failure.

• The HVAC system in Corte Madera, was

not operating correctly and air handlers
were over cycling. Through the early
detection, the warehouse was able to save
16,016 KW. The combined energy and
maintenance savings was approximately
$2,250.

• Through real-time monitoring in San

Francisco, managers got an alert that the
security cameras were down.

• 10% annual energy savings were identified

in Valley Fair by changing lighting
schedule during off-hours.

• Leveraging the Panoramic system, $16,050

worth of savings were identified for The
North Face four locations in less than 6
32
Centrica Business Solutions
months.
 RETAIL AND LEISURE
Energy insights solutions

Tailoring an energy-
efficient solution
By putting our energy into saving theirs,
we’re helping a global fashion retailer cut
energy waste and annual costs by $1m.

They wanted to make a statement

With over 400 stores in 50 countries, the company was keen
to gain a better understanding of their energy consumption.
15% $20k $1m
LESS ENERGY POTENTIAL PROJECTED
Having that knowledge would help them cut costs, reduce
their carbon footprint and better support their corporate use across annual savings annual savings
sustainability pledge. six stores across 60 stores

Creating savings, season after season

We set up our energy insights solution across six of their sites.
This non-intrusive wireless technology uses self-powered
sensors to monitor and report on live energy usage.
The real-time data was collected and crunched via
a cloud-based analytics system. This gave us actionable
insight by highlighting where the operation was inefficient,
enabling us to minimize any risks.
We also integrated the data into the customer’s own building
management system, so their energy and facility managers
could monitor consumption levels at every location.
The results
Thanks to our smart technology and expert insight we
helped reduced energy use by 15%, and saved the client $20k.
As a result, our solution is now being rolled out across 60
stores in North America, Europe and Asia, with a projected
annual saving of $1m.
We realized a number of opportunities
that has resulted in a 9% energy saving
at our warehouse.”
Senior Compliance Manager, Global Fashion Retail Chain
Why choose our energy insights solution?
• Cut costs and increase profitability with energy
and operational efficiency – Receive real-time
energy waste alerts, optimized energy usage profiles,
and benchmarking capabilities
• Optimize equipment to save operational costs
– Data-backed predictive maintenance identifies
unforeseen problems and alerts of predicted
failures in real-time, minimizing wasted energy
and highlighting hidden operational inefficiencies,
or equipment failures
• Enhance brand reputation and sustainability with
green data reporting – Support corporate social
responsibility, maximize ROI of green initiatives,
and optimize sustainability programs with detailed
reports and actionable insights

centricabusinesssolutions.com
 RETAIL AND LEISURE
Panoramic Power

Exploring ways
to cut energy
We’re helping a global outdoor product company
to identify waste, improve energy efficiency
and cut costs across all their stores.

Why they needed our help

With rigorous sustainability requirements and goals, this
leading brand wanted an innovative solution to eliminate
£10k 10% £13k
($13K) REDUCTION ($16K)
energy waste at its stores and reduce cost.
How we helped cut their energy waste and costs saved by detecting annual energy total saved during
faulty equipment costs the trial period
Our energy insights solution, Panoramic Power measures during a trial period
energy use and pinpoints consumption on every piece of in four stores

equipment. It also detects problems and potential failures

before they occur.
The trial run
To provide a proof of concept, we installed Energy Insights Why choose our energy insights solution,
in four of the client’s busiest California locations. Panoramic Power?

Around 150 energy sensors were placed on critical systems • Use actionable insights to improve the way your
including heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units, business operates and performs
as well as the store lighting. The sensor data was then collected • Set up a non-intrusive reporting system using
in real-time on a SaaS-based analytics platform. patented wireless sensor technology and cloud based
analytics
The results
By monitoring the equipment for problems and potential • Incorporate the technology into your own building
failures over the trial period, we identified: management system
• A fault in an AC fan system, saving £8k ($10k) • Gain real-time visibility of energy use
• A faulty HVAC, saving a further £2k ($3k) • Measure and analyse data, then act on that information
• That a change to the lighting schedule during closed
hours would cut 10% from the annual energy costs
In total, we helped the client save £13k ($16k)
during the trial period. This clearly demonstrated that
our energy management system could offer significant
long-term savings.
Working for a greener future, together
Our energy Insights solution, Panoramic Power is now being
rolled out to new locations across the company’s network.
With the potential energy savings, they can expect to receive a
full return on investment within 18 months.

centricabusinesssolutions.com

© 2017 Centrica plc. Registered office: Millstream, Maidenhead Road, Windsor, Berkshire. SL4 5GD. Registered in England & Wales No 3033654 CS-2017-37
36
Centrica Business Solutions Insert title here
 3 $214k 5.6
MILLION MONTHS

Kilowatt-hours of Energy original

annual energy savings investment
saving
Award-winning engineering for Chicago
office towers Payback on

Customer objective
The Franklin Building’s management and engineering
team was searching for new ways to uncover energy
efficiency opportunities.
Using Centrica’s sensors, it was discovered The
The solution
Used PowerRadar data to reduce annual energy use: Franklin was unnecessarily heating the property
• 3 million kWh saved annually during unoccupied hours, while year-round heating
• Saving more than 7% of the property’s
historical annual energy consumption tendencies led to simultaneous heating and cooling
• Project awarded an Excellence in Engineering in the summer
award from the ASHRAE Illinois Chapter

Centrica Business Solutions 38

TARGET –
• BioMar is one of the world’s top aquaculture companies. They have announced their intention to set science-based targets in line with the
stricter 1.5°C standard on emission reduction and to achieve Net Zero within their own operations no later than 2050.
• Using 2020 figures as a baseline, they also plan to reduce the carbon footprint per tonne of feed produced by one-third by 2030.

SOLUTION –
• Centrica was asked to deliver a science-based pathway to Net Zero within BioMar’s own operations for Scope 1 and 2 that would allow
BioMar to align to SBTi and do that as cost effectively as possible
• Centrica used their Energy management and Monitoring solution to obtain a granular view of existing energy usage and carbon emissions
• It then used science-based targets to define various glide paths to Net Zero within BioMar’s own operations, outlining the Technologies that
could be used
Centrica Business and the financial implications of each.
Solutions