47 Nantes buildings under energy monitoring

Schneider Electric, working with the City of Nantes and the engineering consultancy Cyrisea, has installed a network of sensors in 47 public buildings, mostly schools, in order to manage energy consumption more effectively.

The project is part of the Life+ programme, backed by the European Union. Schneider Electric provides a web platform for tracking the real-time consumption of each building. Three sources of energy are monitored: electricity, water and gas. The programme aims to cut consumption by 20% and CO₂ emissions by 10%. Alongside its work in Nantes, Schneider Electric has also fitted sensors in six buildings in the Spanish city of Vigo, which will allow some comparisons to be made.

"The Life+ GreenCity project follows directly from our commitment to energy management, a policy we have pursued for two terms of office. After a phase of configuring the software, the system is now operational in 47 buildings, mostly schools. As part of our awareness-raising campaign, we have worked with the occupants to achieve a significant reduction in the energy consumption of these buildings. If the results from this sample prove positive over the coming months, we will consider extending the principle to all 800,000 m² of public buildings across our conurbation. In addition, once the trial phase is over, we will produce a white paper of good practice for local authorities wishing to undertake a similar initiative.", says Claire Bernard de Courville, architect with the Direction Générale Finances et Gestion – Direction des Bâtiments, Architecture, Travaux, Ingénierie – Mission Développement Durable of the City of Nantes.

"Nantes and Vigo are two emblematic cities, and we are delighted to support them in this ambitious project. We particularly appreciate the teamwork with both cities, and the level of their involvement in the process. This is a first step towards smart cities: our technology will allow them to control their energy consumption better across dispersed building stocks. Schneider Electric has a team dedicated to supporting local authorities, and the Life+ GreenCity project demonstrates its expertise.", concludes Pierre Tabary, Director of Energy Management Services, Schneider Electric France.