Reducing Telecom’s energy use and carbon footprint
We used detailed modelling to help Telecom predict how technology and demand changes will impact on their energy and maintenance costs.
WSP Opus has worked with Telecom on a range of initiatives to reduce Telecom’s energy use and overall carbon footprint. WSP Opus has provided energy and engineering management services in a number of Telecom sites throughout New Zealand for a number of years, supplying project direction and technical overview to determine the operational costs of Telecom’s different functions.
One of these projects was driven by the need for Telecom to predict how technology changes and how demand changes will impact on their operational costs – predominantly energy and maintenance costs. We produced a detailed model that used Telecom network equipment inventory information from multiple sources and used this to predict the proportions of energy being used by different services at each site. The model also incorporated features to allow for future growth and demand changing scenarios in relation to how they will affect operating revenue.
Other projects for Telecom included energy performance reviews/audits and recommendations to implement improvements at a number of sites. Improvements included providing occupancy sensors to control lighting; installing new high efficiency chiller plant; and control valves and BMS control system upgrades to improve overall system efficiency.
We also completed the design and commissioning of a remote starting system (SMS and/or ripple control activation) for standby generators to manage peak demand during times of high energy spot prices and tariffs.
We are an active member of the Telecom Power Savings Group/Steering Committee a group challenged with reducing Telecom’s total power consumption and carbon footprint for by minimising waste and driving the installation of high efficiency equipment through all parts of the business.
We have completed the design and construction supervision of numerous electrical main switchboard upgrades at Telecom exchanges around New Zealand, including exchange sites at Airedale Street, Mayoral Drive, Papakura, Papatoetoe, Hamilton Telephone Centre, Wellington Central, Christchurch Central, Christchurch Old Building, Dunedin, and Queenstown.
We also delivered the particularly smart solution of providing high voltage DC power to serve the telecommunications equipment within the Christchurch and Hamilton exchange buildings – a project that was a category award winner at the 2009 NZ Engineering Excellence Awards. The solution is currently being further developed for application in Mayoral Drive Exchange in Auckland.