Energy transition is becoming a leading priority for businesses, driven in part by local regulations that aim to promote the development of more efficient buildings, either new or existing. For example, in the Netherlands, from 2023, the Dutch Energy Act (Energiewet) requires companies with business premises larger than 100m² to improve energy efficiency. Properties not meeting the minimum requirements (Energy label “C”), lose the right for the building to be used as office space. This regulation is then forcing the business community to take a critical look at its current energy system and anticipate the need for structural improvements in energy management.
ABB and installer Verkerk are together helping companies to be ready for the energy transition by implementing an energy management system that enables remote control and automation as well as real-time energy data visualized in a customizable online dashboard, that is also easy to integrate into Building Management Systems (BMS).
Real-time data on energy flows
Due to the increasing number of requests from customers driven by the Dutch Energy Act, Verkerk’s Building Technologies division was looking for an innovative energy management system to meet the increasing requirements of their own customers for real-time insights and energy efficiency. “ABB is a regular supplier of ours and also in this project we act as partners because we both share the same strong ambitions and vision in the field of energy management,” says Wim Stemmer, Manager of Technologies at Verkerk.
After an initial study, of energy monitoring, data collection, and local visualization solutions, ABB’s InSite energy management system was selected. Jan van de Maat, Product Specialist Smart Energy Solutions at ABB, who accompanied this process says, “The ultra-compact InSite system monitors the energy flows of all types of installations to determine the energy profile and gain valuable insights thanks to branch monitoring sensors. On the local web server of the system, data can be viewed in an intuitive dashboard – for example, you can see in real-time how much energy is used when making a cup of coffee.”
As a first step, Verkerk carried out initial testing of ABB’s InSite energy management system by rolling it out on Verkerk’s existing electrical panels: before starting to customize the energy management system for their customers, they first implemented the InSite system on their own premises. “It’s important to us to understand how the system works ourselves. A great advantage we found was the ability to install the system on existing cables without any downtime, so in this way, our customers don’t need to modify or change their existing installations. This allows us to relieve them of their worries. We effectively leverage on our own experience with ABB’s InSite system on our premises when we speak to our customers,” explains Stemmer.
©RobertAarts - Electrical installation with current sensors 
©RobertAarts - Industrial pumps monitored by InSite 
InSite energy management system
Customized real-estate insights for “Humble”
When it comes to real estate, there are very specific requirements that go beyond the pure energy-related scope, including activities planning, ticket management, inspection checklist, and so on. ABB and Verkerk worked together to provide the energy monitoring data via the InSite system to “Humble”, an online software platform that gives customers a grip on everything that happens within their real estate through insight into real estate data.
Verkerk ensures that all products are brought together to the “Humble” cloud platform: for instance, energy is monitored on all the main motor groups and circuit breakers via ABB branch monitoring system, and data is sent to the “Humble” cloud through the InSite SCU100 control unit. “The data from this installation can then be read by Humble in a clear dashboard. We designed this dashboard based on the wishes of our customers. This way Verkerk, ABB, and Humble jointly bring the software to one platform for Humble's customers,” says Stemmer.
Thanks to the energy monitoring dashboard based on ABB’s InSite technology, Humble's customers will never again have to search endlessly for the right real estate information, such as the production of the solar panels on the roof and the consumption of the main electrical loads. Everything can be found simply and quickly on one platform, which helps businesses obtain energy label C according to the Dutch Energy Act, or even higher grading.
Creating bespoke solutions
“The data on the dashboards is very important to comply with present or future laws and regulations. Data can be shared directly with the employees to create awareness: this way, companies can make a step towards sustainability,” adds Stemmer.
“We want to help companies with the energy transition and work together on customized digital solutions for energy management. That's why we take a double action: ABB provides reliable and easy-to-install solutions, and we take care of the implementation and monitoring. We customize and test the system for the end customer. This is how we create a formula for success together,” explains Stemmer.
How do you know where the needs of the end customer lie regarding energy monitoring? According to Stemmer, staying in conversation is important. “The data displayed in the dashboard can be different for each company. One company wants insight into heat regulation and yet another wants insight into power consumption. To make the right choices and to ensure that the visible data in the dashboard is relevant to the end customer, it is important to talk to each other before and during the use of the platform. That way we can deliver the platform completely as the end customer wants it, and we can continuously make adjustments.”
