by Josie Chung, on October 9, 2019
Founded in 1993, IESS Taiwan has been the market leader in commercial A/C distribution and maintenance services in Taiwan for more than 21 years. Leveraging their in-depth understanding of critical temperature applications, IESS Taiwan recently teamed up with Exosite to reshape the A/C industry with a rental-based smart A/C solution that enhances energy efficiency for commercial retailers, while allowing IESS Taiwan to add new revenue streams and provide enhanced customer service.
The Opportunity
The unnecessary use of electricity is estimated to cost billions of dollars annually for large commercial and retail spaces, with air conditioning accounting for over 40% of the total electricity used in warmer months. This is a significant cost for chain stores, supermarkets, and convenience stores that already operate on razor-thin margins. When business owners consider replacing outdated A/Cs to improve efficiency, the sheer cost associated with the purchase of new equipment is often prohibitive. This is evident in the procurement cost of air-conditioning equipment for new commercial buildings, which accounts for 15%-30% of total construction costs.
To make a difference in their carbon footprint and their bottom line, business owners need access to an affordable A/C solution that doesn’t require them to purchase expensive equipment and could give them greater visibility and control over their electricity usage.
The Solution
IESS Taiwan partnered with Exosite to develop their smart electricity monitoring system that collects performance data from A/C units on voltage, amps, kilowatts, kilowatt hours, and indoor air quality, including temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide levels.
The data is then routed to the Murano IoT platform via a Wi-Fi-enabled smart control gateway, where it is aggregated to monitor electricity usage, generate consumption records, and identify abnormal operating conditions. The data is then visualized in Exosite’s ExoSense® condition monitoring application with site-specific dashboards for business owners to help them understand real-time usage, remotely control consumption, improve energy efficiency, and ultimately reduce electricity costs.
IESS Taiwan makes its connected A/C solution available to business owners for a flexible rental fee that can include monitoring and other services, like predictive maintenance. In addition to the benefits business owners experience, the solution also has a positive impact on the A/C units themselves, resulting in longer operating life, higher productivity, and reduced downtime.
The Results
- Measurable User Savings
Organizations that have applied IESS Taiwan’s smart A/C solution have seen substantial energy savings in excess of 20%, with phantom loads being eliminated entirely. - Improved ROI for Users
The connected A/Cs have helped store owners realize immediate savings that delivered a return on investment in as little as four months. - Improved Customer Service
As part of their rental-based model, IESS Taiwan includes regular equipment maintenance, which enables them to provide better and more proactive customer service, reduce maintenance costs for customers, and ensure equipment security. - Enables Monetization of User Data
IESS Taiwan transformed themselves from a traditional commercial A/C distributor to a recurring SaaS revenue company, where users pay to access usage data to make better-informed scheduling, maintenance, and upgrade decisions and, ultimately, lower operating costs. - Provides a Cost-Effective Solution
IESS Taiwan now provides rental A/C equipment that is less expensive than buying and includes additional services, offering a cost-effective solution that makes the decision simple for store owners. Store owners can allocate less money towards A/C costs, while also transforming themselves into an energy-saving company that is focused on reducing carbon emissions as required by the government. - Leads the Smart Energy Management Market
Through Exosite’s IoT enablement, IESS Taiwan is now a leading solution provider for real-time energy management and savings solutions. IESS’s intelligent product solutions are an essential element of a smarter future that includes greater energy efficiency for the commercial market.
Want to see if the ExoSense condition monitoring application could do the same for you? Connect with an Exosite solution expert to talk about your application needs and see a demo of ExoSense.