Encycle Corporation, a software technology company focused on helping commercial and industrial customers improve the efficiency of their HVAC systems and energy efficiency programs using IoT-enabled services, announced the expansion of its Swarm Logic™ energy management technology to the heating side of HVAC system optimization.
Swarm Logic deployed on cooling systems has been the mainstay of Encycle’s autonomous Energy-as-a-Service (EaaS) offering until now. Swarm Logic for heating comes at an opportunistic time for Encycle’s current and potential customers who, like everyone else, are bracing for higher electric and gas utility bills this heating season, with natural gas prices jumping 112% since January 2021. The price increase will directly affect customers with gas-fired furnaces and electric heating customers whose electricity is supplied by gas-fired power plants.
The Swarm Logic energy management solution has been deployed at over 1,000 sites with 10,000 rooftop units (RTUs). Typical Encycle customers save 10% to 30% on HVAC energy consumption, spend, and emissions with results verified by independent third-party reviews.
“Facing the burden of much higher heating bills this winter, companies already struggling from the economic and labor effects of the COVID-19 pandemic now have a new financial threat to contend with,” said Steve Alexander, Encycle President and COO. “With HVAC accounting for as much as 40% of a building’s overall energy consumption and spend, customers will be scrambling to find new opportunities to reduce peak demand and consumption,” Alexander added. “Swarm Logic provides a compelling and low-risk solution, requiring little to no capital expenditures and delivering 2x to 5x returns on program fees almost immediately after deployment.”
Swarm Logic technology connects via the cloud to existing building automation systems, smart thermostats, or IoT platforms, to dynamically synchronize HVAC rooftop units (RTUs), transforming them into smart, networked, energy-responsive assets. The AI-enhanced technology enables RTUs to operate most efficiently in response to changing conditions such as outdoor temperature, building occupancy levels, and RTU performance. Instead of operating in isolation, the RTUs become part of a closed-loop system that coordinates RTU activity, balancing energy consumption more logically among the individual RTUs. This approach maximizes efficiency while maintaining desired building comfort levels.
“Encycle is committed to helping large enterprise-scale companies and small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) use energy wisely and efficiently,” said Ana-Paula Issa, Encycle’s Executive Vice President of Sales. “We offer different cloud-based solutions that integrate seamlessly with our customers’ existing hardware and equipment, allowing for swift and affordable deployment. There’s no need for extensive site studies, and our Swarm Logic software is highly scalable across portfolios containing one site or hundreds of sites.”
Encycle serves a broad range of markets, including retail stores, grocery stores, shopping centers, restaurants, entertainment venues, offices, schools, distribution centers, and light/medium manufacturing. Customers whose buildings range from 7,500 square feet to 2 million square feet or more realize the greatest benefit from Encycle’s Swarm Logic technology.