Smart Card Based Energy Control for High Schools

Students, teachers and parents agree that air conditioning the classroom is a good way to increase the conduciveness of the study environment for better student performance. But the increased electricity cost and the associated management problems is an impediment to its adoption.

Not only is the basic electricity cost affected by this, but the increased energy often exceed the demand limit and cause even greater grief because of the substantial penalties involved.

Not only in classrooms, but the desire to install air conditioning in the offices, activity center and gyms as well only exacerbate the problem.

How would one implement prepaid smart card metering for regular and dedicated classrooms?

Students buy the cards at the student rate and can use these card in both types of classrooms, and the tariff is charged as pay per use.

What kind of air conditioners can be used?

Whether split type or box type, single phase or three phase, there is a models that is just right for the given situation, please consult one of our technical specialist for details.

How to choose the right meter?

One can't go wrong using a meter that has been certified by national standards authority. When the classroom doesn't already have a meter pre-installed then the certified meter should be used.

How does one determine the tariff rate and the card denomination?

That would be determined by the adminstration, typically each kWh is tariffed at a rate of 4.0 to 6.0. Often this rate has some profit built in, which would be enough to compensate for the over demand during the summer months. Whether each card is set at 2000 or 3000 is up to the school. There should at least be 200 cards, these cards can be custom printed with the school logo and each card can have a unique serial number.

How does one add value once the credits has been used up?

Each school would have their own value adding machine that is not interchangeable with others, insuring its security.

How about flexibility in use?

Students staying for class can use a separate non-classroom tariff rate card.
During the summer and holiday breaks, they may use the non-classroom tariff rate card.
When the classroom is rented out for community class use, one can charge a much higher tariff rate.
When the students gather as a group after class, they may use a card with a special rate.
Specially for meeting rooms, audio-visual rooms, music rooms and gyms; one may prepare cards with much higher tariff rates (which cover lighting and airconditiong) to compensate for the deficit in the electricity budget. During the day, the school may use a card with a special rate. When the card is not made available then it can also be made to achieve the same end as a means to control usage.

The school also needs a demand response solution, do you provide this?

The meters used for the smart card metering may also be used with the demand response controller to provide load shedding to avoid the over-demand penalty.

DAE Instrument