From "Firefighter" to "Smart Butler":

How Acrel Intelligent Operation and Maintenance Solution Rebuilds Power Safety and Energy Efficiency of Commercial Complex

 

      In downtown Shanghai, a landmark commercial complex with over a decade of operation had long been plagued by chronic operational challenges: inexplicable fluctuations in monthly electricity bills, equipment failures triggering merchant complaints, and the traditional manual meter reading plus periodic inspections model that left maintenance teams overwhelmed like firefighters. However, after adopting Acrel's integrated solution combining the AcrelEMS Enterprise Microgrid Energy Efficiency Management Platform with intelligent operation and maintenance services, the complex achieved a profound transformation within three months—shifting from reactive response to proactive prevention, and from an energy consumption black hole to precise control. This article will delve into this transformation case study to reveal how intelligent operation and maintenance can bring disruptive value to traditional equipment management.

 

 

 

1. Pain Point Focus: Three Dilemmas in Traditional Operation and Maintenance Mode

This commercial complex, spanning over 200,000 square meters, combines a shopping center, Grade A office buildings, and a luxury hotel. Its power system is highly sophisticated, featuring four 10kV distribution rooms, hundreds of outgoing circuits, and thousands of terminal devices.

1. Energy management remains inefficient with persistently high costs. The current system relies solely on a single meter for measurement, failing to conduct independent assessments and precise analyses for different functional zones or key energy-consuming equipment (e.g., central air conditioning and lighting systems). Among the nearly 10 million yuan in annual electricity expenses, an estimated 5%-8% of potential energy-saving opportunities remain untapped.

 

2. The absence of safety alerts and passive fault response resulted in ineffective monitoring of latent risks, including temperature spikes in critical cable joints, aging circuit breakers, and excessive harmonic levels. A single incident—sudden power outages caused by overheated switchgear contacts—interrupted operations in parts of the mall, causing direct financial losses and reputational damage to the brand.

 

3. Inefficient operations and strained HR: Manual inspections and data logging every two hours are not only labor-intensive and error-prone, but also fail to enable 24/7 monitoring. On average, fault diagnosis takes over two hours, leaving maintenance decisions data-lacking.

 

 

 

2. Solution: Acrel's 3D Empowerment through "Cloud-Edge-End" Architecture

Acrel has developed a customized intelligent operation and maintenance solution featuring a layered architecture and integrated hardware-software solutions.

1. Hardware layer ("end": full perception):

In the existing power distribution system, Acrel's full range of' eyes 'and' nerve endings' have been installed or upgraded:

In medium and high-voltage cabinets, ARD series intelligent motor protectors and ASD series switchgear integrated monitoring devices are installed to monitor current, voltage, power, temperature, and circuit breaker status in real time.

In low-voltage circuits and terminals, deploy APM-series network power meters and ACR-series power monitoring instruments to achieve precise metering for each circuit and even critical equipment.

At critical safety nodes, ATE-series wireless temperature sensors are installed to continuously monitor temperature in hotspots such as busbars and cable joints.

At the environmental level, temperature and humidity sensors, water immersion sensors, and smoke detectors are installed to establish a comprehensive monitoring system for the electrical distribution room.

2. Edge Layer ("Edge": on-site intelligence):

Anet series edge computing gateways are deployed in each distribution room to aggregate device data from the entire area, enabling localized processing, protocol conversion, and edge alerts. This ensures continuous monitoring and fault diagnosis in critical zones even during network outages.

3. Software and Service Layer ("Cloud": Smart Brain):

Deploy the AcrelEMS enterprise microgrid energy management platform as the command hub, which integrates with the Acrel operation and maintenance cloud platform to deliver two core services:

3D visualization system: Real-time simulation of the entire complex's energy flow, from the 35kV incoming line to the power quality of a single outlet, with full visibility.

 

 

Advanced Analysis and Alert:

Energy efficiency analysis module: Automatically generates detailed energy consumption reports by household, item, and zone, identifying waste points such as inefficient air conditioning systems during transitional seasons and excessive nighttime lighting in public areas.

Safety warning module: Based on historical data and algorithm models, it performs predictive diagnosis on transformer load rate trends, harmonic content, and temperature anomalies, transforming 'post-failure maintenance' into 'pre-risk intervention'.

Mobile Operations App: Pushes alerts to maintenance personnel's phones, including fault location, preliminary cause analysis, and handling suggestions, with closed-loop ticket management support.

 

 

 

III. Implementation Effect: Visible Numbers and Invisible Changes

After the project implementation, its value is significantly reflected in four dimensions:

 

1. Economic value: Significant reduction in energy costs

Through the platform's precise energy-saving strategies (including optimized air conditioning start-stop protocols and zoned lighting control), the comprehensive energy efficiency achieved a 6.2% reduction in total energy consumption during the first full year, translating to an annual electricity cost savings of approximately 600,000 yuan. The return on investment cycle was further shortened to under two years.

2. Safety value: Proactive risk prevention and control

The system successfully identified and mitigated three potential electrical fire risks (including a cable joint temperature that gradually rose to the alarm threshold), all resolved before escalating into incidents. The Mean Time to Repair (MTTR) was reduced from over 2 hours to under 40 minutes, and electrical-related business interruptions were eliminated.

3. Management Value: Fundamental Transformation of Operation and Maintenance Model

The operations team was freed from daily routine inspections and shifted focus to platform monitoring, data analysis, and preventive maintenance. This optimized workforce allocation boosted efficiency by over 50%. A data-driven equipment lifecycle archive was established, providing a scientific basis for future equipment upgrades and replacements.

4. Social Value: Green Image and Compliance

Accurate carbon emission statistics provide a solid foundation for the complex to obtain green building certification and fulfill its social responsibility report. It also fully complies with the national requirements for online energy monitoring of key energy-consuming units.

 

IV. Case Study: Core Advantages of Acrel's Solution

This case study clearly demonstrates the unique advantages of Acrel's solutions over basic monitoring systems:

Integrated delivery capability: From sensing devices and edge gateways to cloud platforms, the entire industrial chain is self-developed to ensure system compatibility, stability, and data consistency.

Deep integration of business scenarios: Going beyond mere monitoring, it empowers enterprise operations by addressing the core of control and management through energy efficiency management and predictive maintenance modules.

The closed-loop service ecosystem operates on a 'hardware + software + continuous data analytics' model, ensuring customers acquire not just a collection of devices, but a continuously optimized energy management system and comprehensive equipment health monitoring capability.

 

Epilogue

For this Shanghai commercial complex, Acrel's intelligent operation and maintenance solution delivers more than just a system—it represents an upgrade in management philosophy. It transforms the power system from an invisible, uncontrollable "cost center" into a visualized, optimizable, and predictable "strategic asset." Driven by the dual forces of the digital economy and the "dual carbon" goals, Acrel leverages its robust hardware foundation and forward-thinking software intelligence to help industries bridge the gap of traditional operations and maintenance, paving the way for a secure, efficient, and green sustainable future.