Honeywell today introduced Connected Power, a groundbreaking solution that helps monitor, manage and automate buildings' power usage at the plug level. The solution offers insights into where energy is being used – and wasted – across North America.

Buildings' energy usage and related processes account for approximately 37% of global CO2 emissions, which places pressure on building owners and managers to reduce energy consumption. Today, common devices – including vending, copy and coffee machines – continuously consume energy. In many commercial buildings, much of this power is consumed even when no one is working in the area, which has become more common due to hybrid work schedules. Depending on the type of building, plug loads can account for between 25% and 50% of energy consumption.

According to a recent Honeywell survey, the majority of employees either never unplug their devices or only do so for reasons including troubleshooting or going on vacation. The survey found that fewer than 1-in-5 employees unplug devices when they are not using them, and more than 80% of employees say their employer is equally as responsible as they are for controlling power usage on devices.

With Connected Power, building managers across North America can autonomously power down unused outlets based on space usage schedules or occupancy data, while also improving safety. The solution's connected outlets use existing wiring infrastructure and link to a digital dashboard, making it possible for building managers to monitor and control the energy consumption of each power outlet, or an entire area, from one screen with a few clicks.  

"Unplugging a modern electronic device is different from simply turning it off. Many people do not realize how much energy is being wasted by devices that are plugged in and then forgotten. For buildings, this energy waste adds up quickly," said Billal Hammoud, President and CEO of Honeywell's Building Automation. "With Connected Power, Honeywell is empowering building decision makers to address the invisible energy waste at the device level by helping to ensure energy is only used when it is really needed."

Accu-Temp, a building automation contractor based in Ontario, began using Connected Power in early May 2024 to enhance its energy savings. "Our installation was seamless, and the anticipated energy savings were realized immediately," said Alex Voll, Accu-Temp's president. "Efficient energy management is a critical focus for building owners today, and having a system that allows centralized scheduling and control of power at the outlet level helps take our efficiency to the next level."    

Connected Power can be integrated into most existing building management systems (BMS) using open standards to provide centralized site scheduling and control, while also creating a more detailed view of total energy use. It can also be used as a stand-alone portal that will directly manage and control up to 2,500 outlets.  

The solution also addresses workplace safety by helping ensure that equipment is powered down when not needed, and by detecting elevated outlet temperatures to identify potential issues that could interrupt power for an entire work area. With Connected Power, users can receive remote alerts if a business-critical device, such as equipment used in a research laboratory, shuts off unexpectedly, enabling immediate action to be taken.

Connected Power offers optional cloud-based integration using the Honeywell Forge Suite, including Remote Building Manager. This integration allows monitoring and managing multiple properties from anywhere and creating a complete view of energy use and carbon emissions across the portfolio.

This launch follows the introduction of Honeywell's Advance Control for Buildings, the Company's most substantial leap in building controls innovation to date. Together, the solutions provide the data, insight and control to allow buildings to improve their operations and energy efficiency. They also support Honeywell's alignment of its portfolio around three compelling megatrends, including automation and energy transition.    

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