Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) has recently become the first organisation to implement Dynamic Demand technology in Scotland.

The smart energy management software was installed in early 2015 in the university’s award-winning Saltire Centre, a futuristic, five-storey building that houses the campus library and student services.

Air Handling Units throughout the centre are turned into “smart” devices which can adjust their energy use in real-time to help balance electricity supply and demand UK-wide, without any impact on the university’s 20,000 students or staff.

The Saltire Centre alone is providing around 100kw of flexible capacity and a further three buildings are expected to bring this up to 300kw following a second phase of installations.

GCU is continuing to build upon its credentials and awards for the sustainability of its city-centre campus, which is the first in Scotland to achieve EcoCampus Platinum status.

Kenny Allen, Estates Manager, Glasgow Caledonian University, said: “We are enormously proud of the progress we have made in sustainability but we want to go further. Dynamic Demand enables us to play an active role in decarbonising the UK’s energy system by providing the flexibility in demand which is essential to support greater use of renewables.”

Ged Holmes, Commercial Director of Open Energi, creator of the Dynamic Demand software, said: “As the first organisation in Scotland to implement Dynamic Demand, GCU is blazing a trail in intelligent demand response and we hope more Scottish businesses will follow suit.”

He added: “Demand Side Response is proof that sustainability doesn’t have to come at the price of productivity. Our technology is invisible to businesses but invaluable to National Grid, so students and staff across GCU’s campus can go about their business while the flexible energy demand from their buildings helps build a cleaner, cheaper and more secure energy future for the UK.”

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