How to create an energy flexing measure
A measure in Energy flexing describes one way the building can reduce power — lowering the flow temperature, stopping a ventilation unit, cutting back a heating circuit. The measure says how much power can be freed up, for how long, and how long the installation needs to come back.
How to create a measure
- Open the building you want to work on. See How to switch building and search for a building.
- Go to Energy flexing in the sidebar.
- Go to Measures and create a new one.
- Fill in:
- Name
- Priority — the order measures are drawn on in
- Maximum duration — Maximum duration of effect reduction
- Ramp-up time — The time it takes to reach the full effect
- Buffer — Time before a power change is measurable
- Recovery time — Time until the setpoint returns to its pre-activation state.
- Click Save.
You get the confirmation Measure saved. If it fails: Couldn't save measure. Try again.
The time parameters — and why they matter
The four times describe the whole course of an activation:
Parameter | What it describes |
|---|---|
Ramp-up time | time from the measure starting until full effect is reached |
Buffer | time before the power change is actually measurable |
Maximum duration | how long the reduction can stand |
Recovery time | time until the setpoint is back to normal |
Note: Maximum duration is an operational limit, not a wish. It should state how long the installation can tolerate the reduction without the indoor climate or the process suffering. Set it too high and activations get planned for longer than the building can actually bear.
Recovery time is the one most often underestimated: a building whose heating has been lowered for two hours generally takes longer to come back than it took to be lowered.
The potential
The measure list shows what's available:
Column | Contents |
|---|---|
Potential | the measure's power potential |
Total potential | the sum across all measures |
Baseline and Baseline potential | the basis the potential is calculated against |
Available | measures ready for use |
Activated | power currently activated |
Quarterly average usage | historical consumption |
Online HAN-Ports | how many HAN ports are connected |
Created by | who built the measure |
Note: The hint Historical usage may be lower when HAN ports were inactive is worth reading before trusting the potential. If the HAN ports were out of service during part of the baseline period, the basis is too low — and the potential is underestimated.
How to change or delete a measure
Use Edit to change it. Delete removes it, with the warning This will delete measure {name} permanently. You get Measure deleted. If it fails: Couldn't delete measure. Try again.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a measure and an activation?
The measure describes the possibility — what the building can do. The activation is a concrete execution in a specific time window. See How to schedule an activation.
How does the measure actually get carried out?
Through a flex automation writing to the setpoints. See How to create a flex automation.
How many measures should a building have?
One per independent possibility. Two measures controlling the same heating circuit can't be activated simultaneously without double-counting the potential.
What does Priority do?
It determines the order measures are drawn on when power needs freeing up — the ones with the best ratio of potential to inconvenience should come first.
Tip!
Set the Maximum duration and Recovery time together with whoever knows the installation, not according to what looks good in the potential figure. A measure with over-optimistic times produces activations the building can't tolerate — and that surfaces as indoor-climate complaints, not as an error in Properate.