Elsave Gold: A fully automatic solution that adds power monitoring and the option of linking to your access control system.Elsave Gold Wireless Control & monitoring
Elsave Gold uses a bespoke wireless link to control individual desk outlets, and to collect metered energy data. A special wireless access point connects to the IT network to allow the PC Power Down software to communicate with the desk modules.
The wireless link utilises a mesh network technique to ensure that signals are received even when desk modules are not in direct range of the wireless access point. When a command to switch a desk on or off is transmitted across the wireless link it is automatically relayed from the desks that are close to the access point to the more distant desks. Likewise, when metered energy data is transmitted by a desk module it is relayed via other desks back to the wireless access point.
Elsave Gold collects power consumption readings from each desk and presents the data on-screen as trend graphs and in tabular format, as well as storing it for historical analysis. The data can also be exported for use in other applications.
The greatest benefit of power monitoring is the ability to see straight away how much energy you are saving with Elsave. However, there are many other benefits including identification of energy hotspots; detection of unauthorised usage; energy billing and so on.
How It Works
Elsave Gold can work with a schedule using the same PC Power Down application as Elsave Silver or can be customised to interface with your existing access control system in order to determine when desks should be started up & shut down.
If you have a compatible access control system in your building, Elsave Gold can use relevant swipe events to power the desk up and down according to employee’s arrival & departure. Elsave Gold identifies the user’s desk when the user swipes in at the start of the day, and then switches on their PC and peripherals. In most cases, the PC should be ready for use by the time the user reaches their desk.
When the user leaves the building and swipes out, Elsave instructs the user’s PC to hibernate or shut down before switching off the power to the peripherals.
Using the access control option means that the desk is only ever powered when the user is actually in the building, thus maximising possible savings.
When it is not possible or desirable to link Elsave Gold to the access control system the scheduled option can be used instead, so that desks are started up at a pre-programmed time of day. Prior to the scheduled shutdown time a warning message appears on the user’s screen, and they have the option to delay the shutdown if they need to continue working. At the scheduled shutdown time, or when the user has finished working, the PC automatically hibernates or shuts down and the power to the peripherals is switched off.
Other features of the software include the ability to start the PCs out of normal hours for upgrades & backups etc; and the option to shut down the PCs rather than hibernate if required.
