NovaUCD-based Lightwave Technologies launches its ICE system which can reduce energy consumption …

NovaUCD-based Lightwave Technologies today announced the commercial launch of a new energy management and control system known as ICE (Intelligent Control of Energy) in Ireland and the UK.

The ICE system can save up to 30% of the gas and up to 20% of the electricity consumption associated with operating commercial buildings. This reduction in energy consumption has the potential to significantly impact the carbon emissions of commercial buildings which are contributing to global warming whilst also reducing energy bills. NovaUCD is the Innovation and Technology Transfer System at UCD.

Lightwave Technologies is an environmental technology start-up company founded by Nicholas McNulty. The ICE system which works in conjunction with existing building management systems (BMS) uses advanced artificial intelligence techniques to make real-time and efficient decisions for controlling the energy consumption in commercial buildings while maintaining existing comfort levels.

The ICE system has already been installed in the 12,000 m2 Q-Centre, Blanchardstown, Dublin owned and operated by the Quinn Group, and several large commercial buildings in London and Manchester. Lightwave Technologies plans to install the ICE system in over 70 buildings in the UK during 2007.

Speaking about this significant development for the company, Nicholas McNulty, said, “The launch of ICE represents the successful completion of over three years of research and development.” He added, “We now have a world-class product capable of making very significant real-time thermal energy savings thereby reducing energy costs in all kinds of large commercial real-estate while also making significant reductions in associated CO2 emissions.”

Lightwave Technologies has partnered with the OCS Group one of the world’s largest facility management companies. OCS will facilitate the installation and ongoing support of the ICE system into a wide variety of commercial buildings across the UK.

The ICE system communicates with the existing BMS in a building via the internet or any other IP network. It collects data remotely from the building (e.g. inside/outside air temperatures, solar radiation etc), and after analysing this data learns the building’s unique thermodynamic footprint and how the building behaves over various external weather conditions. The ICE system then communicates in real-time with the BMS to, for example, optimally control the start/stop times of boilers, chillers and air-handling units for every floor and zone within the building while maintaining existing comfort levels and at the same time significantly reducing energy consumption and reducing the energy costs.

Lightwave Technologies was founded by Nicholas McNulty in 2003 and located to NovaUCD in 2004. Lightwave Technologies is a former winner of the NovaUCD Campus Company Development Programme.

Dr Pat Frain, Director, NovaUCD said, “The commercial launch of Lightwave Technologies’ ICE system marks a significant breakthrough for this NovaUCD-based company.” He added, “Lightwave Technology has developed and tested its innovative technology over the last number of years and it is fantastic to see this energy saving technology entering the marketplace at a time when there is a growing awareness of critically important environmental issues.”