ENERGY AUDIT &

MANAGEMENT OF THE HIVE

(Beau Plan)

AUGUST 31, 2021

EMRITH KARNAD
Knowledge Based Training Centre

Supervisor: Mr. KHADAROO

Course: National Diploma in Applied Mechanical and Electrical Engineering
Table of Contents
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ...................................................................................................................... vii

ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................................ viii

1 Introduction..................................................................................................................................... 1

1.1 Problem statement .................................................................................................................. 1

1.2 Aim and objectives of the project ............................................................................................ 1

1.2.1 Aim .................................................................................................................................... 1

1.2.2 Objectives .......................................................................................................................... 1

1.3 Methodology ............................................................................................................................ 2

2 Literature review ............................................................................................................................. 3

2.1 Energy audit ............................................................................................................................. 3

2.2 Goals of energy audit ............................................................................................................... 3

2.3 Where energy audit can be conducted? .................................................................................. 3

2.3.1 A home energy audit ......................................................................................................... 3

2.3.2 An industry energy audit ................................................................................................... 3

2.3.3 A commercial energy audit ............................................................................................... 4

2.4 Advantages and disadvantages of energy auditing.................................................................. 4

2.4.1 Advantages ........................................................................................................................ 4

2.4.2 Disadvantage ..................................................................................................................... 5

2.5 Guidelines ................................................................................................................................. 5

2.5.1 ISO50001 (guidance for energy management system) ..................................................... 6

2.5.2 ISO50002 (guidance for energy audit) .............................................................................. 6

2.6 Principles of energy auditing .................................................................................................... 7

2.7 Methodology ............................................................................................................................ 8

2.7.1 Energy audit planning........................................................................................................ 9

2.7.2 Opening meeting and data collection ............................................................................. 10

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 2.7.3 Measurement plan .......................................................................................................... 11

2.7.4 Conducting a site visit ..................................................................................................... 11

2.7.5 Analysis ............................................................................................................................ 13

2.7.6 Energy audit reporting .................................................................................................... 13

3 Calculating cost of energy consumed by The Hive (Beau Plan). ................................................... 16

3.1 Calculating cost of energy consumed. ................................................................................... 16

3.2 Energy density rating.............................................................................................................. 17

3.3 Energy density for electrical consumption............................................................................. 19

3.4 Identification and evaluation of improvement plan .............................................................. 20

4 Lighting system .............................................................................................................................. 21

4.1 Purpose of lighting system ..................................................................................................... 21

4.2 Importance of lighting ............................................................................................................ 21

4.3 Luminous flux ......................................................................................................................... 21

4.4 Illumination ............................................................................................................................ 21

4.5 Glare ....................................................................................................................................... 21

4.6 Fluorescent lamp .................................................................................................................... 23

4.7 LED .......................................................................................................................................... 24

4.8 Improvement opportunity for lighting system ...................................................................... 25

4.9 Cost for proposed light ........................................................................................................... 29

4.10 Comparison between existing and suggested lighting design (Dialux Light) ....................... 32

4.10.1 Common Office Existing ................................................................................................ 32

4.10.2 Common Office New ..................................................................................................... 35

4.10.3 Existing Reception ......................................................................................................... 38

4.10.4 Reception New .............................................................................................................. 41

4.10.5 Office 3 Existing ............................................................................................................. 44

4.10.6 Office 3 New .................................................................................................................. 47

4.10.7 Office Existing ................................................................................................................ 50

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 4.10.8 Office New ..................................................................................................................... 53

5 Water system ................................................................................................................................ 56

5.1 Installation process ................................................................................................................ 57

5.2 Comparison between rainwater and CWA ............................................................................ 61

5.2.1 Calculating the use of water............................................................................................ 62

5.2.2 Improving cost of water consumption ............................................................................ 63

5.3 Rain water harvesting material and cost ............................................................................... 63

5.3.1 Rain water tank ............................................................................................................... 63

5.3.2 Filters and its use............................................................................................................. 63

5.4 Identification of parts and material ....................................................................................... 63

5.5 Rain water filters and tanks ................................................................................................... 66

5.6 How does the integrated filter work? .................................................................................... 67

5.7 Process for rain water harvesting filtration ........................................................................... 68

5.8 UV Disinfection ....................................................................................................................... 69

5.9 Chlorine Dosing ...................................................................................................................... 70

6 Solar Energy................................................................................................................................... 71

6.1 Calculation .............................................................................................................................. 72

6.2 Calculation for numbers of solar panels ................................................................................ 73

6.3 Battery .................................................................................................................................... 74

6.3.1 Battery Sizing ................................................................................................................... 75

6.4 Grid Tied system ..................................................................................................................... 76

6.5 Choosing the appropriate invertor......................................................................................... 77

Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................ 78

References........................................................................................................................................ 79

Appendix .......................................................................................................................................... 81

1. Site Plan –The Hive, Beau-Plan................................................................................................. 81

2. Common Office Existing (Dialux Light) ..................................................................................... 82

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 3. Common Office New (Dialux Light) .......................................................................................... 89

4. Existing Reception (Dialux Light) .............................................................................................. 99

5. Reception New (Dialux Light) ................................................................................................. 108

6. Office 3 Existing (Dialux Light) ................................................................................................ 117

7. Office 3 New (Dialux Light) ..................................................................................................... 124

8. Office Existing (Dialux Light) ................................................................................................... 133

9. Office New (Dialux Light) ........................................................................................................ 141

ANNEX ............................................................................................................................................ 149

1. QUOTATION – Rain Water Tank ............................................................................................. 149

2. QUOTATION – UV Water Filter............................................................................................... 153

3. QUOTATION – Lightings ......................................................................................................... 154

4. Inverter type........................................................................................................................... 155

5. Solar panel .............................................................................................................................. 159

6.Central Water Authority tariff ................................................................................................. 161

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List of Figures
Figure 1 - Methodology...................................................................................................................... 8

Figure 2- Electrical supply plec board ............................................................................................. 12

Figure 3 - Meeting room with halogen bulbs ................................................................................... 13

Figure 4 - CEB consumption in terms of KWh ................................................................................ 15

Figure 5 - CEB consumption in terms of Rs. ................................................................................... 15

Figure 6 - comparison between halogen and led bulb ...................................................................... 27

Figure 7 - Rain fall in mm during last 5 years................................................................................. 58

Figure 8 - Average Monthly Rainfall .............................................................................................. 60

Figure 9 - Catchment ....................................................................................................................... 64

Figure 10 - Intank Filter .................................................................................................................. 67

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List of Tables
Table 1- Advantage and disadvantage of energy audit ...................................................................... 4

Table 2 - CEB Consumption ............................................................................................................ 14

Table 3 - Energy rating density ........................................................................................................ 17

Table 4 – Existing light .................................................................................................................... 25

Table 5 – Proposed light................................................................................................................... 26

Table 6-New and Old data comparison ............................................................................................ 27

Table 7- Comparison between CWA and rain water ....................................................................... 61

Table 8 - Sizing of rainwater pipe for roof drainage ........................................................................ 65

Table 9 - Daily Load Assessment ................................................................................................... 72

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

A single person only can never be the sole author of a book or a project. My project is the result of
a synergy of several members of the MITD. This institute has imbedded in me all the necessary skills
in those two and a half years. Without this institute, I would not have been able to develop my
research skills, my critical thinking, my sense of creativity and innovation, my sense of responsibility
or my knowledge on my course. A marriage of commitment and learning skills have been the
ingredients that made a good recipe for a successful project.

Most importantly, I seize this opportunity to demonstrate my sincere thanks and appreciation to my
lecturers, Mr. Mehmoob Khadaroo who have left no stone unturned to seep in his teachings and
motivated me. I followed the trail blazed by them to accomplish my project. Words will not suffice
to truly show how much I am much obliged to them. They have boosted my confidence and
motivation throughout the whole time. It is partly because of them and partly because of this institute
that I have been able to put into shape my project.

I also cannot forget my friends who offered me their time and a helping hand to get a plethora of
information and tools needed for this project. In retrospect, this institution, my lecturer inter alia,
were cornerstones in this project.

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ABSTRACT
In this project, I have performed an energy audit at The Hive buildings, located in beau plan and St
Pierre which forms part of one of the buildings maintained by the company Terra for the beau plan
site and ENL for the St Pierre site. An energy audit is an in-depth inspection carried out in a building
or equipment to analyze the energy flow as well as to identify opportunities to reduce energy
consumption, without deteriorating the output. In this project, the pattern of energy consumed for
the past few years have been analyzed and the implementation of new methods and alternatives of
technologies have been used to decrease the energy consumption. The methodology along with the
guidelines used during the energy audit has also been discussed in this report.

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1 Introduction
The hive is a startup company founded in the year 2016 by different shareholders and is situated in
strategic venues and places. This company focuses on co working environments and also helps those
who do not have a personal office to work. The company providing with its future projects will be
improving in its energy consumption as well as recycling plans, whether be it empty water bottles to
paper. Moreover, being eco-friendly have become a trend among big companies which leads to a
competition of no mercy in terms of saving energy and cost benefits.

1.1 Problem statement

The problem is that at the company The Hive where I am currently doing my internship as assistant
maintenance officer, the energy consumption has been found to be high and there is a lot of room to
improve the way they consume and utilize energy. In order to cut down cost and minimize wastage,
an Energy audit has been conducted covering all the systems and an evaluation of all the equipment
has been done.

1.2 Aim and objectives of the project

1.2.1 Aim

The aim of this project is to minimize the energy consumption, energy wastage, along with the costs
associated with the energy being used by optimizing the system functioning and improving it for
energy savings.

1.2.2 Objectives

The objectives of this project are as follows:

1. To clearly identify different types of energy used and collect data about the cost of energy
consumed in the different part of the building.
2. To minimize cost of energy.
3. To minimize operational cost.
4. To minimize costs for repairs and maintenance.
5. To increase the quality of the environment so as to increase productivity at work.

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1.3 Methodology

1. Carry out a literature review on Energy audit.

2. Collect basic data on the building.
3. Gather historical and descriptive energy data for analysis.
4. Conduct a survey for inspection and data collection on energy use.
5. Identify major energy consumption unit.
6. Analyze for energy conversion measures.
7. Identify energy reduction or saving methods.
8. Implement measures of conservation of energy.
9. Identify if there is any impact on the energy efficiency and find solutions.
10. Gather data and make comparison of energy consumption and cost.

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2 Literature review
2.1 Energy audit

An energy audit is an in-depth inspection carried out in a building or equipment to analysis the energy
flow as well as to identify opportunities to reduce energy consumption without deteriorating the
output. Energy auditing began to take dimensions in 1973 in response to energy crisis and is
nowadays becoming a common practice for mostly all building owners and homeowners due to the
effects of energy consumption on our environment.

2.2 Goals of energy audit

1. To identify energy saving opportunities

2. To lower ownership cost,

3. To increase asset values,

4. To provide an environmentally friendly approach.

2.3 Where energy audit can be conducted?

An energy survey can be conducted practically anywhere, whether it is a house, a commercial

building or in an industry itself. Wherever energy is consumed, an energy audit can be performed.
Below, I have discussed the few main types of energy audit that can be conducted.

2.3.1 A home energy audit

A home energy audit is usually performed to find out which parts of the cooling and heating system
and building structure is not efficient as well as to find new technologies and appliances to allow the
home owner to save energy and have a fast payback period. In some countries, for example in USA,
public utilities companies and state energy offices provide the service of energy auditing along with
loans and other financial incentives, therefore homeowners can have assistance in their energy
auditing.

2.3.2 An industry energy audit

An industry energy audit is a procedure that helps large industries to collect information on all the
energy consumptions and similar too home energy auditing, to find opportunities to save cost and
energy consumption. For large industries, energy auditing should be done on a regular basis as huge
amount of energy consumption can result in greater cost inefficiency and entail issues like carbon
footprint when compared to home energy auditing, the skillset required are different, whilst for home
survey, the primary focus could be the insulating system or harvesting solar energy, in an industry

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the focus can mainly be producing equipment, the lighting and the heating, ventilation and air
conditioning (split unit) system.

2.3.3 A commercial energy audit

Commercial energy audit provides a clear and detailed breakdown of where, how and when energy
is used in a commercial building. This survey enables the owners to evaluate the commercial building
and thus the management can correctly calculate the rental fee for payback. Commercial buildings
are usually rented to shop owners, for food courts, for entertainment corners and office spaces among
others, therefore, the major factors to analyze are equipment, appliances, lighting, heating and
cooling system and other power using energy like exhaust fans.

2.4 Advantages and disadvantages of energy auditing

Table 1- Advantage and disadvantage of energy audit

2.4.1 Advantages

1. Increase profits

Owners of building can increase their profits by decreasing their energy expense. In most businesses,
energy expenses are about 10% of a business expense and by performing an energy audit, the
solutions from the survey can help decrease these costs. New equipment and technologies will help
save energy and thus decrease the utility bills. The energy auditing can help increase the lifespan of
equipment as a result it will decrease the production cost thus making the company more competitive
compared to others.

2. Protection against rising energy cost

Nowadays all companies are heavily dependent on non-renewable energies such as crude oil.
Petroleum products and natural gas among others and therefore they are at task of fluctuations of
prices of these commodities. While performing an energy analysis, new ecofriendly alternatives are
implemented thus the building can be less dependent on renewable energies. Eco friendly alternatives
can be harvesting rainwater, using solar and wind emery to produce its own electricity and replace
equipment which produce harmful by-products

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 3. Increase building asset value

Apart from monetary gain, the survey helps to increase the building asset value. Energy audit enables
the building to be more efficient. For commercial building, this helps to attract more occupants and
the eco-friendly atmosphere lures companies as the employees have a better atmosphere to work and
thus, they can be more productive.

2.4.2 Disadvantage

Though energy has many advantages, it is important to point out that it does have a few disadvantages
too. The following can be a drawback especially for small scale businesses and home owners.

1. Time consuming

Energy audits can be time consuming especially if it is not conducted by an expert. Since energy
audit is a very detailed survey with much analysis to be done, it can be difficult to perform by
someone who has no experience. The individual will have to do his research work, acquire some
skills as well as knowledge based on the specific energy audit to be carried out. Moreover, time is
also consumed for the walk-through inspection as the person will have to study each and every part
of an energy consuming system. Last but not the least, the analysis of the data collected as well as
the implementation of new solution will also is time consuming for a person without expertise.

2. Energy audit can be costly

Since an energy audit can be time consuming if it is carried by a person who has no experience, one
can hire an energy auditor. However, for house owners and small-scale businesses, hiring an auditor
can be costly. In countries where the states or private companies do not offer financial aids, hiring
an energy auditor can prove to be an additional cost for house owners and small-scale businesses
moreover the implementation of new technology and amendments to existing energy system can be
costly too.

2.5 Guidelines

In Mauritius, it is the Mauritius Standard Bureau (MSB) which is responsible for standardization,
quality assurance, testing and metrology. MSB is a member of the International Organization for
Standard (ISO) and a member of International Electro Technical Commission.

ISO standing for international standard organization is a federation of national standard bodies. The
work of preparing ISO is normally is carried out through ISO technical committees. The aim of ISO
is to enable organization to establish systems and processes necessary to continuously improve
energy performance, including energy efficiency, energy use and energy consumption.

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The guidelines related to energy audits used for this project are the ISO50001-2018 and ISO50002-
2014. ISO50001 is a document which provide a guidance to organization on energy management
system and ISO50002 is a document which provides a framework for organization to how to conduct
an energy audit.

2.5.1 ISO50001 (guidance for energy management system)

The guideline was prepared by technical committee ISO/TC301 energy management and energy
savings and it provides requirements for a systematic data driven and fact-based process, focused on
the continually improving energy performance.

ISO50001 can be used by any organization regardless of its size, type, geographical location and the
product and services it offers. The guidelines of this ISO can be used along with any other
management system and is applicable to any activity that is affecting the energy performance. The
ISO50001 encloses all the technical terms and their definition that can be used during an energy
audit.

The ISO50001 also provides guidelines for the following:

1. Understanding the needs and the expectations of the interested parties. In other words, the
expectations and the needs of the organization should be well determined and how these will
meet the requirements of its energy efficiency.
2. Energy management system
3. Energy policy
4. Planning
5. Energy review

Last year, a few amendments were made in the ISO50001-2011 and the main changes are as follows:

1. Better integration with strategic management processes

2. Stronger emphasis on role of top management
3. Inclusion of new definitions
4. Clarification on exclusion of energy types
5. Adoption of ISO requirement for energy management system

2.5.2 ISO50002 (guidance for energy audit)

ISO50002 was adopted by the Mauritius Standard Bureau on the recommendation of the Energy
Management Committee and the approval of the Standard Council in August 2014. Energy audits
are planned and conducted as part of the identification and prioritization of opportunities to improve

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energy performance, reduce energy waste and obtain related environment benefits. The ISO50002
covers a detailed guideline the general requirement and the framework for an energy audit.

2.6 Principles of energy auditing

An energy audit relies on a number of principles. These principles help to make the energy audit an
effective and reliable tool in support of management decisions and controls, by providing
information on which an organization can act in order to improve its energy performance.

The first principle is the competency of the energy auditor. The organization should select an energy
auditor based on the boundaries, objectives and competencies of the organization. To have an
efficient energy audit, the auditor should have:

● The appropriate education, experience or training related to the local and national guidelines.

● The soft skills and the technical skills specific to the energy uses, boundaries and audit
objectives.

● The knowledge of appropriate legal and other requirements.

The second principle is confidentiality that is the auditor should not use any information
inappropriately for any personal gain or in a manner detrimental to the interest of the organization.

The third principle is objectivity that is the auditor should act independently and in a fair manner.
He/she should at no cost operate in his personal interest or in the interest of anyone else to obtain
any personal gain. If the organization wish to conduct an internal audit, the auditor should contribute

Last but not the least, the organization should provide the auditor with access to equipment, energy
systems and other information like utility bills and calibration records among others.

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2.7 Methodology

An energy audit can be classified in a four-step process that includes the phases of planning,
investigating, implementing and sustaining. Thorough planning and careful action increase the
chances of a successful energy audit with maximum return on investment.

An energy audit includes more than just taking measurement. In order, for the measurements to be
useful, they must be part of a systematic procedure to identify and implement the most cost-effective
energy conservation programs. Energy audits involve gathering system information, measuring
energy use, developing conservation strategies, choosing the most cost-effective plan, implementing
changes and verifying results.

According to the ISO50002. The energy audit consists of the following stages:

1. Energy audit planning

2. Opening meeting and data collection

3. Measurement plan

4. Conducting the site visit

5. Analysis

6. Energy audit reporting

7. Closing meeting

Figure 1 - Methodology

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2.7.1 Energy audit planning

Energy audit begins with making a commitment to energy conservation. The initial goals of the
planning phase were to decide on the scope of the audit, develop a timeline of tasks to be completed
and make a list of the baseline data to be collected.

An audit scope includes which systems will be investigated and the depth of the investigations.
Facility maintenance personnel may already suspect where are the significant energy wastes and
what tests will be required to quantify them. This information is usually the basis for deciding on the
type of audit to be performed.

During the planning of the energy audit, the auditor should develop a timeline of tasks to be
completed so as to be able to remediate to the energy related problems and submit the audit in time.

A list of baseline data should also be clearly determined during the planning of the audit. Baseline
data is data that represents a normal operating state and is used as a point of reference for future
changes. Baseline data is also referred as actual energy use. An energy audit relies heavily on
comparisons between expected energy use and actual energy use. Baseline data is primarily gathered
from existing documents such as utility bills, maintenance records and equipment specifications
among others.

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2.7.2 Opening meeting and data collection

I Opening meeting

When it comes to energy audit objectives, scope, boundaries, and methods, a meeting can include
phone calls, teleconferences and other electronic means to inform interested parties of energy audit
objectives, defined scope, boundaries, and methods and to review arrangements for the energy audit
such as site safety inductions, access and security among others. Energy auditors should be
nominated by their auditing teams when they are not individuals. As part of the energy audit
planning, the energy auditor might discuss schedules, processes and site visits with the organization's
personnel as well as conduct interviews with them.

II Data collection

One of the key tasks in energy auditing is the collection of all the energy related data required. The
collected data is then used to build a picture of where and how much energy is consumed in the
building and the cost of energy. Data collection is one of the most laborious tasks in auditing and
failure to collect data will lead to less reliable results.

To begin with, I started by collecting preliminary building energy related data using a building
detailed audit. The initial data collection allows one to understand the nature of the building and the
areas to focus during the auditing. This data can be used to estimate the time and manpower require
for the site inspection. To minimize time and manpower during the field data collection, one should
collect as much data as possible before the site visit

The following is the list of information that is collected during the initial data collection:

1. Historical and current energy performance, including

● Energy consumption

● Relevant related measurements

● Relevant variables

2. A list of energy consuming system, processes and equipment

3. Previous detailed energy audit and studies related to energy performance

4. Current energy tariffs (baseline data) or reference rates to be used for financial analysis

5. Monitoring equipment, configuration and analysis information

6. The energy distribution system and its management

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 7. Design, operation and maintenance documents (for example as built drawings, equipment
specification sheet, plot plan).

2.7.3 Measurement plan

For any on site measurement and collection, the energy auditor and the organization should come to
an agreement on a measurement plan. The data measurement plan may be revised based upon the
energy auditor’s findings during the energy audit. The main items that can be included in the
measurement plan are as follows:

1. A list of relevant measurement points and their associated processes and measuring
equipment

2. Accuracy and repeatability required for the measurements and their associated measurement
uncertainty

3. A suitable time period where the activities are representative

4. Measurement duration and frequency for each measurement

5. Identification of any additional measurement points

6. Required suitable measurement equipment

Sampling procedures can be used when it is not practical or cost effective to examine all available
information during the energy audit.

2.7.4 Conducting a site visit

A site visit is a process used to establish an overall picture of the potential of energy savings through
visual inspection of the premises. This process is called a walk-through inspection, where the auditor
is guided and escorted through the building. The individual guiding the auditor must have necessary
competences authority to request or carry out direct operations on processes and equipment if
required.

In this field work, the auditor can:

● Observe the energy uses within the organization and compare with information provided in
the section of data collection

● Understand the impact of operating routines and user behavior on energy performance

● Generate preliminary ideas, opportunities, operational changes or technologies that can lead
to energy performance improvement

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 ● List areas and processes for which additional data are needed for later analysis

● Ensure that measurements, observations and past data are representative of operational
practices

● Inform the organization of any unexpected difficulties encountered during the survey

The auditor should cater for the opening hours, the season and the weekday. It can be beneficial to
make observations and measurements outside normal working hours that is during shut down periods
or when no climatic load is expected.

The organization can help the process by permitting the auditor to install energy monitor equipment
and data loggers as well as give the auditor access to relevant documents such as drawings, manuals
and other technical documents.

During my site visit I collected a lot of data and these are a few pictures that I clicked of equipment
used on regular basis that consumed lot of current.

Figure 2- Electrical supply plec board

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 Figure 3 - Meeting room with halogen bulbs

2.7.5 Analysis

During this phase, the energy auditor establishes and evaluate the current energy performance of the
energy uses within the defined energy audit scope. In this process, the energy auditor uses the data
collected to breakdown the energy consumption and the sources. The auditor uses technically
appropriate calculation methods and document the methods used. He/she ensures that the
assumptions and estimates made are noted and the variables that affect measurement uncertainty are
considered. The current energy performance provides the basis for evaluating improvements. The
auditor studies the historical pattern and compares the baseline data with reference values of similar
procedures.

2.7.6 Energy audit reporting

The last phase is the preparation of the energy audit report. On the report, the completed investigation
is summarized and the finding are presented in an organized format. The report will provide details
of all the data collected, the summarized analyses detailing the assumptions, estimations and
calculation and will rank the opportunities for improving energy performance and suggest
implementation programmer.

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Analysis Details

Year 2019 Year 2020

Total Units Total Cost Total Units Total Cost

Month
Consumed(kwh) (Rs) Consumed(kwh) (Rs)

Jan 984 9849.84 2753 27557.53

Feb 965 9659.65 3141 31441.41

Mar 352 3523.52 1696 16976.96

Apr 892 8928.92 150 1501.50

May 840 8408.40 130 1301.30

Jun 1239 12402.39 1046 10470.46

Jul 1256 12572.56 1409 14104.09

Aug 1199 12001.99 1624 16256.24

Sep 1214 12152.14 1828 18298.28

Oct 1226 12272.26 2196 21981.96

Nov 1400 14014 2574 25765.74

Dec 1474 14754.74 2623 26256.23

Total 13041 118538.42 21170 211911.70

Table 2 - CEB Consumption

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 3500

3000
Total units Consumed (kwh)

2500

2000

1500

1000

500

0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Months
Year 2019 Total Units Consumed(kwh) Year 2020 Total Units Consumed(kwh)

Figure 4 - CEB consumption in terms of KWh

35000
30000
Total Costs per months

25000
20000
15000
10000
5000
0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Months

Year 2019 Total Cost(Rs) Year 2019 Total Cost(Rs)

Figure 5 - CEB consumption in terms of Rs.

The following are my data analysis for energy audit conducted at The Hive Building of Beau plan.
It contains all the data collected for this report.

Note: The building was rent by the hive as of Jan 2020. Therefore, data collected concerning months
from Jan to June were not obtained due to company confidentiality.

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Comment.

● On January 2019, the Hive had a peak in electrical use due to the use of ac

● As from 3rd January 2020, the hive had renovation work started. There from January to mid-
march there was such a peak in electricity.

● As from 18 of march 2020 there was a lock down due to covid 19 therefore only appliances
such as telephone, fridge and alarm system were on. Thus, this low consumption of
electricity.

● As from July2020, renovation work resumed and also was finished after 3 days. New tenants
had joined in. therefore a slight increase in electricity.

● As from July 2020, work resumed, but in the month of Aug tenants left due to crisis and
were not able to pay for office space

● As from Jan 2019 the office was rented to 35 tenants, connecting their computers, monitors,
mobile phones, and using coffee machine and also Wi-Fi connection. But as the data
comparison show, as the tenants left the consumption of electricity was decrease by nearly
50% as of the same period last year.

3 Calculating cost of energy consumed by The Hive (Beau Plan).

3.1 Calculating cost of energy consumed.

Calculating annual electricity consumption and costs

● Estimate how many hours the appliance runs per day

● Find the power of the appliance

There are three ways to find the power of the appliance:

1. It can be stamped on the appliance

2. Find the current and the voltage of the appliance and use the following formula,

𝑃=𝐼𝑥𝑉

Where 𝑷 is the power

𝑰 is the current

And 𝑽 Is the voltage

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 3. Use online sources to find the power the appliance or similar appliances.

● Find the daily energy consumption by using the following formula Daily energy
consumption = (Power x number of hours the appliance is used per day)/1000
The unit of the daily energy consumed is kilowatt per hour (Kwahu)

● Find the energy consumed by the appliance per year by the following formula Energy
consumed per year = daily energy consumption x number of days the appliance is
used

● Find the annual cost of the appliance by using the following formula Annual cost =
energy consumed per year x utility rate per KWh

Cost of energy consumed = Units consumed x Tariff per kilowatt

For Commercial building the tariff to paid is tariff 215 as per the Central Electricity Board in
Mauritius. Tariff 215 = Rs 10.01

3.2 Energy density rating

Table 3 - Energy rating density

ECG 19 also provides benchmarks for power load density, varying from 10 to 18 W/m2. These
values can be used to estimate the electricity consumption when coupled with the number of run
hours (daily, monthly, annually, etc.). More commonly, however, power load density is used to
assess expected peak power demand, commonly being used to calculate internal heat gains, affecting
the design of cooling systems. According to the Building Services Research and Information

17
Association (BSRIA), a value of 15 W/m2 can be used to represent typical small power load in
general offices. Conversely, a study conducted by the British Council for Offices (BCO)
demonstrated that higher loads are found in typical office buildings, with one third of the offices
monitored having installed loads higher than 15 W/m2. The recently updated CIBSE Guide F
suggests that a benchmark figure for building loads of 25 W/m2 is adequate for most office buildings
(with 15 W/m2 when diversity is considered). The updated Guide F also suggests that when
occupancy details are known, using a loading of approximately 140– 150 W/desk might be a more
appropriate approach.

(Ref: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378778814001224)

18
3.3 Energy density for electrical consumption

Energy density is defined as the amount of energy stored in a given system or region of space per
unit volume. In this case, the area of the building will be considered as the volume of the space.

𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑢𝑚𝑒𝑑
energy density =
area of buildng

Therefore, the annual energy density of the building is calculated by:

𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑢𝑚𝑒𝑑/𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟

energy density =
area of buildng

Area of the building = 752m²

Annual total energy consumed = 21170KWh

𝐾𝑊ℎ
energy density =
area of buildng

21170
energy density =
752

energy density = 28.15

Therefore, as per the table above we found that 28.15 is approximately a good practice of the
building.

Comment on the result above:

We have found that the energy density for The Hive building is a good practice as per the table

Reasons are;

• The building is in an open area and air conditioned.

• It is a building with large tree shades, therefore no natural light travel in the building easily

19
3.4 Identification and evaluation of improvement plan

After performing a walk-through inspection, collecting all the data required and analyzing them, the
next step is to identify the improvement opportunities. The improvement opportunities should be
identified with respect to the scope of the organization. The major consumer of energy that I have
identified during the survey are:

1. Lighting system
2. Equipment
2. Water system
3. Air conditioning

At the hive building most of the places are rented and some are occupied by other company and they
do pay rental fees. Most of the renter have private offices which is mostly used with Air conditioning
system turned on to maximum during summer. The major consumers have 2 Air conditioners and
lighting system that need to be revised and implement new system such as solar panels. Furthermore,
the kitchen and offices having coworkers also need to do a revision in water consumption and
lighting and air conditioning system.

20
Design

4 Lighting system
4.1 Purpose of lighting system

Lighting is the use of light to achieve a practical or aesthetic effect. Lighting includes the use of
artificial light sources like the lamps and the light fixtures as well as the natural illumination by
capturing daylight. Day lighting (using window) is sometimes used as the main source of light during
daytime in buildings. The use of natural lighting instead of artificial light which is a major source of
energy, can help save energy

4.2 Importance of lighting

Lighting is very important in our everyday life. The lighting system at The Hive building is needed
for:

• General lighting in the building

• Aesthetic purposes in shops (make improve appearance of items)
• Improve performance of visual task and prevent potential hazards

4.3 Luminous flux

The luminous flux is defined as the light energy radiated out per second from a body in the form of
luminous body wave. Luminous flux is measured in terms of lumen (olm).

4.4 Illumination

When the luminous flux falls on a surface, it is said to illuminate. The illuminance of a surface is
measured by the normal luminous flux per unit area.

4.5 Glare

Glare is difficulty of seeing I the presence of bright light such as direct or reflected sunlight or
artificial light such as car headlamps at night. Glare is caused by a significant ratio of luminance
between the task (that which is looked at) and the glare source.

Glare can be generally divided into two types namely:

• Discomfort glare source or difficulty in seeing a task. Discomfort glare results in an

indistinctive desire to look away from a bright light’s

21
• Disability glare Disability glare impairs the vision of objects without necessarily causing
discomfort, it is often caused by the inter reflection pf light within the eyeball, reducing the
contrast between and glare source to the point where the task cannot be distinguished. When
the glare is very intense, vision can be impaired.

22
4.6 Fluorescent lamp

This type of lamp consists a glass tube filled with an inert gas at low pressure. On each side of the
tube, there is a tungsten electrode. The ballast regulates AC power to the electrode. A fluorescent
tube is a gas discharge tube that uses a fluorescence to produce visible light. Luminous efficiency of
a fluorescent tube is about 45 to100 lumens per watt. Compared to incandescent bulb, fluorescent
bulb uses less power for the same amount of light. The fluorescent tubes are better in appearance
and color but they are usually more complex and more expensive than the incandescent bulbs.

The fluorescent tubes can be used both indoors and outdoors. They can be used in decorative lights,
signs and anywhere around a house. However, it cannot be used with dimmers.

Advantages:

• Low production cost (of tubes, not if ballast)

• Lifetime of fluorescent tubes are longer than the lifetime of conventional incandescent bulbs
• Light is diffused more evenly (reduce harsh shadow)

Disadvantages

• The frequency of flickers can be irritating

• Flicker of common fluorescent lights create an ugly greenish or yellow hue on camera and
make the quality of videos look poor.
• A small amount of mercury is present in the tubes.

23
4.7 LED

The LED is a light which uses semiconductors and electroluminescence to create light. The LED
uses small semiconductor crystals with reflectors and the other make the light brighter and focused
into a single point.

Advantages

• It is energy efficient.
• It is durable and shockproof unlike glass bulbs.
• The directional nature of LED can be useful for some applications like reducing stray light
pollution on streetlight.

Disadvantages

• LED might not be a reliable source of light for outdoor purposes as the semiconductors are
sensitive to temperatures and can get damaged by heat.
• Rare earth metals used in LEDs can be subject to price control monopolies in certain
countries.

LEDs are extremely energy efficient and consume up to 90% less power than incandescent bulbs
and fluorescent tubes this can cause a considerable decrease in power costs resulting in a decrease
in electricity bills. Money is also saved in maintenance as LEDs have a long lifespan. LEDs have a
lifespan of approximately 60000 hours and incandescent bulb have a lifespan of approximately 1500
hours.

24
4.8 Improvement opportunity for lighting system

Comparison table between existing light against proposed light

Power
Total
rating Daily Monthly Annual Consumption
Type of power Operating
Location Quantity per Consumption consumption consumption cost (Rs)
Lighting rating Hours
unit (kWh) (kWh) (kWh) yearly
(W)
(W)
Outside
12 36 432 12 5.2 104 1248 12492.48
veranda
Kitchen 10 36 360 12 4.3 86 1032 10330.32
Fluorescent
Offices 20 36 720 12 8.6 172 2064 20660.64
Tube
Parking
9 36 324 10 3.2 64 768 7687.68
Area
Corridor 9 36 324 18 5.8 116 1392 13933.92
False
9 35 315 8 2.5 50 600 6006
Halogen ceiling
Bulb
Wall lamp 9 35 315 12 3.8 76 912 9129.12

Office
16 60 960 18 17.28 345.6 4147.2 41513.47
Light bulb chandelier

Garden 6 60 360 12 4.32 86.4 1036.8 10378.37

Total 55 1100 13200 132132

Table 4 – Existing light

25
 Power Total
Total
rating Daily Monthly Annual Consumption cost
Type of power Operating
Location Quantity per Consumption consumption consumption cost (Rs) of
Lighting rating Hours
unit (kWh) (kWh) (kWh) yearly LED
(W)
(W) (Rs)
Outside
12 22 264 12 3.12 62.4 748.8 7495.488 780
veranda
Kitchen 10 22 220 12 2.64 52.8 633.6 6342.336 650
LED
Tube Offices 20 22 440 12 5.28 105.6 1267.2 12684.67 1300
Parking
9 22 198 10 1.98 39.6 475.2 4756.752 585
Area
Corridor 9 22 198 18 3.56 71.2 854.4 8552.544 585
False
9 5 45 8 0.36 7.2 86.4 864.864 450
LED ceiling
Bulb
Wall lamp 9 5 45 12 0.54 10.8 129.6 1297.296 450

Office
LED 16 7 112 18 2.02 40.4 484.8 4852.848 672
chandelier
bulb
Garden 6 7 42 12 0.5 10 120 1201.2 252
Total 20 400 4800 48048 5724

Table 5 – Proposed light

26
 Comparison table between existing light against proposed light

Old KWh KWh Quantity for new Cost of Each LED in Rs total cost of
Lightings
Monthly monthly LED (new) lighting in Rs

Tubes 813 497.4 60 65 3900

Bulbs 188.4 27 18 50 900

Bulb E27 648 75.6 22 42 924

Total 1649.4 600 5724

Table 6-New and Old data comparison

annual rating power

30000

25000

20000
kWh

15000

10000

5000

0
Fluorecent Led tube Halogen Led bulb Light bulb Led bulb
tube bulb

Figure 6 - comparison between halogen and led bulb

The difference in the consumption cost can be calculated from the value of table 13 and 14, that is;
Profit = Annual existing system consumption cost – Annual proposed system consumption cost

Profit per year = 132,132-48,048

= Rs 84,08

27
 84084
Which is an equivalent to a cost reduction on electricity of = Rs 7007 per month.
12

28
4.9 Cost for proposed light

Implementation

With no further permission granted by the company, I was not able to implement this lighting
equipment. But as described above, the fluorescent tubes of 36W were to be replaced by LED tubes
of 22W, halogen bulb of 35W were replaced by led bulb of 5W and light bulb of 60W were replaced
by led bulb of 7W.

Estimation of cost calculation

Energy consumed before implementation (per month) = 1100KWh

Tariff paid per unit Ch = Rs 10.01

Cost per month = Energy consumed per month x Tariff

= 1100 x 10.01

= Rs 11,011

Energy consumed after implementation (per month) = 400 KWh

Tariff paid per unit KWh = Rs 10.01

Cost per month = Energy consumed per month x Tariff

= 400 x 10.01

= Rs 4004

Amount saved = Cost per month before implementation – Cost per month after implementation

= 11,011 – 4004

= Rs 7007

Amount spent on lightings = Rs 5724

Initial cost = amount spent on lightings + man work*

=5724 + 0 = Rs 5724

*man work=Rs 0, reasons being that the maintenance officer will be doing these implementations.

29
 𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝑡
Payback Period=
𝑠𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔

5724
Payback = 7007 = 8 months

Therefore, the money invested to buy the new equipment will be recovered in approximately eight
months.

30
31
4.10 Comparison between existing and suggested lighting design (Dialux Light)
4.10.1 Common Office Existing

32
33
34
4.10.2 Common Office New

35
36
37
4.10.3 Existing Reception

38
39
40
4.10.4 Reception New

41
42
43
4.10.5 Office 3 Existing

44
45
46
4.10.6 Office 3 New

47
48
49
4.10.7 Office Existing

50
51
52
4.10.8 Office New

53
54
55
5 Water system
A water supply system is a system of engineered hydrologic and hydraulic components which
provide water supply. A water supply system usually includes:

• A drainage basin
• A raw point collection point (above or below ground) where the water accumulates.
• Water purification facilities
• Water storage facilities
• Additional water pressurizing components such as pumps
• A pipe network for distribution of water
• Connections to the sewers

Similar to lighting, water is an energy that is consumed daily for various tasks. At the Hive building,
each office block has a water supply for their bath rooms and toilets. Moreover, a big amount of
water is also consumed by the kitchen. Since the Hive building is a commercial building, an extra
fee is paid for the disposal of waste water of the building.

To decrease the consumption of water, the solution that I propose is rain water harvesting. Rainwater
harvesting is the accumulation and storage of rainwater for reuse on site rather than allowing to run
off. Rainwater harvesting can be done in small scales as well as large scales. For instance, using
simple methods like connecting a pipe from the rooftop to an old trash can be performed in homes.
For commercial building, the process becomes more complex. The water collected can be stored for
later use like irrigation, or it can be filtered and purified to meet the standard of potable water.

Advantages

• This form of energy is free (apart from implementation and maintenance cost)
• Reduces water bills
• Reduces demand on ground water
• Promotes both water and energy conservation

Disadvantage

• There is cost of implementation and maintenance

• Requires technical skill to install;
• The amount of rainfall ca be a limiting factor for the water supply
• Capacity of tanks ca also be a limitation

56
Rainwater harvesting can be an ideal implementation for The Hive building as its geographical
location ensure rainfall throughout the year. The Hive building is found in the northern region at
Pamplemousses to be exact. The northern region is above sea level; therefore, it receives rainfall a
minimum rainfall level compared to Curepipe or other central region where heavy rainfall is
registered.

5.1 Installation process

1. Establish rainwater harvesting capacity

The area of the roof top and the average rainfall per week should be determine to calculate the tank
capacity.

Tank capacity = roof area x average rainfall per week

2. Based on storage capacity, select the appropriate tank

There are various models and sizes of tanks available in the market. Select the tank according to
the storage capacity calculated.

Examples of some models and their sizes:

• Duraco Conventional Rainwater Tank (450L to 2000L)

• Column Type Rainwater Tank (360L to 500L)
• Integrated Filter Type Rainwater Tank (2500L to 9000L)
• Decorative Rainwater Tank (360L to 500L)
• Underground Rainwater Tank (4700L)

3. Select accessories for rainwater harvesting

Accessories like water pumps, level indicator and super head filter can be selected based on their
cost and efficient

4. Prepare the site to accommodate rainwater tank

The area where the tank will be placed should be solid and leveled. Precautions must be taken for
cases like if the tank overflows to avoid property damage and flooding.

57
 5. Distribution of rain water

Lastly, the distribution system of the water must be well designed. Appropriate pumping system and
filtration system can be installed to facilitate distribution. Usually, the first few liters are not used to
ensure cleaner supply.

In January 2021, Rainwater harvesting was supposed to be implemented. 1 drums of capacity 100L,
1 water tank of capacity 1000L were supposed to be placed on the terrace of level with a water
treatment system. Due to financial crisis of the company and covid-19 crisis the project was put on
hold and latter due to lockdown we were not able to proceed with the project.

A total of 1100 L was obtained with the drum and tanks which was obtained free of cost with the
help of terra (company which leases the land and building to the hive). The graph below shows the
amount of rainfall obtain from meteorological data during the past years.

Figure 7 - Rain fall in mm during last 5 years

58
As per the graph we see that the highest rainfall registered is about 460 mm of rainfall in the year
2018. And in 2021 the highest average of rainfall is about 170 mm. So according to research with
distributor at Duraco and Regiglas the tanks would be well enough to store rain water for the number
of occupants which is around 12 to 15 people.

Moreover, they suggested to connect a CWA line to it so that when there is not enough rainfall this
could compensate for the water not obtained. 2 water treatment is suggested to be connected in
parallel.

This implementation should be regularly checked, monitored and maintained to ensure efficient
output. The use of rain water to meet the water demand will no doubt decrease the water utility bills.

59
With new regulations being implemented in 2012, the new tariff of water for commercial use is now
at rs27 per cubic meter. Also, a fixed price of rs270 per month is compulsory which is added to the
bill. With the rain water harvesting project, we can estimate the saving in cost as well as using the
water for consumption.

Instead of merely showing monthly totals, we display rainfall gathered over a sliding 31-day period
centering on each day of the year in order to illustrate variance within the months. The monthly
rainfall in Pamplemousses varies dramatically from season to

There are 6.4 months of rain, from November 13 to May 26, with a 31-day rainfall average of at least
0.5 inches throughout this time period. With an average total accumulation of 4.4 inches, February
18 is when the most rain falls.

From May 26 to November 13, the dry season lasts 5.6 months. Averaging 0.3 inches of rain, the
wettest day is July 2, with the least.

Figure 8 - Average Monthly Rainfall

Source: weather spark

60
5.2 Comparison between rainwater and CWA

Using proportion in 5.3.1

Rain Water CWA Tariff Area of roof Savings (rain

Months (2021)
Harvested(M) (Rs) top (m2) water) in Rs
Jan 0.1987 27 752 4,034.41

Feb 0.2016 27 752 4,093.29

Mar 0.1479 27 752 3,002.97

Apr 0.0921 27 752 1,870.00

May 0.0531 27 752 1,078.14

Jun 0.0415 27 752 842.62

Jul 0.0402 27 752 816.22

Aug 0.0440 27 752 893.38

Sept 0.0222 27 752 450.75

Oct 0.0270 27 752 548.21

Nov 0.0447 27 752 907.59

Dec 0.0744 27 752 1,510.62

Table 7- Comparison between CWA and rain water

Note:

During the months of January February and march there were cyclone and torrential rainfall which
explain the high number of rainfalls. Furthermore, all these waters will not be saved as this will go
to waste for not being able to use it.

61
5.2.1 Calculating the use of water
With all these data obtained from the previous table, I have concluded that for 20 people for a daily
basis, they each use up to 15 liters of water for sanitary purpose only. For washing and gardening
an additional 200 liters is used twice a week. Thus, the tenants coming to the office for 5 days a
week, gardening and washing twice a week a total of 7600 liters will be used for a monthly basis.
For the tank, a rain water harvested tank of 9000 liters can be assumed will be enough to use
(having calculated a 10 % tolerance rate).
(refer to annex 1 pg. 149)

A cubic meter equals 1,000 liters of water, thus for 7600 liters= 7.6 m3

Saving using rain water monthly= 7.6 x 27

= Rs 205.20
Savings yearly = 205.20 x 12
= Rs 2,462.40
Initial cost of tank= Rs44,600
Total initial cost = cost of tank + man work* + pipes**

= 44,600 + 0 + 0

𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝑡
Payback Period= 𝑠𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔

44600
=2462.40

= 18.1

Thus, the payback time will be 18 years and 1 months. Mauritius do some times face dry season
where there are restrictions to use water, thus having this tank for a payback time of 18 years can be
a benefit factor to such issues as well as to encourage other companies to go green.

Legend:

*Man work will not be required to be paid as the maintenance manager will be conducting the installations

**pipes will be provided to us from Terra free of charge

62
5.2.2 Improving cost of water consumption

Water is a basic human requirement. Every individual on the planet requires at least 20 to 50 liters
of clean, safe water each day for drinking, cooking, and just staying clean.

Water is clearly necessary for hydration and food production, but sanitation is an equally vital and
complementary use of water. A lack of appropriate sanitation services not only fosters sickness, but
it may also deprive individuals of their basic human dignity.

5.3 Rain water harvesting material and cost

An estimate of the material needed and cost is required. With the help of suppliers and experts of
CWA, they gave me and approximate needs for this project and its cost.

5.3.1 Rain water tank

A rain water tank collects and stores rain water, typically from rooftops via rain gutters. A typical
rainwater collection or harvesting tank can yield 2500 liters of water from 25 mm of rain on a 100
m2 roof.

Rainwater tanks are installed to make use of rain water for later use and reduce CWA water use for
environmental reasons.

Stored water may be used for watering gardens, agriculture, flushing toilets, washing machines,
washing cars, and also for drinking.

5.3.2 Filters and its use

Water filtration process is used for the removal and/or reduction, for the purposes of drinking,
medical, pharmaceutical, of particulate matter, including suspended particles, parasites, bacteria,
algae, viruses and fungi as well as other unwanted chemicals and bio contaminants from
contaminated water. Drinking water systems typically include a filtering procedure of five stages:
sediment, mechanical, chemical, mineral and bacterial.

5.4 Identification of parts and material

A system of rainwater collection includes multiple phases – rainfall transit through pipes or drains,
filtering and recharge tank storage. These steps demonstrate the common components of a rainwater
collection system.

1. Catchment
The catchment of a water retrieval system intakes the surface that collects the precipitation directly

63
and feeds the system with water. It might be a paved area, such as a building patio or courtyard, or
an unpaved area, such as the gardens or open grounds. Also, for water collection may be utilized a
roof constructed of reinforced concrete, galvanized iron or corrugated sheets.

Figure 9 - Catchment

2. Coarse mesh

Coarse mesh at the roof to prevent the passage of debris.

3. 3.Gutters

Running canals to collect and carry groundwater to your storage tank all around the corner of a
pitching roof. Semi-circular or rectangular gutters can be created and can be used

• Locally available material such as plain galvanized iron sheet (20 to 22 gauge), folded to
required shapes.
• Semi-circular gutters of PVC material can be readily prepared by cutting those pipes into
two equal semi-circular channels.

The size of the gutter should be according to the flow during the highest intensity rain. It is advisable
to make them 10 to 15 percent oversize.

Gutters need to be supported so they do not sag or fall off when loaded with water. The way in which
gutters are fixed depends on the construction of the house; it is possible to fix iron or timber brackets
into the walls, but for houses having wider eaves, some method of attachment to the rafters is
necessary.

64
 4. Conduits

Conduits are pipelines or drains that carry rainwater from the catchment or rooftop area to the
harvesting system. Conduits can be of any material like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or galvanized iron
(GI), materials that are commonly available.

The following table gives an idea about the diameter of pipe and gutter required for draining out
rainwater based on rainfall intensity and roof area:

Source: Duraco.

Table 8 - Sizing of rainwater pipe for roof drainage

65
5.5 Rain water filters and tanks

With modern technologies that have improved with time, Mauritius tank suppliers have come up
with different ideas so that we can harvest rain water. Therefore, they have developed water tanks
with integrated filters.

As the name implies, rainwater tanks collect and store rainwater that is usually collected from roof
surfaces via rain gutters. From 25 mm of rain on a 100 m2 roof, a conventional rainwater collecting
or harvesting tank may generate 2500 liters of water. For environmental reasons, rainwater tanks are
constructed to store rainwater for later use and to decrease CWA water consumption.

Using rainwater for drinking requires a Bio UV Filtration system, which removes bacteria,
pollutants, and most pathogens from the rainwater. In spite of the fact that rainwater is naturally pure,
it can get polluted throughout the gathering process. When there is a mains water supply available,
it is strongly recommended that rainwater not be used as a source of drinking water.

Rain water tank main features:

• Manufactured from 100% virgin material

• Molded in-one-piece design
• Screwed cover
• Can be fixed at ground level and underground
• 12-year guarantee (depending on supplier)
• Opaque design
• Availability of special custom modifications. Ex: additional inlet float valve, variable height
outlet, level indicators, outlet and overflow curves
• Manufactured from Food Grade materials
• UV stabilized
• No taste or odour imparted from polyethylene
• High impact resistance

Column Type Rain Water tank capacity:

• Column type 350 lts

• Column type 400 lts
• Column type 450 lts
• Column type 500 lts

66
5.6 How does the integrated filter work?

The down take pipes from the roof has to be interconnected and lead to the filter unit and has to be
connected to the inlet of the rainy filter the rain water along dirt and debris flows by gravity through
the pipeline enters into the filter starts rotating in anticlockwise direction at the Periphery of the
upper housing so as to flow into the SS 304 filter element placed in the lower housing in angular
motion at specific velocity which create Cohesive force at low intensity and centrifugal force during
high intensity of rainfall which aids the filter element to flush out automatically the dirt and debris
through the drain outlet and simultaneously divert clean water into the sump or recharging well to
the clean water outlet.

Figure 10 - Intank Filter

Although rainwater looks to be clean to the human sight, we need to consider its route to the point
of usage. If it comes into touch with exposed wounds or is swallowed, this pathogen-rich rainfall can
induce illness or infection. In the absence of treatment, it poses a health danger to anyone who come
into touch with it, especially those who do so on a daily basis.

67
5.7 Process for rain water harvesting filtration

1. Filtration

The first step is to remove the silt from the water. In order to maximize the effectiveness of the
disinfection procedure, this step must be completed prior to the disinfection process itself.

Using a pipe, rainwater from a roof is collected and sent to a storage tank or pit for use. Sludge that
has a high density settles to a bottom layer. Pumping begins when a float switch activates the system,
or when a pressure decreases inline signals the need to treat and transport water immediately,
depending on the situation.

A minimum of two steps are involved in the filtration process. Prior to disinfection, remove coarse
particles down to 100 microns, then fine solids down to 1-5 microns using a cartridge, bag, or screen
filter.

2. Disinfection

Mauritian companies offer two primary disinfection options for rainwater:

UV Disinfection is the most commonly used method for rainwater treatment, as it is simple, cost
effective and requires minimal operator input. Certain wavelengths of UV light destroy the micro-
organisms in water that pass it.

Chlorine Disinfection ensures a disinfection residual for a period of time. However, introducing a
chemical to a water supply requires consistent and regular operator input to ensure correct operation.

68
5.8 UV Disinfection

UV disinfection kills microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, and cysts such as cryptosporidium and
giardia) in water by using certain wavelengths of ultra violet light.

For UV disinfection to work successfully, rainwater must be free of any sediment larger than 5
microns. Sediment can obstruct UV radiation and reduce disinfection efficacy in rainwater that has
not been filtered.

Advantages of UV Disinfection

• Chemical free
• Easy to install and service
• Economical and energy efficient
• Rainwater treated with UV is less of a corrosion risk to exposed metal
• Kills a broader range of pathogens than chlorine. Some protozoa, like Cryptosporidium and
Giardia, are resistant to chlorine

UV water disinfection has numerous advantages, but there are also some drawbacks.

Disadvantages of UV Disinfection

• UV light is only able to eliminate microorganisms in water.

• It is necessary to have electricity to run UV water systems.
• The UV light can only operate if the water is crystal clear.
• Ultraviolet lights bulbs have a lifespan of 12 months to 2 years

As a whole, UV water treatment is a great technique to purify your water. One of the most
dependable, efficient, and affordable techniques for disinfecting water has been ultraviolet (UV),
which may be used at both the point of use (kitchen tap) and the point of entry (whole-house)
applications.

69
5.9 Chlorine Dosing

Treatment of water bacteria using chlorine is perhaps the most frequent approach. Most water utility
companies employ this approach to eliminate germs in water from the point of production to the
consumer's tap.

Microorganism treatment of water is essential when it comes from lakes, rivers, etc. It is possible for
rivers and lakes to have high pathogen levels due to insufficiently treated sewage discharges or non-
treated discharges. During rainstorms, combined sewer systems may release untreated sewage.

To sterilize a 50L rainwater tank, a total of 250mg of chlorine is required. The chlorine content must
be maintained at 25mg per liter for 30 minutes after the initial dosage.

Advantages of Chlorine Sterilization

• Chlorine treatment is an ideal solution for rainwater that needs to be stored for future use
• Rainwater is compliant with the treatment regulations at all times, as a sampling pump will
automatically regulate the appropriate chlorine concentration
• Ensures a disinfection residual, which limits opportunity for re-infection

Disadvantages of Chlorine Sterilization

• Smell and taste of the water is affected

• Sensitive to pH-value of the water. At levels above 7.5 the disinfection effect is reduced
• Long term effect on bacteria is limited
• Biofilm in hot water tank and pipes are medium affected

70
6 Solar Energy
1. Implementation

Another proposed solution can be implementing solar energy in the system. Solar energy refers to
capturing the energy radiated from the sun and converting it into electricity. Solar energy is a
renewable source of energy and it can be harnessed using a wide range of technologies such as solar
heating, photovoltaic and solar thermal energy among others.

How does solar energy work?

A photon is a basic unit that makes up all light: it is a bundle of electromagnetic energy, when
photons strike a solar cell, they lose electrons from the atom. If a conductor is attached to the cell’s
negative and positive sides, an electrical circuit is created. When the electrons flow through the
circuit, they generate electricity.

Solar power electricity or photovoltaic do not need direct sunlight to work. Even on cloudy day.
They can still generate electricity.

Solar panels

Solar panels consist of many solar cells. When many panels are wired together, it forms a solar array.
There are 3 factors that affect the amount of electricity produced by the solar panel and they are:

• The size
• The efficiency of the solar cells
• The amount of sunlight that hits the solar panel

These factors should be taken in consideration before implementing the solar panels.

Advantages:

• Solar energy is free

• Reduces electricity bill
• It has barely any maintenance
• Promote energy conservation

71
Disadvantage

• Implementation is costly
• Cost of energy storage is associated
• It requires space

6.1 Calculation

We will need to know how much energy the building consumes, the usable surface area of the roof,
the climate and peak sunlight in the area, the wattage and relative efficiency of the photovoltaic (PV)
panels we are considering, and whether net metering is available to figure out how many solar panels
we will need.

According to the data obtain, 3141 KWh in the month of February 2020.Therefore, to calculate the
solar panels we need a location for the panels, number of kwh used which was already obtained and
invertor that needs to be connected for the loads.

Data for loads were not able to obtain due to covid situations (Social distancing, fear of getting
contact with people carrying this virus) and also due to the privacy of the tenants occupying the
offices. Therefore, I came to an assumption that those tenants must use more or less the same
appliance and also the same services are provided equally.

For assumption, we say we have about 20 people for 10 offices.

Appliances Number of appliances loads(W) total loads(W) Total Total

time energy
use consumed
daily(KW)

Computer 20 600 1200 12 14.4

laptop 20 96 1920 12 23.04
lights 20 22 440 12 5.28
AC (invertor 10 1000 10,000 6 60
type)
Total Load(W) 13560 42 102.72

Table 9 - Daily Load Assessment

72
6.2 Calculation for numbers of solar panels
𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑
𝑃𝑉 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 =
𝑠𝑢𝑛 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠 × 𝑠𝑦𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑚 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦

13560
𝑃𝑉 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 =
4.5 × 0.5

𝑃𝑉 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 = 6,026𝑊

Using a 250W solar panel, for 12 hours per day

6026
Number of panels = 250

=24 Panels

Therefore, a total of 24 panels with capacity of 250 W each is needed for this project.

(Refer to annex 5)

73
6.3 Battery

Batteries are still the easiest and most popular means to store electrical energy. Mobile phones,
vehicles, calculators, and solar panels all utilize rechargeable batteries.

Ampere-hours are the unit of measurement for battery power. 1 amp-hour is the equivalent of
drawing 1 amp steadily for one hour, or 2 amps steadily for half an hour.

To the contrary, totally draining a battery reduces its life span and might cause it to fail in a matter
of minutes. Battery life may be extended by just using a small part (around 10%) of the battery's
capacity. The depth of discharge is a measure of this ratio (DOD).

The common types of battery are:

1. Lead acid battery

It is the most available and appropriate battery for PV applications because of its discharge
capability. It can accept large charge currents and deliver large discharge currents. It requires high
maintenance as water needs to be periodically added to maintain electrolyte levels. Loss of
electrolyte is due to evaporation and gassing which are determined by the charging algorithm. It can
be repeatedly discharged to 50–80% of its capacity. However, the self-discharge rate is high and the
battery gasses during recharge due to the antimony in the plates.

2. Lead calcium battery

It has low discharge rates but is not adapted for deep cycling. It does not tolerate more than 20%
depth of discharge which drastically reduces its lifetime. The calcium strengthens the lead which
reduces gassing and water losses. Hence the maintenance needed is low.

3. Captive electrolyte battery

This battery is sealed with a manufacturer seal battery configuration. It contains sulfuric electrolyte
solution and has a sophisticated pressure regulated valve mechanism for its cell vents.

4. Nickel cadmium battery

This battery is used for deep cycling process. The performance is much less affected by temperature.
The voltage output is about 1.2V per cell and remains stable until the battery is nearly discharged.
Hence the lifetime is long with low maintenance. However, it is expensive.

74
The factors to be considered when choosing a battery are:

1. Cost
2. Operating temperature range
3. Resistance to overcharging
5. Capacity in Ampere-hour (Ah)
6. Frequency for adding electrolyte
7. Charge efficiency
8. Self-discharge rate
9. Life cycle

6.3.1 Battery Sizing

In order to keep things simple and utilize the least number of batteries, a 12V battery bank will be
used. DoD of 50% was used in calculations to ensure optimal performance and battery life.

𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 𝑑𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑦
𝐴𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑒 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑑𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑦(𝐴ℎ𝑑) =
𝑏𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑏𝑎𝑛𝑘 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑒

102,720
𝐴𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑒 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑑𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑦(𝐴ℎ𝑑) =
12

𝐴𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑒 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑑𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑦(𝐴ℎ𝑑) = 8,560𝐴ℎ

The Ampere hour adjusted (Aha) is as follows:

𝐴𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑒 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑎𝑑𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑑 (𝐴ℎ𝑎)

𝐴ℎ𝑑 × 𝑑𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑢𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑜𝑚𝑦 × 𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡 × 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑔𝑛 𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑖𝑛
=
𝑑𝑒𝑝𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒

8,560 × 1 × 1 × 1
𝐴𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑒 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑎𝑑𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑑 (𝐴ℎ𝑎) =
0.5

𝐴𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑒 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑎𝑑𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑑 (𝐴ℎ𝑎) = 17,120𝐴ℎ

Having this data after the calculation of the Ah of daily consumption and discussed with teacher and
supplier, we concluded that buying this many batteries will require much more money than
anticipated. Therefore, we need to see that a grid system can be implemented.

75
6.4 Grid Tied system

With a grid tied connection, the supply on electricity will not be depend just only with the use of
solar panels but also from the CEB (Central Electricity Board) supply. With a grid tied the only thing
we need to take into considerations is the use of solar panels, inverter, a surge protector and RCDs.

With panels and invertors, I have mentioned above, the only thing we need to do is the installation
of the panels on the frames and inverters and circuit protections.

All of the electrical connection to the CEB supply would be done by the technicians provided tonus
by CEB.

With a connection provided by both panels and CEB, a reduction to the cost of bill will be obvious.
A saving up to 65 to 85% depending on supply.

76
6.5 Choosing the appropriate invertor

After calculating the load that will be required, the choice for and invertor becomes simple.
Therefore I came with an inventor of 15,000W as the daily load of the Hive for daily use is 13,560W
at its peak.

Sunny Tripower 15000TL

Maximum input voltage = 1000 V

Maximum output voltage = 180 V to 280 V

Rated power (at 230 V, 50 Hz) = 15,000 V

(Refer to annex 4)

77
Conclusion
An energy audit is the first step in conserving energy in a systematic manner. If you spend enough
time and effort finding these crucial areas, you can save a lot of money on energy. Some regions
could not be audited fully due to a lack of time, equipment, and building access. When it comes to
saving energy, variables such as human behavior and awareness can also play a role.

Through this project, the goal was to identify the most energy-intensive processes and implement
modifications that would reduce energy consumption, and we can say that the project's goals and
objectives were met. Using the data collected and analyzing it, The Hive (Beau plan) was able to
reduce its energy use. Due to the organization's financial and covid 19 difficulties, the new
improvement prospects were not adopted. The practicality of every option was thoroughly examined
before it was introduced, and the associated expenses were estimated in a fairly systematic manner.
In the event of inefficiency, the options should be continuously monitored and altered as necessary.

78
References

1. Southland filtration
Guide to rainwater harvesting filtration
https://southlandfiltration.com.au/guide-to-rainwater-harvesting-filtration/

2. Clean Water
Reduce Business Costs with Rainwater Harvesting
May, 12, 2015
https://cleanawater.com.au/information-centre/guide-to-rainwater-harvesting-and-
treatment.

3. Plant services 2010

Energy audit process viewed on 28 December 2020
https://www.plantservices.com/articles/2010/09energyaudit/

4. ACEE n.d
Financial incentives for energy audit viewed on 01 October 2020
https://aceee.org/topics/financial-incentives-energy-efficiency

5. Wikipedia n.d
Energy density viewed on 10 October 2019
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_density#targetText=Energy%20density%20is%20t
he%20amount,of%20space%20per%20unit%20volume.&targetText=Often%20only%20th
e%20useful %20or,rest%20mass%20energy)%20is%20ignored.

6. Wikipedia 2019 Energy audits viewed on 15 September 20

79
 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_audit#targetText=An%20energy%20audit%20is%
20an,w ithout%20negatively%20affecting%20the%20output.

7. G. Dedeban 2014
Energy audit methodology and energy savings plan viewed on 13 October 2020
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-07287-6_30

8. Mauritius standard bureau

MS-ISO500002-2014 First edition 2014.10.25
Energy audits- requirements with guidance for use

9. Mauritius standard bureau

MS-ISO500001 2018 second edition 2018.08
Energy management systems- requirements with guidance for use

10. Introduction to energy audit n.d

Energy audit manual viewed on 28 September 2019
http://www.nzdl.org/gsdlmod?e=d-00000-00---off-0cdl--00-0----0-10-0---0---0direct-10---
4-------0-0l--11-en-50---20-about---00-0-1-00-0--4----0-0-11-10-0utfZz-8-
00&cl=CL1.80&d=HASH01d140c623d5900011141e12.4.1>=1

11. ISO500002-2014
Energy audits -requirements with guidance for use viewed on 13 October 2019
https://www.iso.org/standard/60088.html

12. Rapid calculation

Watts to lumens calculator viewed on 15 October 2020
https://www.rapidtables.com/calc/light/watt-to-lumen-calculator.html

80
Appendix
1. Site Plan –The Hive, Beau-Plan

81
2. Common Office Existing (Dialux Light)

82
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88
3. Common Office New (Dialux Light)

89
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95
96
97
98
4. Existing Reception (Dialux Light)

99
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104
105
106
107
5. Reception New (Dialux Light)

108
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114
115
116
6. Office 3 Existing (Dialux Light)

117
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121
122
123
7. Office 3 New (Dialux Light)

124
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129
130
131
132
8. Office Existing (Dialux Light)

133
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135
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137
138
139
140
9. Office New (Dialux Light)

141
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148
ANNEX
1. QUOTATION – Rain Water Tank

149
150
151
152
2. QUOTATION – UV Water Filter

153
3. QUOTATION – Lightings

154
4. Inverter type

155
156
157
158
5. Solar panel

159
160
6.Central Water Authority tariff

161
162