Enerin on PropTech New York tour for AI, energy efficiency
Enerin COO and energy engineer Trond-Atle Asphjell will join The Nordic NYC Proptech Delegation 2024 tour to New York from 10 to 14 November as a delegate to facilitate the company’s ambition to secure a high-temperature heat pump demonstration pilot project in the city.
This year the tour specifically focuses on AI-driven systems for real estate, including energy management systems to reach net-zero climate goals.
The PropTech delegation coincides with the Enerin commitment as a finalist for the Empire Technology Prize to scale its HoegTemp high-temperature heat pump by providing better fossil fuel boiler replacements for buildings to meet the decarbonisation goals of New York.
Enerin engineers at the Royal Norwegian Consulate General in New York on their last trip to the city in October where they discussed the upcoming Nordic NYC Proptech Delegation 2024 tour. Left to right: Consulate advisors - business promotion, Christine Brekke and Pia Marks, Enerin’s Trond-Atle Asphjell and Arne Høeg, and Consul Business Promotion, Signe Astrid Engli. Photo: Ole Tjelle-Heen.
“We are currently in discussions with potential demonstration partners in New York about our gamechanging retrofit technology for space heating and cooling for tall buildings. I hope to advance on these discussions and inform myself about other technologies and efforts for decarbonisation as part of the PropTech tour. ”
PropTech focus on AI, energy management
The property technology tour brings together innovation and venture capitalists and real estate executives from New York with PropTech founders and delegates to exchange ideas and innovations from each country.
Norwegian companies are often technologically advanced relative to their funding stage which is why the PropTech tour bolsters those companies that need to scale fast. Heading up the PropTech Norway network organisation is CEO Daniel Butenschøn.
“AI is actually driving global real estate players to proactively embrace and adopt new technologies, and that’s the first time the real estate industry is leading the way in something resembling technological innovation.”
The programme of the New York tour can be seen HERE.
Norwegian Business Consul Signe Astrid Engli explains PropTech
The Royal Norwegian Consulate General in New York has been instrumental to the organisation of The Nordic NYC PropTech Delegation 2024 as head of Team Norway on the US-East coast. The PropTech delegation is organised and supported by the Norwegian Consulate, Innovation Norway, PropTech Norway and PropTech Innovation.
Consul Business Promotion at the Royal Norwegian Consulate General in New York, Signe Astrid Engli, explains that the delegation is a tailor-made programme for participants to meet the entrepreneurs, investors, researchers and policy makers in New York City. The Consulate is providing some of the funding for the delegation, in addition to hosting the mini summit and reception at its premises.
Empire Technology Prize targets heat pump demonstration
HoegTemp with its insulation jacket.
Business Consul Engli explains that Norwegian Consulates worldwide have business promotion at the forefront of their work. She stresses that business success in New York hinges on linking up with the right partners, which is what the PropTech tour is about.
“New York State and New York City have ambitious goals towards zero emission, and are putting forward incentives to support the scaling of relevant technology like heat pumps. This means business opportunities for Norwegian businesses like Enerin.
Enerin has shown admirable drive to respond and send in their ideas towards the NYSERDA – New York State Energy and Research Development Authority – and The Clean Fight’s Empire Technology Prize. This is an excellent example on how to utilize the local support system and take part in local arenas to promote their business.”
High-temperature heat pumps provide thermal energy efficiency gains by capturing waste heat or air using less electricity to provide high-temperature hot water and steam which is ideal for centrally heated buildings, space heating and industry. They are able to provide more thermal heat energy than the electrical units they consume. Enerin’s full-scale heat pump demonstration has been running for over a year now at the IVAR biogas plant in Norway.
Enerin’s HoegTemp high-temperature heat pump measures 3m x 4m x 2m high (9 ft x 12 ft x 6 ft). The 2.5m (8ft) height for service space bypasses the need to build a special technical room. On site, the HoegTemp requires minimal assembly and installation (approximately one day), and eight hours yearly maintenance on site.
Separately, Trond-Atle Asphjell will present a technical overview of the Empire Technology Prize finalist solutions at the Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing/Architect Engineering and Construction (MEP/AEC) session during the week that is hosted by the American MEP consulting engineers, Jaros, Baum & Bolles in the city.
“The session is hosted by the prize organisers, The Clean Fight, and will be held on Wednesday afternoon on 13 November from 3:30 to 5:30 pm at the JB&B office in New York.”
Enerin is extremely thankful for the support that Innovation Norway New York has given the company since the finalist award was announced in Summer. Senior Advisor, US Market, Tony Raposo, has agreed to be the company’s interim contact point in New York as it seeks to secure its demonstration.
How can AI improve energy for real estate
Most heating systems have a degree of energy storage, both in buildings and in industry, which heat pumps can unlock. Renewable energy will become more stable as predictive digital solutions and better energy storage solutions are used and evolved – for example water buffer tanks and molten salts.
The decarbonization of buildings, commerce and industry require effective renewable energy systems that are as flexible and effective as fossil fuels.
Security of supply needs to be guaranteed where stable energy is secured at a price that is as competitive as fossil fuels.
Switching to renewable energy sources coupled with high-temperature heat pumps provide better efficiency gains compared to fossil fuel boilers, and electric boilers.
Multiple energy carriers such as electricity, solar energy, waste heat, ground heat and ambient air can be integrated and fed into high-temperature heat pump systems that provide clean, recycled thermal heat with less CO2 emissions.
“Most heating systems have a degree of energy storage, both in buildings and in industry, which heat pumps can unlock. Heat pumps that are flexible, and are able to follow demand, can be programmed or controlled to utilise the most optimal electricity prices during the day.
Heat pumps coupled with renewables and thermal energy storage can take pressure off electricity grids when they are paired with water buffer tanks and thermal energy storage on site. Water buffer tanks are cheap to install, and they can maintain the stored heat for months if insulated properly.
When renewable supplies are abundant, the tanks can be heated using cheaper electricity rates and used later at peak demand when electricity prices rise.
This will reduce the customer’s average electricity price, but increase the energy price when the sun is shining and the wind is blowing because electricity consumption rises when the heat pumps are in operation storing the heat.
In this way we avoid negative electricity prices which helps secure investment in wind parks and solar parks. ”
Increased digitization and the creation of smart digital twins will be able to deliver increased efficiency gains as smart systems evolve linking renewable thermal energy storage, energy markets and value chain actors within districts.
The integration and linking of these actors is especially advantageous for overcoming the intermittent supply of renewable energy that will become more stable as predictive digital solutions and better energy storage solutions are used and evolved.
There are multiple ways AI can be used to optimize heat pump integration. Some examples are:
Adaptive control, accounting for temperature and demand fluctuations.
Fault detection and diagnosis which predicts when maintenance should be done.
Energy efficiency optimisation and performance using sensors to optimise the heat pump’s settings to minimise energy consumption and waste.
Load forecasting where AI can predict future heating and cooling demands based on historical data and external factors that allow the heat pump to operate more efficiently and reduce waste, while increasing profits.
Photo: Tamara Staples.