Unlocking Business Success with Central Plant Simulator: Optimizing Operations, Saving Costs, and Crafting a Winning Business Case to Leadership

Optimizing operations and saving costs are crucial in central plant management. Advanced simulation tools help identify optimization opportunities, showcase ROI, and provide insights to leadership. This talk explores plant simulation and digital twin tools for central plant optimization and effective stakeholder communication. Through these tools, owners and operators can simulate scenarios, evaluate designs, and demonstrate energy consumption, costs, and savings. Attendees will learn to quantify energy savings, calculate ROI, and present a compelling business case. Strategies for highlighting long-term financial benefits and sustainability are also covered. Participants will gain knowledge and tools for successful central plant optimization procurement, driving business success, cost savings, and securing funding for initiatives.

Case Studies:

Keywords: Heat pumps, geothermal, Digital Twin, Simulation, Central Plants, Central Plant, Energy Storage, Chilled Water, Hot Water, Optimization

Kate Anderson, CEM, LEED GA

Digital Sales Engineer, Central Utility Plant Optimization Product Specialist

Johnson Controls

Kate Anderson, CEM, LEED GA Johnson Controls Digital Sales Engineer, Central Utility Plant Product Specialist As a Digital Sales Engineer specializing in Johnson Control's OpenBlue Central Utility Plant product, Kate helps partners optimize their central plants to meet energy and sustainability objectives. Kate's journey in the energy efficiency sector began in 2016. Since then, she has accumulated extensive experience in various areas, including energy auditing, utility incentive programs, energy software solutions, and model-based predictive control. In addition to her professional role, Kate is deeply involved in promoting environmentally responsible practices and initiatives. She recently served on the Programs Committee of the Illinois Green Alliance, where she collaborated with fellow sustainability professionals to advocate for NetZero practices and facilitated educational sessions and technical tours focusing on emerging technology and environmental stewardship. She currently leads a Women in Energy Effiency group in Chicago. And Kate recently moderated the Illinois Green Alliance Building Decarbonization Tech Series and presented at the Net Zero Conference in Los Angeles, CA. Kate is a Certified Energy Manager (CEM). She holds a Bachelor of Science in Systems Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign and a Master's in Energy Engineering from the University of Illinois Chicago. She works to use this knowledge to inspire and educate others on the path towards a greener future!