Seoul City Introduces Remote Building Management System in Senior Centers

Energy Savings Through Centralized Remote Control Without Direct Operation

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] On the 23rd, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it will establish the ‘Seoul-type Energy Saving System (SEMS)’ which efficiently manages energy consumption at senior centers using a remote system.

Most senior centers lack managers, so when the last person leaving does not turn off the heating, cooling devices, or lights, unnecessary energy is wasted. Especially in winter, to save heating costs, boilers are turned off before leaving, causing seniors to endure cold indoor temperatures for a long time the next morning.

Accordingly, Seoul plans to introduce the ‘Seoul-type Energy Saving System’ at senior centers, which remotely controls heating, cooling devices, and lighting from a resource-sharing (cloud) based integrated operation center. The plan aims to use electricity and gas efficiently to prevent energy waste and create a more comfortable environment for seniors.

The city will conduct a pilot project this year targeting about 740 district-run senior centers and plans to expand it to all 3,740 senior centers in Seoul by 2026.

Lee In-geun, Head of the Climate and Environment Headquarters, said, “With the introduction of the Seoul-type Energy Saving System (SEMS) at senior centers, we expect to prevent unnecessary energy waste and provide seniors with a more comfortable and pleasant resting space.” He added, “Seoul will continue to proactively introduce various advanced technologies to improve building energy efficiency.”