Question 1

What is the Augos Energy Intelligence Platform?

Accepted Answer

The Augos Energy Intelligence Platform is a comprehensive solution that provides real-time monitoring, analytics, and optimization of energy consumption. It helps organizations reduce costs, improve efficiency, and make data-driven decisions about their energy usage.

Question 2

How can Augos help reduce my energy costs?

Accepted Answer

Augos reduces energy costs through multiple approaches: identifying billing errors and overcharges, optimizing tariff structures, monitoring consumption patterns to identify waste, providing actionable insights for efficiency improvements, and enabling demand management during peak pricing periods.

Question 3

What is bill verification and why is it important?

Accepted Answer

Bill verification is the systematic process of checking utility bills for errors, overcharges, and incorrect tariff applications. It's important because billing errors are common and can result in significant overpayments - often thousands to millions of rands annually. Augos's managed verification service has recovered substantial amounts for clients.

Question 4

How does tariff optimization work?

Accepted Answer

Tariff optimization involves analyzing your consumption patterns and comparing them against available utility tariff structures to identify the most cost-effective option. Augos evaluates factors like time-of-use patterns, demand charges, and consumption volumes to recommend optimal tariff structures that can reduce costs by 10-30% or more.

Question 5

What are triggers and alerts?

Accepted Answer

Triggers and alerts are customizable notifications that monitor critical events in real-time. You can set thresholds for consumption anomalies, demand spikes, power quality issues, equipment failures, and cost overruns. When conditions are met, you receive immediate notifications via email or SMS to take prompt action.

Question 6

Can Augos integrate with my existing systems?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Augos offers extensive integration capabilities through APIs and custom connectors. We can integrate with building management systems (BMS), ERP systems, SCADA, and other energy management platforms to provide a unified view of your operations.

Question 7

How does tenant billing work?

Accepted Answer

Tenant billing enables property owners to accurately allocate and recover utility costs from tenants. Augos automatically collects meter data, applies appropriate tariffs and allocations (including common area costs), generates detailed invoices, and provides transparent reporting for both landlords and tenants.

Question 8

What is common area allocation?

Accepted Answer

Common area allocation is the process of fairly distributing shared utility costs (like lighting, HVAC, and elevators in common spaces) among tenants. Augos supports multiple allocation methods including proportional by floor area, by occupancy, or by custom agreements.

Question 9

Can I handle mixed-source billing?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Augos handles complex scenarios where properties have multiple utility sources - such as grid electricity, solar PV, generators, and battery storage. The platform can accurately track and bill each source separately or in combination based on your requirements.

Question 10

How accurate is the metering for tenant billing?

Accepted Answer

Augos uses certified meters and rigorous data validation processes to ensure billing accuracy. All meter data is verified, anomalies are flagged, and detailed audit trails are maintained. This provides legal defensibility and tenant confidence in billing accuracy.

Question 11

What reports are available for landlords and tenants?

Accepted Answer

Landlords receive comprehensive reports including cost recovery summaries, tenant consumption comparisons, revenue tracking, and variance analysis. Tenants get detailed consumption breakdowns, historical trends, cost drivers, and benchmark comparisons to drive efficiency improvements.

Question 12

What is power factor and why does it matter?

Accepted Answer

Power factor measures how efficiently electrical power is being used. A low power factor (below 0.95) results in penalty charges from utilities and increased demand charges. Poor power factor also stresses electrical infrastructure and can lead to equipment failures. Improving power factor can reduce electricity costs by 5-15%.

Question 13

How can I improve my power factor?

Accepted Answer

Power factor can be improved by installing power factor correction (PFC) equipment, reducing inductive loads, maintaining electrical equipment, and balancing phases. Augos monitors power factor in real-time and provides specific recommendations based on your facility's electrical characteristics.

Question 14

What are demand charges and how can I reduce them?

Accepted Answer

Demand charges are fees based on your peak power consumption during a billing period. They can represent 30-50% of your electricity bill. Augos helps reduce demand charges through load shifting, peak shaving, demand response programs, and by identifying opportunities to spread loads more evenly throughout the day.

Question 15

What is Network Maximum Demand (NMD)?

Accepted Answer

NMD is the highest demand recorded by the utility meter during a specified period. It determines your capacity charge for the next 12 months. A single spike can lock you into high charges for a year. Augos provides NMD monitoring and management to prevent costly spikes.

Question 16

Are there risks with power factor correction systems?

Accepted Answer

Yes, improperly designed or maintained PFC systems can pose fire risks, cause harmonic issues, and lead to over-correction penalties. Augos monitors PFC systems for safety issues, ensures proper sizing, and alerts you to maintenance needs before problems occur.

Question 17

How does water monitoring help reduce costs?

Accepted Answer

Water monitoring provides real-time visibility into consumption patterns, enabling early leak detection, identification of wastage, optimization of irrigation and processes, verification of utility bills, and data-driven decision making. Clients typically reduce water costs by 15-40% through monitoring and optimization.

Question 18

Can Augos detect leaks automatically?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Augos uses advanced algorithms to detect anomalous consumption patterns that indicate leaks. The system can identify both sudden pipe bursts and gradual leaks from toilets, taps, or underground pipes. Early detection prevents water waste and property damage.

Question 19

What is water quality monitoring?

Accepted Answer

Water quality monitoring involves continuous measurement of parameters like pH, turbidity, chlorine levels, and temperature to ensure compliance with regulations and safety standards. This is critical for industries like hospitality, healthcare, food processing, and any facility with cooling towers (Legionella risk).

Question 20

How does Augos help with water billing for tenants?

Accepted Answer

Similar to electricity, Augos provides accurate sub-metering and billing for water in multi-tenant properties. This includes hot and cold water separation, common area allocation (irrigation, pools), sewage charges based on consumption, and detailed reporting for cost recovery.

Question 21

Can I monitor water usage across multiple sites?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Augos provides centralized monitoring and reporting across your entire property portfolio. You can compare sites, benchmark performance, identify best practices, and manage all locations from a single dashboard with role-based access for different teams.

Question 22

What types of sensors does Augos support?

Accepted Answer

Augos supports a wide range of sensors including temperature and humidity sensors, pressure transducers, flow meters, air quality monitors (CO2, PM2.5, VOCs), vibration sensors for predictive maintenance, door/window sensors, and custom industrial sensors via standard protocols.

Question 23

How does remote monitoring work?

Accepted Answer

Remote monitoring uses IoT sensors and connectivity (WiFi, cellular, LoRaWAN, NB-IoT) to transmit data to the Augos platform in real-time. You can view all your sites from anywhere via web or mobile app, receive alerts for critical events, and control equipment remotely.

Question 24

What is cold chain monitoring?

Accepted Answer

Cold chain monitoring ensures temperature-sensitive products (food, pharmaceuticals) are stored and transported within safe temperature ranges. Augos provides 24/7 monitoring, automated alerts for temperature excursions, compliance reporting, and proof of proper storage for audits and quality assurance.

Question 25

Can Augos control equipment automatically?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Augos supports equipment control and automation through scheduled operations, condition-based triggers, remote manual control, and integration with building management systems. Examples include HVAC optimization, pump control, lighting automation, and load curtailment during peak periods.

Question 26

How reliable is the wireless connectivity?

Accepted Answer

Augos uses enterprise-grade connectivity solutions with redundancy and failover capabilities. Devices can operate on multiple networks (primary WiFi with cellular backup), store data locally during outages, and automatically reconnect. We achieve 99.5%+ uptime for critical monitoring applications.

Question 27

What is the Attribution Engine?

Accepted Answer

The Attribution Engine is Augos's manufacturing intelligence solution that connects production outcomes to their root causes. It tracks downtime, attributes losses to specific causes (equipment, materials, changeovers, etc.), provides shift and production reporting, and enables data-driven improvement initiatives.

Question 28

How does downtime attribution work?

Accepted Answer

Downtime attribution automatically captures stoppage events, categorizes them (planned vs unplanned), requires operators to assign root causes, tracks duration and frequency, and generates analytics to identify the biggest loss drivers. This enables targeted improvement efforts where they'll have the most impact.

Question 29

What is OEE and how does Augos calculate it?

Accepted Answer

OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) measures manufacturing productivity as the product of Availability × Performance × Quality. Augos automatically calculates OEE in real-time based on production data, providing visibility into losses and opportunities for improvement. World-class OEE is 85%+.

Question 30

Can production staff input data easily?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Augos provides intuitive interfaces for operators to log stoppages, record production counts, report quality issues, and complete shift handovers - all from tablets or mobile devices on the factory floor. The system is designed for industrial environments with minimal training required.

Question 31

What reports does the Attribution Engine provide?

Accepted Answer

Key reports include: shift reports with production vs targets, downtime analysis by equipment/cause/shift, OEE trends, job card tracking, performance benchmarking across lines/shifts, planned vs unplanned stoppage analysis, and executive summaries with key KPIs and improvement opportunities.

Question 32

Is my data secure with Augos?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Augos implements enterprise-grade security including encrypted data transmission (TLS/SSL), secure cloud hosting, role-based access controls, regular security audits, GDPR compliance, and data backup and disaster recovery. Your data is isolated and never shared with third parties.

Question 33

How is Augos different from a BMS or SCADA system?

Accepted Answer

While BMS and SCADA focus on equipment control and operational technology, Augos specializes in energy and utility intelligence, financial optimization, billing and cost recovery, and business analytics. Augos integrates with these systems to provide the financial and analytical layer on top of operational data.

Question 34

Do I need to install hardware?

Accepted Answer

It depends on your requirements. If you already have meters or sensors, Augos can often integrate with existing infrastructure. For new installations, Augos can supply and install certified meters, IoT sensors, and communication gateways. We handle the complete solution from hardware to insights.

Question 35

How long does implementation take?

Accepted Answer

Implementation timelines vary based on scope: Simple monitoring setups can be live in 2-4 weeks. Tenant billing systems typically take 1-3 months. Enterprise rollouts across multiple sites may take 3-6 months. We provide detailed project plans and work efficiently to minimize disruption.

Question 36

What kind of support do you provide?

Accepted Answer

Augos provides comprehensive support including initial training, ongoing technical support via phone/email, regular account reviews, platform updates and improvements, and access to energy management experts. For managed services like bill verification, we handle the entire process on your behalf.

Question 37

Can I try Augos before committing?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we offer pilot programs and proof-of-concept projects to demonstrate value before full deployment. We can also provide demos using anonymized data to show platform capabilities. Contact us to discuss a trial that fits your specific needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Energy Intelligence & Management

Tenant Billing & Cost Allocation

Power Factor & Demand Management

Water Management

IoT, Sensing & Control

Attribution Engine & Production Intelligence

Platform & Technical

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