Released:

7.4.2024

Morgan Solar Energy Blinds, Winner of the 2024 BGIS Supplier Innovation Award

The operations of buildings have a significant impact on our environment, contributing to approximately 40% of global carbon emissions and consuming about one-third of the world’s energy. From heating and cooling to lighting and appliances, the energy used in buildings directly affects our carbon footprint and overall sustainability. The operation of our buildings also has a big impact on core business success, as it relates to operations costs, customer experience, and team member health and wellbeing.

The challenge to delivering the performance and operational efficiency targets that we are all seeking, typically includes economic viability, integration with the existing building design and operation, and obtaining buy-in to change. Despite these challenges, BGIS is committed to helping clients improve the operational performance of their buildings, and identify new solutions in order to do so. With that said, BGIS is pleased to announce that Morgan Solar is the winner of the 2024 BGIS Supplier Innovation Award, for their innovative Energy Blinds.

Energy Blinds are an exciting new technology that replaces conventional window shades. Using advanced materials and control systems, they produce electricity, and they reduce energy consumption from heating, cooling and interior lighting. The energy produced can amount to more than 10% of a building’s requirements, depending on the building’s efficiency, and the HVAC energy savings of up to 10%, while also making spaces more healthy and comfortable for occupants. Most importantly, they offer strong business cases, with their energy savings and generation resulting in very short payback periods. These savings and improvements can be significant enough that buildings can reach their energy efficiency and emissions goals without needing to go all the way to an expensive and carbon intensive building re-skinning or window replacement.

“BGIS manages over 40,000 facilities worldwide, and we are always looking for opportunities to continuously improve the operational efficiency and performance of our clients buildings, considering the environment, occupant wellbeing, and economics. With the right solutions, our clients do not have to choose between sustainability and project economics, which is what makes these Energy Blinds so exciting.” – Andrew Hicks, BGIS

BGIS first deployed an Energy Blinds demonstration system in 2021 at a Government of Canada site. This pilot project, installed on 86 windows, has resulted in a reduction of over 12 tCO2 per year, over $6,200 per year in energy savings, and positive feedback from the client in terms of comfort. Working with BMO, BGIS and Morgan Solar will install an Energy Blinds commercial project at the BMO Technology and Operations center in Q2 of 2024. The BMO project will demonstrate the effectiveness of Energy Blinds for retrofits in office spaces by improving productivity with increased daylight, by generating energy for backup power, and by creating savings in HVAC operation. BGIS is excited to work with Morgan Solar on these pilot projects, and is already in discussions with other clients to look at further Energy Blinds projects.

Morgan Solar has partnered with Cisco to deploy Energy Blinds connected to Cisco’s next generation building automation and efficiency concepts. Cisco is leveraging existing ethernet infrastructure in commercial buildings to develop efficient DC microgrids. With Energy Blinds, these microgrids can be powered by renewable energy – powering offices with the energy harvested at the windows.

The first commercial Energy Blinds project went live earlier this year at a Cisco office location, and Morgan Solar has partnered with Cisco and BGIS for their next project for Bank of Montreal.

BGIS is excited to offer this award, to be involved in the development of two of the first commercial Energy Blinds systems, and to work with Morgan Solar and BGIS customers all over the world to make buildings more energy efficient, healthier, and better places to live and work.

You can find the original copy of this article here.

About BGIS

Leading the global real estate industry with innovative fully integrated solutions since 1992, BGIS provides technically led integrated facility management services globally. With a focus on innovative solutions that support our clients in differentiating and successfully growing their businesses, BGIS provides a full spectrum of customized facility management services, integrated technical services, project delivery services, energy and sustainability solutions, asset management, workplace advisory and management, and real estate services to real estate and infrastructure owners and occupiers.

Supported by a team of more than 12,000 employees globally, BGIS manages more than 500 million square feet of client portfolios across more than 40,000 locations across the globe, including, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.

About Morgan Solar

Morgan Solar is a Toronto-based technology innovator and manufacturer with 15 years of experience in solar energy, solar tracking, sensors, and controls. We adopt proven materials and processes from the existing commercial and industrial ecosystem to push the envelope of what solar can achieve. Morgan Solar is partnership-focused and engages leading vendors, manufacturers and channel partners to develop innovative products and move them to market. Morgan Solar specializes in simulation, software design and product design for solar energy applications in buildings and for commercial solar.

For more information on Morgan Solar, visit www.morgansolar.com.

Contact: Nicolas Morgan, VP Business Development

info@morgansolar.com