Pilot to monitor energy and comfort at Yanmar in Almere
As part of the Yanmar Green Challenge, Yanmar works to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy efficiency of its facilities and offices. One of the initiatives is Y-GEAR (Yanmar GHG Energy Awareness), developed by Yanmar R&D Europe in Italy. The system uses IoT sensors to support conscious energy use while maintaining a comfortable indoor climate. Yanmar Europe and Yanmar Europe Marine both join the pilot project. The system was previously installed at a site in Japan, Yanmar Synergy Square (YSQ), and in Italy, at the YRE research center, and is undergoing continuous testing.
Installation and first results
On 21 November more then 30 pyramid-shaped devices were installed in the offices, meeting rooms and canteens of the Yanmar facilities in Almere. The devices measure temperature, humidity, and CO₂. Based on EU comfort standards, the system shows simple recommendations on the display to encourage effective actions for a comfortable, energy‑efficient environment. By now the first three months of winter data are available, and the results are positive.
Thermal Comfort and Energy Performance
The average operative temperature in the building is about 20.5 °C, which is in line with European comfort standards. This overall average indicates that the indoor climate is generally comfortable, although in practice, some variation exists between cooler and warmer areas.
In terms of performance and energy savings, the building is already being managed at a good temperature level. There is, however, still potential for further energy savings through temperature optimization. The margin for improvement during working hours is limited to 5-10% according to the Energy Saving Potential (ESP) index provided by the system.
Towards a Sustainable Future
At Yanmar we practice what we preach. In line with the Yanmar Green Challenge, this project shows that we are not only talking about sustainability, but also actively working on it in our own buildings. With Y-GEAR, Yanmar takes another step towards a more sustainable future. By gaining better insight into energy use and indoor comfort, the project supports the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from our own operations and contributes to the long-term ambition to become an environmentally friendly, greenhouse gas-free company. Step by step, we continue to work towards a more sustainable way we operate.