EU Bank Reduces Digital Display Energy Costs By 40% Using Device Management: signageOS Study

March 11, 2024 by Dave Haynes

I suspect lots of people take on the mindsets of bored, eye-rolling teens when a digital signage planning or technology review meeting turns to the scintillating topic of remote device management and monitoring, but here’s a compelling reason why that seemingly dull discussion is actually interesting and important: it can save a pile of money.

The Czech software firm signageOS has a great case study out now that gets into how an unnamed European bank started using its digital signage device management platform to better manage the energy consumption, and costs, of its customer-facing retail banking displays.

The results:

energy consumption reductions of about 40%;
power bills reduced by more than 100,000 EU annually.

I was a little confused by the math at the bottom of this study, but checked with signageOS, who explained electricity prices have fluctuated quite a bit in Europe since early 2022 because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Here’s the case study summary, which does not name the specific bank for, signageOS says, data privacy reasons (it would also, typically, be a loooong and tortured journey to get all the PR permissions necessary from a big bank):

European Retail Bank (ERB) distinguishes itself as a leading provider of banking and financial services, catering to consumers and SME clients in Central Europe. Recognized for its innovative digital banking approach, ERB prioritizes providing a delightful customer experience and adopts a positive stance toward promoting environmental sustainability.

Solutions

In addressing the concerns related to energy consumption and operational expenses, ERB teamed up with signageOS to utilize their digital signage device management platform along with several additional strategies.

Smart Automation and Scheduling: Leveraging signageOS’s device management platform, ERB incorporated automation and scheduling to enhance the efficiency of their displays.

ERB employed automated scheduling to control device power states, enabling you to turn devices on or off during non-business hours or low-foot traffic periods to save energy and manage uptime efficiently.
signageOS CloudControl also includes a temperature chart with a user-defined threshold, enabling European Retail Bank to proactively track the temperature variations of their devices to prevent overheating and potential damage, which in turn saves energy.
ERB employs a brightness schedule for semi-outdoor displays, automatically dimming the backlight in the evening and night hours. This conserves power, aligns with local regulations, and prevents disruptive brightness that can affect the neighborhood.
ERB had the flexibility to adapt its schedules according to both the day of the week and the time of day, aligning with the operational hours of numerous branches.

Remote Monitoring and Diagnostics: The European Retail Bank utilized the signageOS device management platform to remotely monitor a range of digital signage devices across diverse brands like Samsung, Benq, Lenovo, and BrightSign, along with LED walls, through a centralized dashboard. This comprehensive solution enhanced operational efficiency, streamlined issue resolution, and empowered the bank to oversee critical actions such as tracking brightness levels, monitoring device uptime, and ensuring optimal display configurations. Additionally, the platform facilitated automated remediation of any altered configurations, ultimately improving the overall effectiveness of the bank’s digital signage management.

Energy Efficient Technology: European Retail Bank utilizes LCDs, recognized for their energy efficiency, which demands less power for operation, thereby lowering overall energy consumption.

Other benefits:

Reduced Heat Emission: ERB opts for LCDs with minimal power consumption, meticulously monitoring both peak and average energy usage. This information guides the bank’s hardware procurement, ensuring a thoughtful selection of devices that align with energy efficiency goals.
Longer Lifespan: LCDs exhibit an extended lifespan when managed effectively, with particular emphasis on monitoring the lamp time, an essential metric to gauge display performance. Managing brightness and power cycles prolongs the overall display lifetime.
Recyclability: Numerous components within LCD panels, including glass and metals, can be reclaimed and repurposed. Implementing appropriate disposal and recycling programs further mitigates the environmental impact of LCDs after their life cycle.
Regulatory Compliance: LCDs are designed to meet stringent environmental regulations and standards. Compliance with initiatives such as Energy Star ensures that LCD manufacturers adhere to energy efficiency guidelines, contributing to overall environmental responsibility.

Content-Based Optimization: With European Retail Bank also utilizing LED wall displays, they can utilize the signageOS Screenshot Time Machine feature to obtain proof of play of content accuracy to detect issues like instances where content might be too bright, leading to increased energy consumption, and adjust accordingly. Several other energy conservation actions can be utilized to optimize content, such as:

Color Palette Selection: selecting a color palette that is visually attractive yet demands less energy for display. Steer clear of excessively bright colors and choose energy-efficient combinations instead.
Energy-Efficient Templates: Use backgrounds that don’t require high levels of backlighting and consider simple layouts that minimize power-intensive graphical elements.

Employee Training and Awareness Programs: European Retail Bank engaged employees in energy conservation training programs, highlighting best practices such as powering off displays during breaks and ensuring the correct operation of automated systems.

Results (Data Analysis)

ERB operates a total of 182 semi-outdoor high-brightness displays. These displays operated with an initial average energy consumption of 10,080 W/day per unit. Following the implementation of signageOS, this average energy consumption decreased by over 40 % to 6,010 W/day. This resulted in a substantial energy bill reduction of approximately €104,645 per year for the entire network at the time of implementation in 2022-2023. The overall savings for the entire network over the expected lifespan of 5 years will amount to more than €250,000 on the electricity consumption alone.

Electricity Consumption Costs

Before signageOS

Total electricity consumption per year: 669.6 MW

Total electricity bill per year: €60.264

After signageOS

Total electricity consumption per year: 399.2 MW

Total electricity bill per year: €35.928

Conclusion

By leveraging power-efficient LCDs, smart automation, remote management, and content optimization. This strategic initiative led to a considerable reduction in energy costs, elevated the company’s sustainability rating, and resulted in improved customer satisfaction, enhanced brand reputation, and increased client retention.