The School of Computing
Software helps cut energy use by quarter
Tue, May 17, 2011
The E-MAGINE building energy management system, developed in Horsham by sustainable energy group ENER-G, uses internet technology to control and manage remotely a building’s heating, ventilation, air conditioning and lighting.
Glenn Hicks, 21, a BSc (Hons) Software Engineering student, is spending his industrial placement year helping develop software with the international business before returning to complete his BSc course at the University of Portsmouth.
He said: “I have never been part of an award winning team before and it’s terrific to be working for the company at its time of success. The most rewarding aspect about this placement has been seeing some of the parts I have worked on, no matter how small, being implemented into the final product. It is a great feeling to see some of your work being used in the real world.
“The team I am working with have been incredibly supportive to us students, and I have learned a lot from them and been given a real insight into the world of work. It’s also given me some ideas for my final year project once I’m back at university.”
Ten members of staff worked on developing the new system over two years.
Glenn said: “I joined the staff last September and spent six months writing the main security code for the application. I have since been involved with all aspects of software product development including design, testing and utilising UML. In particular I have learnt a lot about programming in Microsoft’s Silverlight technology.”
Glenn, and another student from Brighton University, developed some of the key applications which form the basis of the software. They also provided testing support and documentation for part of coding standards procedures.
The technology was trialled at ENER-G’s UK headquarters in Manchester before launch and has since won the Salford Business Award. The technology is designed for use in industrial, commercial and residential markets, and can measure and control energy usage across single and multiple buildings.
ENER-G’s principal software engineer Dr Chris Inkpen said: “Glenn has been involved significantly in the writing of the user manager application which manages all the security aspects of E-VISION. Together with the Brighton student, he has clocked up about six man-months of coding and about six man-months of testing and documentation support.
“We’ve employed Portsmouth students for the past five or six years and next year we are taking on another four of them during their industrial placement year to work at more of an embedded level in gateway products.”
Last year the firm hired the University of Portsmouth student who had done his placement year with them.
Technology faculty students can find out more about placements here: http://www.port.ac.uk/techplacements and employers can find out more about taking on technology undergraduates on one-year placements here: http://www.port.ac.uk/techplacementscheme