Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/147234
Get Smart The role of building automation and control systems in sustainable design by Bill Armstrong T echnology is changing the way buildings are designed, constructed and operated. This certainly applies to the combination of technologies that make up building automation and control systems. These systems must meet a range of objectives including providing a healthy, comfortable and safe environment for the people who live and work in these buildings. In addition, easy to manage controls for building managers, low energy and maintenance costs, and low overall cost of ownership over the life of the building are essential. Developing systems for HVAC, lighting, security, fire monitoring and suppression, and communication and environmental performance that work well together is one of the challenges this segment faces. Today there is a wide range of building automation solutions available in the marketplace, and innovation continues to push the technological envelope. Legrand North America is a group of companies that provides products and services that promote green design and operational efficiencies in commercial and institutional buildings, as well as in homes. One solution being offered by Legrand is the raised floor system, which is becoming an increasingly significant component of green building design. These systems facilitate underfloor HVAC distribution that provides consistent temperature, ventilation, humidification and air quality. They also form a flexible pathway for wiring and cabling and could allow for connectivity devices that have not yet been invented. Another solution gaining traction in green building design is lighting. Legrand notes that lighting accounts for almost half of an average building's energy usage and that natural light not only reduces energy consumption but also enhances employee morale and productivity. Lighting accounts for about 20 per cent of energy used in the home, while heating and cooling represent approximately 50 per cent of home energy costs. Legrand offers a variety of occupancy sensors, timers, Automated Building Control Systems p26-27Controls.indd 27 programmable thermostats and zoned heating and cooling. All of these are networked together to conserve energy in the home. Allan Hepburn of Hepburn Controls is a firm believer in offering a suite of products chosen from a variety of manufacturers that specialize in specific products or product areas. That way, he says, you get the best quality at a reasonable price. "You also need a range of products to meet the different needs of clients," says Hepburn. "For example, one temperature zone will not work well in a doctor's office where you have a waiting room, a reception area and maybe several examination rooms. The people in the examination rooms are going to want it warmer than those in the waiting area." Hepburn notes that there is a considerable demand in the Greater Toronto Area to retrofit 25-year-old buildings with energy-efficiency upgrades. "Whether it's a retrofit or a new project, it's vital to have buy-in from the building operators who will manage the systems every day. That may mean training the operators to get maximum benefits from the systems," he says. Hepburn Controls has recently announced the introduction of a new product that sits at a price point between a programmable thermostat and a full-blown automation system. The Maverick IP Energy Metering Appliance can monitor any utility input – power, gas, steam, water or compressed air – via pulse inputs, with data available for tracking on any web browser. "This fills a gap in the market," Hepburn explains. "It's not a network device but it can read any data you want, one system at a time. It allows building operators to establish a baseline for building performance and then look for where energy is being wasted and money can be saved. It can also send you notices when a system fails. It's a low-cost way of controlling systems locally." As its name suggests, Tyco Integrated Security specializes in helping to develop and deliver security systems for commercial properties from a selection of getty images products and services that meet each client's unique needs. The process begins with a security review, which could include a walk-around in a facility by a TycoIS representative to identify threats and hazards, and to evaluate vulnerabilities. Working closely with the client, members of the TycoIS team develop a plan to prepare for potential events, a mitigation plan to help restrict risk and harden targets, a response and escalation plan, and a recovery plan to enable the client to resume core business activities. TycoIS will also soon launch its Mobile Security Management system in Canada. The system includes a remote management application that enables customers to manage security systems from remote locations using web-enabled devices such as smartphones, tablets or laptops. L.M. Temperature Controls Inc. provides rental services and equipment for critical building systems, in planned and emergency situations. "We generally work with a general contractor and/or mechanical contractors, sometimes at the planning stage of a job, and sometimes as an afterthought," says Dustin Hubert, L.M.'s operations manager. "We offer products that fill in for permanent systems if they need to be offline during a retrofit, and before a new system is installed. If delivery of a piece of a permanent system is delayed, or an unforeseen complication delays the installation of a permanent system, that's when we get calls to help keep systems running uninterrupted," Hubert says. Energy efficiency and life cycle operational costs are two major goals of today's automation and control systems, and (wired and wireless) connectivity through the World Wide Web looks to be the future for the industry. Whether an organization has a few facilities in a local area or around the world, administrators now have the ability to monitor and manage the systems in each and every building from a workstation, smartphone or tablet. n august 2013 /27 13-07-12 11:41 AM