Written by Eamonn Ryan
Ventilation equipment and building management systems (BMS) are critical components of HVAC&R systems, providing a means to control and optimise building environments.
Data centres cannot afford power interruptions as they can disrupt critical operations. Image supplied by Rawpixel on Freepik
The following are the critical issues facing BMS technologies as it applied to ventilation:
- Indoor air quality is a critical concern in the HVAC&R industry, particularly in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. There is a growing need for ventilation equipment and BMS that can provide high-quality indoor air, including systems that can filter out pollutants and airborne viruses.
- Energy efficiency is a key consideration in the design and operation of HVAC&R systems, including ventilation equipment and BMS. There is a growing need for systems that can optimise energy consumption, reduce costs and minimise environmental impacts.
- Integration with smart technologies, such as sensors and analytics, is becoming increasingly important in the HVAC&R industry. There is a growing need for ventilation equipment and BMS that can be integrated with smart technologies to optimise performance, reduce energy consumption and improve building occupant comfort.
- and repair of ventilation equipment and BMS is important for ensuring optimal performance and energy efficiency. There is a growing need for maintenance programmes that can help building owners and operators to reduce energy consumption and avoid equipment failures.
- Building automation is becoming increasingly important in the HVAC&R industry, including in ventilation equipment and BMS. There is a growing need for systems that can automate building operations, such as HVAC and lighting, to optimise energy consumption and reduce costs.
- BMS has therefore become an indispensable tool for optimising building ventilation, performance, energy efficiency and occupant comfort.
The BMS market is competitive, with several prominent players specialising in different sectors. Companies like Schneider-Electric, Honeywell, Johnson Controls, Tridium/ Niagara, and Siemens have established themselves as industry leaders, offering a wide range of BMS solutions. Each player focuses on specific applications and market segments, catering to diverse customer needs.
Tridium says: “The core reason to install a BMS is to break-down operation silos across equipment and services like HVAC, lighting, access control and utility monitoring. From one location, remote or local, a BMS optimally starts and stops equipment in a building based on occupancy creating an energy saving opportunity.”
New technologies are ushering in a transformative era, revolutionising the way buildings are monitored, controlled and optimised. Gone are the days when BMS solely focused on HVAC systems. Today, BMS encompasses every aspect of a building, from HVAC and uninterrupted power supplies (UPS) to water monitoring and generators, temperature sensors, actuators, valves, damper actuators and differential pressure sensors.
Mark Freeman, offer manager Digital Buildings, Anglophone Africa at Schneider-Electric explains that with the advent of open Application Programming Interface (APIs) and integrated platforms, BMS now offers a holistic view of the entire building, eliminating the need for managing multiple disparate systems.
“Traditionally, BMS primarily concentrated on HVAC systems, commonly referred to as a track monitoring system. However, the new era of BMS goes beyond HVAC, encompassing the entire building infrastructure. The goal is to create a unified platform that provides a comprehensive
overview of the building’s operations.
“The integration of diverse building systems through open APIs enables the creation of a single dashboard for efficient management. Instead of dealing with multiple isolated systems, it brings together different platforms, allowing seamless communication and coordination. By integrating disparate systems, BMS simplifies operations, enhances productivity and reduces costs for end-users,” Freeman says.
1 and 2: A BMS system installed at Eagle’s Pride chicken hatchery in Pretoria. Image supplied by © Eamonn Ryan | RACA Journal
The role of BMS in challenging and critical environments
BMS plays a pivotal role in complex environments such as hospitals and data centres, where precise monitoring and control are paramount. Freeman notes that much of the recent impetus behind BMS stemmed from the recent Covid-19 crisis which highlighted the need for robust BMS in critical areas like ICUs. “Oxygen plants, previously managed manually, can now be seamlessly integrated into BMS, ensuring real-time monitoring and alarm systems. This expanded scope of BMS improves overall efficiency and enhances patient safety in healthcare facilities.”
Modernising existing buildings to accommodate advanced BMS technologies can be a phased process, he notes, especially in older structures with outdated equipment. Retrofitting involves upgrading and integrating various systems to meet current standards. While it can present challenges, it is a worthwhile investment, says Freeman, in terms of efficiency, cost savings and improved building performance. The staged approach ensures a smooth transition while minimising disruptions to the building’s operations.
A significant portion of buildings that will exist in the future already exist today. Retrofitting these buildings to enhance energy efficiency and sustainability is a pressing need. BMS plays a crucial role in upgrading legacy systems and integrating new technologies for better resource management. Whether it’s hotels, commercial real estate, or retail spaces, BMS enables wireless setups, retrofits and visualisation of data at a national level, contributing to improved energy efficiency and guest comfort.
Retrofitting existing buildings, especially in Africa’s hospitality industry, is critical for enhancing guest comfort and sustainability, ensuring optimal efficiency and operational excellence.
Freeman says: “The first step in implementing a BMS is understanding the current systems in place and determining the desired monitoring and measurement requirements. The process involves installing the necessary software and integrating existing systems that are compatible with the BMS platform. Over time, additional systems can be upgraded or integrated to ensure comprehensive control and monitoring.
“BMS is particularly well-suited for buildings with complex requirements such as data centres, hospitals, hotels and commercial office parks. These facilities often consume more energy than typical buildings and require precise monitoring and control. Additionally, BMS can optimise energy usage and space allocation, allowing for efficient segregation of offices and dynamic adjustments to HVAC systems. Any building that benefits from intelligent control, improved energy management, and cost savings can greatly benefit from a BMS implementation.”
While a BMS can provide basic power monitoring capabilities, its primary differentiator lies in its ability to control and manage energy usage. A separate Advanced Power Monitoring System offers advanced reporting and detailed energy analysis. A BMS, on the other hand, allows for comprehensive control over energy-consuming systems, such as HVAC and generators. By optimising energy consumption and load management, BMS enables significant energy savings and facilitates meeting energy demand efficiently.
Understanding BMS architecture
“BMS architecture comprises three primary layers: connected products, edge controllers and cloud-based systems. Connected products include various devices and systems within the building, such as generators, UPS’s and HVAC systems. Edge controllers, sitting between the building and the cloud, act as supervisory devices: they enable communication and control, collecting data from connected products and transmitting it to the cloud-based system. The cloud-based system serves as the centralised software platform where data is analysed, visualised and used for decision-making.
“Efficient cooling is paramount in data centres to maintain optimal operating conditions. BMS enables sophisticated cooling systems, such as underfloor cooling and ducted cooling, to regulate temperature and airflow effectively. By monitoring temperature differentials, airflow rates and cooling efficiency, BMS optimises cooling operations, reduces energy consumption and ensures uniform cooling throughout the facility,” Freeman adds.
Data centres cannot afford power interruptions as they can disrupt critical operations. “BMS integrates with backup power solutions, including massive diesel generators and mobile generator units. The system monitors generator performance and automatically initiates power transfer during outages and synchronises multiple generators for redundancy. This ensures uninterrupted power supply and minimises downtime, safeguarding critical data and systems.”
The data centre can also adopt billing systems based on client power consumption. They play a pivotal role in accurately monitoring and recording energy consumption, enabling precise billing. By providing comprehensive data on power usage and performance, BMS helps data centres optimise energy consumption, reduce costs and improve overall efficiency.
“Technology continues to shape the future of building management and BMS plays a pivotal role in this transformation by integrating with IoT (Internet of Things) devices, artificial intelligence and cloud-based analytics to optimise energy consumption, automate processes and enhance occupant comfort. Embracing global best practices and collaborating with industry experts are key to successful BMS implementation and maximising the benefits of modern building management,” says Freeman.
BMS systems: Enhancing control and readings
Energy Partners (EP) general manager for refrigeration, Dawie Kriel. Image supplied by Energy Partners
Another function of BMS lies in enabling other services such as servitisation. A crucial element in servitisation is the utilisation of a BMS to manage the refrigeration system effectively, says Energy Partners (EP) general manager for refrigeration Dawie Kriel. The BMS acts as the central control hub, monitoring and optimising various parameters to ensure efficient operation. “By utilising the BMS, businesses gain real-time insights into the system’s performance, allowing them to make informed decisions and adjustments. With the BMS providing accurate readings, companies can identify potential issues and optimise energy consumption, leading to cost savings and improved overall efficiency.
“Utilising technologies like the Trillium Jeyes PLC and 3D MJ solutions, refrigeration systems can collect and transmit data seamlessly. This data, coupled with sophisticated control systems, such as GI cursors and Danfoss controllers, enables precise management of the entire refrigeration process. The integration of these technologies ensures efficient cooling and temperature control in various settings, from plant rooms to cold storage facilities.”
SERVITISATION ALLOWS FOR TAILORED
SOLUTION
Servitisation allows for tailored solution
Servitisation, a concept now being researched by universities such as Aston University in the UK, is gaining traction globally. Experts at Aston University have won a grant for research aimed at improving UK economic productivity, with the project investigating how industry can respond to environmental challenges by being innovative and potentially changing business models. ‘Servitisation’ describes the strategy of creating value by adding services to products or replacing a product with a service.
While it may seem new to some, servitisation has been around for quite some time, with industries like the printer industry adopting it to great success. Servitisation revolves around providing services instead of selling products outright. In the context of refrigeration, it translates to offering cooling or refrigeration as a service tailored to the unique requirements of each customer.
Servitisation finds parallels in the well-established concept of district heating and cooling systems. District heating and cooling have been prevalent in countries like Sweden and Norway, where centralised systems circulate hot or chilled water to buildings for heating or cooling purposes. However, the key distinction is that in district heating and cooling, customers have limited control over the temperature they receive. They receive a standardised temperature provided by the system. In contrast, Energy Partners’ servitisedrefrigeration allows for custom solutions, providing customers with precise temperature control based on their specific needs.
A pioneer in the field of energy efficiency and sustainability in South Africa, Energy Partners is making waves with its innovative approach to refrigeration, cooling-as-a-service (CaaS), a concept born from the global phenomena of servitisation. Central to the
concept of servitisation is that clients pay for a service rather than the equipment itself.
Plant data engineering systems: Enchanting control and efficiency
BMS plays a pivotal role in complex environments such as hospitals and data centres, where precise monitoring and control are paramount. Image supplied by Fanjianhua on Freepik
A crucial element in servitisation is the asset management team using Data Engineering Systems (DES) to generate the intelligence to manage the refrigeration system effectively, says Energy Partners (EP) general manager for refrigeration Dawie Kriel. Actionable information is generated through the central monitoring hub, allowing one to optimise various parameters to ensure efficient operation. In addition, temperature security is ensured with a timeous alarm response. “By utilising the DES, businesses gain real-time insights into the system’s performance, allowing them to make informed decisions and adjustments to optimise energy consumption, leading to cost savings and improved overall performance with less waste.”
For servitisation to work, accurately measuring the consumption of cooling is essential. Without reliable measurements, invoicing for the service is impossible. The lack of readily available meters for measuring cooling consumption posed a significant obstacle.
However, the foundation for such measurements was laid out in a research paper published by a Danish university in the early 1980s. It was only with advancements in technology, particularly in data management and processing power around 2010, that the practical implementation of a ‘cooling meter’ became feasible.
Kriel explains that EP’s solution involves measuring multiple data points every five seconds, encompassing multiple pressure and temperatures, electricity consumption and climate states. These data points enable the calculation of the coefficient of performance (COP), which serves as a crucial indicator of efficiency. “Through continuous monitoring and analysis, we can optimise energy usage, drive efficiency and provide accurate invoicing based on actual cooling consumption.”
The advent of cloud computing has played a pivotal role in facilitating the practical implementation of servitised refrigeration. Storing and processing large volumes of data has become more streamlined, eliminating the need for extensive on-site data storage systems. Cloud-based solutions offer scalability, cost-effectiveness and efficient data management, enabling EP to build a metering system that accurately measures cooling consumption and supports ongoing analysis and optimisation.
Taking refrigeration utility capital off balance sheet
Kriel explains that CaaS allows its customers to take energy assets off-balance sheet and convert utility costs to operational expenses. In terms of IFRIS, an essential aspect of servitisation is the ownership of assets by the service provider. In addition to owning the equipment, service providers offer an extended warranty and comprehensive maintenance and support services. In the case of refrigeration systems, service providers deploy their personnel to ensure round-the-clock monitoring and maintenance. This proactive approach allows for a timely response to alarms, ensuring operational efficiency and customer support. Service providers allocate a portion of the contract value to regular maintenance, ensuring the longevity and reliability of the refrigeration system.
Servitisation contracts typically span a significant period, typically between 10 and 20 years. These long-term agreements provide stability and predictability for both the service provider and the client. However, he explains, customers also have the option to buy out the system at any point during the contract period. This flexibility ensures that customers are not locked into a service agreement if they are dissatisfied or wish to explore other alternatives.
Energy efficiency is key
Bruce Kinnear, BMS sales manager for iLED Building Automation. Image supplied by © Eamonn Ryan | RACA Journal
Bruce Kinnear, BMS sales manager for iLED Building Automation, says: “Air conditioning is still the biggest user of electricity in a building. A chiller draws massive kilowatt hours – and when talking about energy saving, most electricity bills are calculated on maximum load multiplied by kilowatt hours. If we can reduce the maximum load by say 20 points, we can save money. That can be achieved simply by starting the chiller a little earlier or a little later than when everything else is being switched on, thereby preventing a spike in power usage. Lighting doesn’t draw a lot of power, but it is constant if left on all day and night – unless managed,” says
Kinnear. “There is no human interface – the idea is to automate it. If there’s no movement in an office after 5-10 minutes, the lights switch off. Even that technology has evolved to infrared detection.
“The payback calculations we’ve done suggest a BMS pays back its capital investment in about two years on an averagesized office block. A properly engineered BMS is like a toolbox: the tools save time. These provide the maintenance manager with visibility before any complaint or problem arises, letting them know exactly where to go and what tools to take. It can go as far as informing what individual component is required to repair a fan. This saves a huge amount of time – and time is money. Saving energy really involves a mindset change.”
A BMS is effective for any size building – whether industrial or commercial – but Kinnear emphasises that the payback is typically longer with smaller buildings, as the average cost diminishes the bigger the system.
“In addition, it’s easier to install a BMS on a new build, as you get to choose appropriate fittings and units better suited to a BMS, whereas with a retrofit you may have to change the fittings if you want that level of interface. For instance, in a new build, you can choose a generator which has a BACnet IP controller.”
BMS provides benefits that extend beyond the financial. It results in an improved experience for the occupants of a building. Kinnear describes it: “With a proper BMS, we monitor air quality so as to be able to improve it when it gets bad.
Staff feel better and more energised. Air conditioners can be connected via Bluetooth to an individual’s smartphone so they are in control and can change the set points. How far you want to take the benefits is limited only by your capex budget and your imagination. We can automate everything.”
In a digitised building, each vital cog starts continuously providing the data required to obtain operational insight. Image supplied by Usertrmk on Freepik
REFERENCES:
1. https://www.tridium.com/us/en/Learn/by-connectivity-need/building-management
2. https://www.aston.ac.uk/latest-news/aston-university-winsshare-ps10m-research-improve-uk-economic-productivity
