Answers

I assume you've read my web page on smart buildings. What I'm proposing is really the next generation of building automation. Today computers control basic building systems like HVAC, security, fire alarm, lighting, etc. but often not in a well integrated manner. In a smart building, those systems are talking to each other, and making intelligent decisions. So for example:

- The occupancy sensor that turns off the lights, also changes the thermostat setting for an unoccupied room.

- The building makes decisions about electricity consumption based on real time electricity prices

- The security system talks to the building, so that all systems know who is in the building and what their preferences are

- systems recognize when equipment needs maintenance or is about to fail

etc, etc.

Here are two more places where you may be able to learn a bit more. http:// www.eren.doe.gov/buildings/research_systems.html

http://www.nordx.com/ public/htmen/3_1.htm

-- chris schaffner (chris@greenengineer.com), February 20, 2002.

Some other key features of "smart buildings" are the proactive and "learning"capabilities of buliding control and management systems.

Given the large quantity of input points on current building designs, the building management and control system can easily utililize these points to optimize HVAC zone control setpoints based upon historical occupany, lighting, power usage, and recorded seasonal (temperature, humidity) data. Interfacing this historical data for the building.

Building warm-up/cool-down (depending upon the season), purge, etc. were the original control algorythms from the late 80 and through the 90s. These have been refined and still require quite a bit of work - in my opinion.

Actually, it would not be too far of a leap to utilize the "tomorrow's weather forecast" for a specific area in generating the refined setpoints for a buildings. All of the information is readily available for a control system to use a form of fuzzy logic to put the pieces together and trim out some more energy use...

My key point is that the hardware (sensors/wiring/panels, etc.) are typically installed, its the use of this information through the application specific programs and logic that can really bring forth the key gains for all of us.

Smart building system must be careful not to unintentionally affect a worker's safety by turning off lights, shutting down elevator, egress paths, etc. because worker did not utilize their access control card - too much of a liability issue. Independant occupany sensors (infrared, etc. - as applicable) should be utilized along with flashing of lights before they're deactivated.

-- Chad Wisler, PE (cwisler@mac.com), March 16, 2002.