Building Controls Audits | Building Management System Audits
Discover the hidden possibilities for improvement with little or no capital expense.
Energy conservation opportunities, main plant control, lighting control and inexpensive opportunities to improve the Nabers rating on your commercial building.
We can Audit or investigate a part or whole building’s control diversity to discover more about the opportunities which are within. The Brand of Controls or the type is not a factor. The benefits can produce a return on investment in as little as one month.
Building Management Systems (BMS, BMCS, BAS) we have worked with include:
Schneider, Honeywell, TAC, Innotech, Automated Logic, Delta, Alerton, Tridium, Siemens, and Johnson Controls, just to name a few.
Building Controls Audits | ROI
Before you Refurbish or Upgrade your Building Management System, Consider the Return on Investment for a Building Management System Audit of the site first.
Protocols we have worked with include:
Lon Works, Bacnet, RS485, Niagara Ax, Some proprietary (TAC, Johnson Siemens)
Our BMS Audits (Building Management Systems) can reveal just how effective the existing system really is and where there are opportunities for improvement; control strategies that may not be implemented which can reduce energy costs, for example:
- Plant optimization
- Plant and services interfacing
- Set back control
A Few Example Anomalies
Control anomalies that we have found in our audits include:
- Ghost points on the graphics which go now where
- Obsolescence controllers and Field devices delivered/installed as current product
- System-wide upgrades were only at the computer or Operator’s terminal
- Sensors with no Internal circuit boards
- Cables shorted to prevent alarm condition
- Variable Speed Drives without Programming are deemed as faulty
- Damper and valve Actuators wired in reverse/setup in reverse
- Relays in Mechanical Services board “melted terminals.”
- Overuse of Transducers
- Control diversity in programming code that didn’t actually work in the field
- and many more….
Nearly every issue we have ever found had nothing to do with the brand of equipment; most issues came about due to a lack of completion of the commissioning process.
A Few Questions
Frequently asked questions include:
- Where are the commissioning and check sheets completed at DLP?
- Can we have Web server access?
- Is the lighting control engaged?
- Do we have carbon dioxide control?
- Do we have Carbon Monoxide control for the car park fans? (does it comply?)
- Do we have VOC sensors?
Continue to Reduce Costs
Ongoing cost reduction opportunities include:
- Can a Service Agreement be offered for preventative or comprehensive maintenance
- Multiple Vendor scope of works and market value repairs and maintenance
- Incumbent provider’s culture and pricing benefits
- spare parts cost and availability, market pricing, interchangeable brands
- Are the Graphics friendly/meaningful to all the staff who use them
Simple Low-Cost Opportunities
The building Controls Audit can identify simple and low-cost-effective strategies available within the existing system, which may be implemented to improve energy conservation. There is likely to be software application code that has never been implemented on-site that is now available and would be simply a labour-only expense.
The Building Control System may provide hidden opportunities for the following”.
- Scalable upgrades
- high-level interface to critical main plant equipment
- low-level interface to older existing plant equipment
- multiple open protocols with seamless integration
- Web-enabled for access from any web browser subject to password
- Market price or single vendor captive pricing
- Multiple vendors and interchangeable product opportunities, including field controllers
- expandable with or without upgrades
- Obsolescence considerations, Life term, “future proof.”
