Industrial Automation Magazine India

Automation empowers building facility managers to exert precise control over operations

Published on : Saturday 07-10-2023

Ms Mamta Rawat, Sustainability Consultant IGBC Fellow, IGBC AP, LEED AP, BEE Certified Energy Manager.
Estimates vary, but buildings account for 30-40% of energy consumption. How does building automation contribute to energy efficiency?
 

The buildings sector, accounting for a significant 40% of global CO2 emissions, stands as a pivotal frontier in our battle against climate change. Decarbonising buildings offers a monumental opportunity to accomplish critical societal and environmental objectives, ushering in a zero-emissions era.
 
There are several ways to approach Decarbonisation in the Built Environment throughout Design, Construction and Operations and Maintenance phases. At the heart of this transformation are Building Automation Systems (BAS), integrating Sensors, Analytics, and Automation technologies. These dynamic systems collaborate to fine-tune energy consumption by regulating air conditioning and lighting. Implementing strategies like staggered scheduling and demand-side management of non-essential loads further diminish peak energy demand. Through meticulous metering and submetering, we gain precise insights into energy usage within distinct zones, departments, or sections. By aggregating equipment and monitoring consumption collectively, we attain a comprehensive understanding of unit performance, transcending isolated assessments of individual components. Automation, hinged on well-considered operating conditions, empowers building facility managers to exert precise control over equipment operation, thus reducing inefficiencies and mitigating potential machine degradation.
 
In this pivotal moment, we are presented with an opportunity to revolutionise the way we approach sustainability in our built environment. Through the adoption of innovative solutions and concerted efforts, we can pave the way for a future where our planet thrives in balance and harmony.
 
What are the specific building automation technologies that help optimise heating, cooling, and lighting systems for energy savings?
At present there are multiple softwares and technologies available to reduce the energy consumption of the buildings at the design and construction stage itself by focusing on Passive & Active Strategies. By using these strategies at the right time we may create high performance energy efficient buildings in true sense. The aim is to focus on the Life Cycle Analysis of the buildings and aim towards Zero Emissions.
 
There are multiple startups too, joining the force towards making the buildings more sustainable. Just to name some specific building automation technologies commonly found in today's energy efficient buildings are:
● Occupancy Sensors: These devices are pivotal for enhancing energy efficiency by allowing HVAC adjustments based on occupancy status. When a space is unoccupied, the sensors can prompt the HVAC system to enter energy-saving modes, ultimately leading to reduced energy consumption and cost savings.
● Temperature and Humidity Sensors: Continuously monitoring the indoor environment, temperature and humidity sensors provide critical data to fine-tune HVAC setpoints. This ensures a delicate balance between comfort and energy efficiency.
● Smart HVAC Controls: Modern HVAC control systems utilise data from diverse sensors and weather forecasts to optimise heating and cooling processes, maximising efficiency and comfort.
● HVAC Zoning: This approach involves dividing a building into zones with separate temperature controls, enhancing comfort and energy efficiency by directing heating or cooling where needed.
● Blinds and Shading Systems: Advanced shading systems and smart blinds adjust based on natural light, optimising energy usage by minimising the need for artificial lighting and reducing heat gain.
● Smart Ventilation: Intelligent ventilation systems adaptively regulate fresh air intake based on occupancy and maintain optimal indoor air quality, significantly reducing the energy required for conditioning outdoor air.
● Lighting Control Systems: Incorporating dimmers, timers, and occupancy sensors, these systems intelligently manage lighting levels by considering natural light and occupancy, effectively reducing electricity consumption.
● Integrated Building Management Systems (BMS): BMS platforms integrate various building systems like HVAC, lighting, and security, providing centralised control and optimisation. They streamline energy-saving strategies and enable efficient monitoring and adjustments through integrated energy monitoring.
● Machine Learning and AI: These technologies continuously analyse building data, identifying patterns to optimise HVAC and lighting systems for enhanced energy efficiency and sustainability.
 
How does the integration of sensors and smart controls in building automation enhance indoor air quality and occupant comfort while still maintaining energy efficiency?
Smart controls optimise airflow using data provided by CO2 levels, occupancy, temperature, humidity, duct static pressure, and air quality sensors, and modulate the amount of airflow in one area without starving or over ventilating another. These sensors optimise the use of the HVAC system thereby increasing the efficiency.
 
Air economisers and Treated fresh air systems help strike the balance between comfort and energy efficiency
 
What are the challenges that organisations face when implementing building automation for sustainability, and how can these be overcome?
Sustainability Makes Business Sense. Implementing building automation for sustainability presents several challenges, but with right planning and strategies, organisations can overcome these obstacles. Here are some common challenges and ways to address them:
● Sustainability Goals Alignment: Ensuring that building automation aligns with the organisation's sustainability goals and objectives is critical. Organisations should have a clear sustainability strategy and regularly assess how automation contributes to these goals.
● Lack of Expertise: Building Management should invest in training for their staff or consider partnering with experienced contractors and integrators who can assist with system design, installation, and maintenance. Lack of expertise can hamper harness the full potential of the system deployed.
● Initial Cost: Building automation systems can have a significant upfront cost. To overcome this challenge, organisations should consider the long-term return on investment (RoI) by factoring in energy savings, reduced maintenance costs.
● Integration Complexity & Retrofits: Many existing buildings have legacy systems that may not easily integrate with new automation technologies. To address this, organisations can invest in gateways or middleware that enable communication between older and newer systems or go for a mandatory upgrade in case of total incompatibility between systems, thus increasing the cost of installation.
● Scalability: over a period of time the building may need to renovate existing spaces, they may need to expand or modify their automation systems. Implementing a scalable architecture from the outset can help seamlessly integrate future changes without significant disruption.
● Interoperability: Different manufacturers may produce automation components that use proprietary communication protocols. Organisations should specify open standards and protocols to ensure interoperability between components from various vendors.
 
What is the potential for renewable energy integration within building automation systems, and how does this contribute to a building's overall sustainability profile?
Solar PV Plants, Hybrid Thermal Solar Systems, Micro turbines are a few available options for supporting the building consumption with Renewable energy source. However the potential and effectiveness is largely dependent upon the factors beyond control and hence reliability of power from renewable sources is relatively low without an allied energy storage system or demand side management.
 
Building automation systems can use AI and data analytics to predict renewable energy generation patterns. This is very much applicable in case of solar and wind energy. This information helps in scheduling energy-intensive tasks when renewable energy is plentiful, optimising energy usage and minimising reliance on non-renewable sources.
 
Integrating energy storage solutions like advanced batteries allows buildings to store excess energy generated by renewable sources. Smart controls manage the discharge and use of stored energy during peak demand periods or when renewable sources are unavailable, ensuring a consistent and reliable energy supply.
 
Another popular option is integration of the Building Automation System with the grid to provide excess renewable energy back to the grid during periods of surplus generation. Moreover, they can participate in demand response programs, reducing load on the grid during peak demand, and contributing to grid stability.
 
Incorporating renewable energy into building automation not only promotes sustainability but also offers benefits such as reduced energy costs, increased energy independence, and resilience during power outages. Overall, it contributes to a lower carbon footprint and aligns with sustainable development goals, making buildings more environmentally friendly and efficient.
 
How do building automation systems facilitate the collection of data related to energy consumption and environmental impact, and how can this data be used for continuous improvement?
A building automation system or an IBMS employs a variety of sensors to monitor parameters like Temperature, Humidity, Occupancy, Illumination, Air Quality, local fuel consumption etc to collect information, which is analysed to align with the set Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Alerts and notifications can be configured to prompt when parameters deviate beyond predefined range and thus help identify equipment malfunction.
 
Optimisation is the process of continuously monitoring the setpoints and deploying controls to meet the setpoints. A periodic review of the parameters and setpoints can be done to benchmark the performance parameters against the real time data in order to establish the gaps and devise strategies to plug the same.
 
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(The views expressed in interviews are personal, not necessarily of the organisations represented)
 
Ms Mamta Rawat is a seasoned Sustainability Consultant with over 14 Years of work experience. She is a LEED Accredited Professional (USGBC), IGBC Accredited Professional and Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) Certified Energy Manager. She has also been honoured with the prestigious IGBC Fellow Award. She is the past National Convener of IGBC Green League (IGL). She is a Core Committee Member of IGBC & FOCUS Mumbai Chapters, PJMT WISE and ISHRAE-National Women Committee.
 
She has spearheaded over 150 projects impacting around 15 Million sq.ft area. She has been actively working towards Planning, Designing, Constructions and Operations & Maintenance (O&M) of ‘Sustainable Built Environment’'. She has executed a wide spectrum of projects across Commercial, Industrial, Retail, Healthcare, Hospitality, Residential, etc.
 
At present, Mamta is working towards founding a new firm for end-to-end sustainability consulting in the built environment to contribute towards global climate change commitments.