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Smart Controls

Smart controls or intelligent controls are sophisticated devices that perform multiple functions well beyond turning systems and equipment off and on. Smart controls are used for energy management, HVAC and lighting systems control, and to alert O & M personnel of impending equipment failure.  Smart controls may be PC-based or may have the necessary intelligence built into the control device.  Since buildings in the United States, on an annual basis, consume a large portion of America's energy and a significant portion of its electricity and contribute to atmospheric emissions, it is important to minimize overall energy consumption and to optimize the use of renewable energy sources to meet the demands of energy consuming systems in the building and at the same time have an impact on carbon reduction strategies. Smart controls are a key part of achieving these goals. 

Contents

1.Definition                                                
2. Use/Application
    a. Established Techniques
    b. Emerging Trends

3. Use an Integrated Approach
4. Resources

5. Associated Strategies

6. Case Studies

Smart controls or intelligent controls are sophisticated devices that perform multiple functions well beyond turning systems and equipment off and on.  Smart controls are used for energy management, HVAC and lighting systems control, and to alert O & M personnel of impending equipment failure.  Smart controls may be PC-based or may have the necessary intelligence built into the control device.  Since buildings in the United States, on an annual basis, consume a large portion of America's energy and a significant portion of its electricity and contribute to atmospheric emissions, it is important to minimize overall energy consumption and to optimize the use of renewable energy sources to meet the demands of energy consuming systems in the building and at the same time have an impact on carbon reduction strategies. Smart controls are a key part of achieving these goals.

For energy management, smart controls can make the choice of which utility source has the best rates at any given time. They can help determine the best fuel source to use based on pricing and availability.  They can also identify the best combination of onsite renewable energy and purchased power to serve the building at the highest efficiency and lowest possible cost.

For HVAC systems, smart controls can adjust temperature in different zones within the building based on solar gain and internal building loads.  They can make adjustments to humidity, airflow, fresh air mix, and indoor air quality necessary to provide occupant comfort.

For lighting systems, smart controls can adjust the artificial (electric) lighting level based on available daylight, room occupancy and the functions performed in each building space.  They can interface lighting system occupancy sensors with the building’s security system to detect intruders after hours and in unoccupied spaces.

Design smart controls into the building as part of an integrated (whole building) approach to optimize the energy savings and indoor air quality of the project.  They should be considered at the earliest stage of project development to ensure interoperability among systems and compatibility of control devices.  Consider:

• evolving the smart controls designer early in the building design process to identify their potential benefits
• identifying the required interactions between building subsystems to ensure successful integration
• determining the appropriate media for remote monitoring and diagnostics
• working with experienced contractors

Incorporate smart controls into the building automation system (BAS) using direct digital controls (DDC) with graphical user interface (GUI) for ease of operation.  Smart control systems can send alarm reports and system status information to personal digital assistants (PDA) and cellular phones so that operation and maintenance personnel can get immediate notice of equipment trouble or failure.

Smart controls can be interconnected by twisted pair wiring, fiber optics, power line carrier (PLC), wireless technology or Internet Protocol-based (IP) devices.

Established Techniques

Systems Interface: Smart controls can be applied to boilers, chillers, electrical equipment, lighting, elevators, fans, pumps, ventilation, filtration, and fire alarm and security systems. Their value over individual system controls is their ability to interface between multiple systems and provide the ability to make adjustments without human interaction.

Commissioning: Smart controls will be most effective by commissioning them along with all the building’s systems and equipment. Once commissioned smart controls can ensure the building’s benchmarked parameters are maintained to optimize energy efficiency and occupant comfort.

Using Design Tools:

Energy analysis and design tools must be part of the integrated design process to determine the appropriate systems needed to achieve optimum energy efficiency. Smart controls cannot compensate for inadequate design.

Adequately Trained Personnel: Smart controls can be more complicated than standard individual equipment and system controls. Unless operation and maintenance personnel are adequately trained to understand how smart controls work, the controls may be incorrectly set, bypassed or ignored.

Emerging Trends

Dynamic Window System:  Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) in conjunction with the Department of Energy (DOE) is developing dynamic, integrated Façade Systems for energy efficiency and comfort. The challenge for LBNL was to provide a fully functional and integrated façade and lighting system that operates appropriately under a wide range of environmental conditions and addressed the full breadth of occupant subjective desires as well as objective performance requirements. The further challenge was to simultaneously control sunlight admittance while admitting adequate daylight to offset electric lighting needs. LBNL produced a system of automated shades and dimmable lighting controls for use on the New York Times building. The combination yielded significant lighting energy savings over the nine-month testing period. Studies are underway to determine how to use smart controls to bring the building to a ‘low power’ mode of operation that would allow essential building functions to continue while substantially reducing overall electric power use on a hot summer day if the stability of the grid was threatened.

Use an Integrated Approach

A new way of thinking must be adopted to meet the goal of reducing carbon emissions associated with buildings. Your solutions can begin by integrating four possible methods. None works alone, and they are not all relevant in considering every strategy. However, considering the following tactics is necessary:

• Reduce the overall energy use in your building    
  • Employing smart controls will reduce the overall energy use, allowing various building systems (i.e. HVAC and lighting) to operate efficiently and cost effectively.
• Specify energy efficient equipment and technologies
  • Use an integrated system approach to spec out the most cost effective energy efficient equipment and technologies that can include smart controls.
• Use renewable strategies and purchase green power
  • Using smart controls can reduce a building’s overall energy load, optimize renewable strategies, and reduce emissions.
•  Educate building owners, operators, and occupants
  • On function and operations of installed technology so they can properly use smart controls

• Energy Policy Act of 2005 (PDF 1.9 MB, 550 pgs)
• Whole Building Design Guide, Resource Page, Energy Analysis Tools, Richard Paradis, Steven Winter Associates http://www.wbdg.org/design/energyanalysis.php?r=minimize_consumption  
• Whole Building Design Guide, Assure Appropriate Product/Systems Integration, WBDG Functional/Operational Committee, http://www.wbdg.org/design/ensure_integration.php
• DDC-Online, provides unbiased information on direct digital controls and tutorials, http://www.ddc-online.org/
• The buildingSMART alliance^TM The focus is to guarantee lowest overall cost, optimum sustainability, energy conservation and environmental stewardship to protect the earth's ecosystem. http://www.buildingsmartalliance.org/
• Dynamic, Integrated Façade Systems for Energy Efficiency and Comfort, Stephen Selkowitz and Eleanor Lee, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Journal of Building Enclosure Design, Summer 2006. http://www.nibs.org/jbed.html

Associated Strategies

All 50to50 strategies relate to each other in some way. However, we recommend that you consider investigating these selected 50to50 strategies to assist you in gaining a deeper understanding.

• Building Monitoring
• High-Efficiency Equipment
• Life Cycle Assessment
• Rightsizing Equipment
• Staff Training
• Systems Tune-up
• Total Building Commissioning

Case Studies

• Cesar Chavez Library
• Hawaii Gateway Energy Center
• Epicenter, Artists for Humanity
  

 Cesar Chavez Library
 Photo credit: Bill Timmerman

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