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Making Use of the Building Control System for

Improved Operations and Energy Efficiency

Engineer Cohort Week 6, Day 9 (Final)

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June 21, 2024

Nic Lehoux for Bullitt Center

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Building Engineers Training

DAY 9

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  • Review of Week 5 and Questions
  • Alarms
  • System Communication
    • Physical Media
    • Transport Protocols
    • Communication Protocols
  • Security
    • Physical
    • Network
  • Wrap up

Agenda

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Alarms

Discussion and Exercise

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ALARMS

  • Why are they important?
  • How are they delivered?
    • Historically: Printer, Beeper, PC Console, Modem
    • Presently: Text, Email
  • What is a ‘Nuisance’ alarm and why is it bad?

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QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN CREATING ALARMS

  • Is this alarm needed/useful?
  • What EXACTLY are the conditions that will trigger the alarm?
    • Something turns on/off that shouldn’t: Fire Alarm, Low Limit Tstat, Duct Pressure Safety
    • A mismatch in two Boolean points: Fan status doesn’t match fan command
    • A measurement out of range: Room temperature is too high or too low
  • How long must the trigger conditions be in place before the alarm activates?

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QUESTIONS ABOUT ALARMS CONT.

  • Under what conditions should the alarm return to normal?
    • Do the clear conditions closely match the trigger conditions or not?
  • Who needs to know about this alarm?
    • How are they getting notification of the alarm?
    • Are the supporting configurations setup properly to facilitate alarm delivery?

What is an alarm audit?

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Alarms should always be tested!

    • Like all things in a BAS alarms must be tested from beginning to end:
      • Does the trigger condition work to initiate the alarm?
      • When an alarm is initiated is the correct someone notified by proper means?
      • When the clear conditions are met does the alarm resolve?
      • Is a clear message sent if appropriate?

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Questions?

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System Communications

Physical Media

Transport Protocols

Communication Protocols

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Every System needs to Communicate

OAT

VAV

AHU

Bldg Ctrl

Server

Graphics

Alarms

Trends

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Communication Systems

    • Physical Media:
      • What system facilitates the communication?
        • Think Verbal vs Written vs Sign Language
      • Examples:
        • 2-wire Twisted Pair
        • Ethernet
        • Wireless
        • Other

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Communication Systems

    • Transport Protocols:
      • Set of rules establishing who gets to talk when and for how long
        • Think Robert’s Rules of Order
        • Media and Language Independent
      • Examples:
        • MSTP (Master Slave Token Passing)
        • ARCnet
        • TCP/UDP (Transmission Control Protocol, User Datagram Protocol)

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Communication Systems

    • Communication Protocols:
      • Common language
        • Think English, Spanish, Chinese, German, etc.
      • Examples:
        • BACnet / BACnet SC
        • LON / Echelon
        • Modbus
        • IP (Internet Protocol)
        • Proprietary
          • JCI N2, Trane Comm4, Andover Infinet, Tridium FOX, etc

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Communication Systems

    • Devices:
      • Controllers
        • Source of original data, device sending data
      • Gateways
        • Pathway between different physical networks using the same protocols
      • Servers
        • Destination of data, or device requesting/receiving data
      • Translators
        • Tools used to change from one protocol to another

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Communication Systems

    • API:
      • Application Programming Interface
        • Not a communication protocol
        • Set of rules for programmers
        • Allow disparate systems to communicate with each other
          • Smart Thermostat and Alexa
          • BAS and Work Order Systems
        • Requires both systems to have ‘Open APIs’
        • Requires a programming team to develop drivers for each different integration

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Security

Physical

Network

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Security

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Security

    • Physical Security:
      • We inherently understand this
        • Locking doors
        • Locking Cabinets
        • Awareness of people in restricted areas

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Security

    • Network Security:

What is the most secure network?

      • Why did we change?
        • Cost
        • Remote Access
        • Convenience
      • Requires:
        • Physical Security
        • Coordination of IT
        • Cooperation of Users

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Security

    • Network Security:
      • Our systems are NOT!!!! Secure
      • Out of the box our BAS is designed to be open and easy to work with
        • It takes a lot of knowledge and effort to make them secure
      • BACnet has the security of a Gazebo!

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Security

    • Network Security:
      • IT’s Tools:
        • Port Restrictions
        • VLANs
        • VPNs
        • Dual Factor Authentication
        • Encryption
        • Secure Connections like SSH & HTTPS

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Security

    • Network Security:
      • Our responsibilities
        • Passwords
        • Virus Protection
        • Email Phishing Scams and Malware
        • Don’t work against IT!
        • Help facilitate discussions between IT and your BAS team/contractor

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Questions?

Curriculum Links for Attendees

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Feedback!