Tag Archives: Building Automation

Integrating Legacy Control Systems

BAS Education, HVAC Controls, ,

If your facility currently has a legacy control system that needs upgrading but you don’t have the capital budget for a full retrofit, you are likely considering some form of building automation system integration. By integration, we are referring to an approach that would leverage some portion of your existing system while likely changing out some of the higher-level components such as the front-end software and/or parent-level controllers. Integration is a logical choice in this situation but before moving forward with this approach, there are some important elements that you should fully understand.

Continue reading Integrating Legacy Control Systems →
 

What are HVAC controls and how do they work?

BAS Education, Featured, HVAC Controls,

MarketsandMarkets forecasts the HVAC controls market to grow from USD 13.6 billion in 2018 to USD 27.0 billion by 2023, so it’s probably an industry you’ll want to keep your eye on. Whether you are new to the HVAC industry or simply want to know more about building operations or energy consumption, we’ll do our best to help you take your first step to learn more about these systems and how they work.

Continue reading What are HVAC controls and how do they work? →
 

TCO Checklist for Building Automation Systems

BAS Education, Facility Management, Featured,

As property management professionals start looking at not only the first cost but also the total cost of owning and operating their assets, the question lies, “how does one assess the total cost of selecting a particular product or service partner?” Depending on the piece of equipment or particular service, calculating the total cost of ownership (TCO) may be simple, but with technology as complex as building automation systems (BAS), there is an abundance of factors to consider. Below, we have put together a comprehensive checklist of potential expenses associated with the operation of a BAS over 5 to 10 years. For more information on this topic, you can also download our Ebook or view our webinar on Understanding the Life Cycle Cost of a Building Automation System.

Continue reading TCO Checklist for Building Automation Systems →
 

Computrols Announces Building Technology Podcast

Computrols News, Podcast, , ,
 
This October, Computrols will begin broadcasting its very own podcast covering technology we find in today’s “smart buildings.” The conversations will expand far beyond just building automation as we aim to keep our listeners informed on all things digital in facilities management. The episodes will last approximately 30 minutes and will primarily be hosted by Scott Holstein, Compturols’ Marketing Manager. We’ll invite third-party and in-house subject matter experts to share their expertise and bring a new perspectives. If you have topic suggestions or would like to be featured on our podcast, please email us at .

Subscribe now!

* indicates required




 

Optimal Virtual Metering In Building Automation

BAS Education, HVAC Controls, Lighting Control, , ,
 
On March 21, 2018, Computrols Director of Research and Development, Mike Donlon, presented on the topic of “Optimal Virtual Metering In Building Automation” at the Globalcon Conference in Boston, MA. The below information is a transcribed excerpt from his session.

Optimal Virtual Metering - Slide 1 Continue reading Optimal Virtual Metering In Building Automation →

 

The Greatest Thing to Ever Happen to Building Automation

BAS Education, Facility Management,

With building automation technology advancing at an unprecedented pace, most industry professionals would probably identify the Internet of Things, wireless sensors, analytics, open source tagging, or BACnet as the greatest thing to happen to building automation in recent years. The piece of the BAS puzzle that is most frequently overlooked though is the facility manager. Now, not every facility manager falls into this category. In fact, it’s likely that less than half of those who hold this title are truly an asset to their facility’s building automation system. We call these select individuals “self performers,” and they are the greatest thing to ever happen to building automation.

Building Automation Systems | HVAC Controls | FM Super Heroes

Continue reading The Greatest Thing to Ever Happen to Building Automation →
 

3 Emerging Technology Trends in Building Automation

BAS Education, , , ,
Generally speaking, we see technology trends progress at a much faster rate in consumer products like cell phones and televisions than we do in the building automation industry. This is mostly because the building automation industry is slow to adapt to new technology, wanting to see it proven in other fields before implementing it in large-scale commercial applications. Here are a few technology trends that we see in your daily lives that we are starting to see or will soon see in building automation. Continue reading 3 Emerging Technology Trends in Building Automation →
 

AHU Supply Temp Sets the Stage

BAS Education, HVAC Controls, , , , ,
In one of our recent articles, we discussed static pressure control and variable air volume (VAV) systems. We mentioned that by modulating the leaving air temp from an air handling unit (AHU) we can promote energy efficiency while also having an effect on static pressure. This time, we’ll look into how AHU supply temp sets the stage for efficient VAV operations.

Typically, VAVs are equipped with a means of reheating the supply air provided by the corresponding AHU. Continue reading AHU Supply Temp Sets the Stage →

 

Building Automation System Project: Miami Tower

Computrols News, HVAC Controls, Our Projects, , ,
Miami Tower
Averette [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Our team is thrilled to announce that Computrols was recently awarded a project that will include integrating to the existing building automation system and installing a new fireman’s override panel at Miami Tower.

Miami Tower is one of the most prestigious buildings in Miami’s central business district, standing 37 stories tall, situated on top of 10 stories of parking and ground-level retail space. Continue reading Building Automation System Project: Miami Tower →