North Building Technologies

The large multi campus HVAC Control System at Oxford Brookes University has been augmented with a North Building Technologies integrated building management system (iBMS). The iBMS supplied, commissioned and installed by North Approved Systems Partner, AES Control Systems, has had a dramatically positive impact on the management of the site.

Legacy Systems

Some existing plant controls were provided by Trend, and previously operated on a stand-alone basis. Using North's advanced networking products AES has utilised the university's internal phone line network and IT infrastructure to connect all of the outlying buildings back to a common user interface (North's ObSys software). This work has also included interfaces to power meters and fire detection equipment from various manufacturers.

Artificial Intelligence

The ObSys workstation is running the new Data Manager logging and analysis software from North. Data Manager can store up to 500,000 values from up to a 1000 different points. Each point is logged, archived and analysed using North's Artificial Intelligence data analysis tool within Data Manager. This automatically learns a profile for each point and can generate alarm limits that are far more in tune with the normal operation of the building. Data Manager uses this intelligence to predict alarm conditions and will even tell the operator how confident it is that an alarm will occur. Alarms can be delivered by email, SMS or directly to ObSys.

Low cost control

North's Zip network has been installed in each of each of the 47 residential blocks to provide energy reducing control over domestic hot water and heating circuits. The Zip controllers are all connected back to a North Commander. The Commander provides connectivity back to the energy manager's desk via the University's internal IT infrastructure. The Commander also provides powerful control, time clocks, data logging, web browser interface and alarm emailing functionality to the system.

Legionella Control

AES has used the Zip system to monitor the temperature of domestic hot water (DHW) tanks to check for element failures. Should a failure occur, then the water is pasteurised before use. Carl Stubbs, Energy Manager at Oxford Brookes says, "Our Legionella control gives staff and students alike unprecedented confidence in the water supply." He continues, "The fact that the Zip system is part of a wider iBMS allows us to monitor energy demand and load shed the heating circuits, whilst keeping the DHW sterile."

Stubbs says that the system has worked extremely well for Oxford Brookes, and confirms they are now installing a second phase in other residential blocks. He adds, "The strong partnership between AES and North has meant that we get access to a strong multi layered support structure and early access to new products."

• Read more on this article in the Modern Building Services journal.

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