With utility rates increasing, COVID still affecting the occupancy of office spaces, and aggressive ESG and sustainability goals, property managers and owners are looking to optimize their building systems more than ever before.

At the forefront of this optimization is a true smart building utilizing data analytics and monitoring-based commissioning (MBCx) of the HVAC and automation systems. When it comes to this new technology, MBCx may seem daunting, but there are many ways to get over the initial hurdles of integrating and starting to optimize a building!

Can my building automation system handle MBCx hardware and software?

This is obviously the first hurdle to overcome. To be frank, MBCx may not work for every existing building. Automation systems that are older than 15 years old will typically not be a good fit for an MBCx setup. The age of the controllers causing network speed issues and an inability to quickly communicate leads to crashes and data issues. Often, these networks also have issues with local storage of trend data. In these situations, it is generally best to explore a control system upgrade which will also result in energy efficiency and utility cost savings. A full building energy audit or retro-commissioning (RCx) project would also be a great alternative!

Almost all newer BAS systems are perfectly capable of handling an MBCx setup. In general, these control systems have great network speed and have open protocol BACnet controllers. Sometimes proprietary controls are still found on some networks which do not communicate with an MBCx setup. In these instances, a work around would be to set up local trends with a web API to integrate these equipment controllers into the data analytics platform.

What about the IT department for our building?

The next hurdle is working with the IT department as network security is a top priority. For starters, the hardware that is added to site sits on the building automation system network. Internally, the BAS views it as another piece of equipment, no different than an air-handling unit. This device is given a unique IP address to avoid conflicts on the network, which would create unnecessary traffic and other issues. The majority of MBCx hardware/software speaks outbound only on the network to the cloud. IT departments often have no problems with an outbound only connection! Think of this as when you receive an unsolicited spam call from an “Unknown” number. They reached you, but there was no way for you to call them back or reach them (not that you would want to!). Once that outbound connection is created, data is pushed up to the cloud in one direction. All other analytics, trend data, and site setup in done in the cloud.

What issues with specific control systems should I look out for?

The final hurdle is after the MBCx hardware is installed on site and it begins to scan and look for controllers. The setup relies on finding these controllers, viewing the available data points, and “mapping” (standardizing) them to perform analytics. As alluded to above, a non-BACnet or proprietary system may create some problems. Certain equipment controllers or data points may not be available on the system for the MBCx device to find. Sometimes these can be exposed to BACnet by the control contractor, sometimes not. One solution would be local trends again with a web API to integrate into the MBCx cloud. The next issue is with the points in the controllers themselves. If the original install of this equipment was not properly setup for BACnet, the devices and points may become hard to identify. Oftentimes, I find myself sitting at the BAS computer and matching equipment to its BACnet device ID or a specific point to its object analog value. This can be time consuming and make for a longer setup process, but an MBCx setup can still be accomplished! Thankfully, especially with newer control systems, a lot of installers are following Project Haystack (https://project-haystack.org/) or ASHRAE Guideline 13 (https://ashrae.org/) which standardizes controller point mapping and nomenclature for a better BACnet installation.

Utilizing data analytics, smart building technology, and MBCx of systems is the future of facility operations and management. As the process and technology evolves and becomes more common, the above hurdles and issues will lessen over time.

-  Dan Hosko, Commissioning Manager – Energy Solutions & Data Analytics