Building Automation Systems

UEM manages the Building Automation and Building Data Analytics Platforms for River Campus, Eastman School of Music, Memorial Art Gallery, Medical Center, Mid Campus and part of South Campus. We provide these systems to support the Facilities Department and the University as a whole. Hundreds of people across the University use these systems as daily components to their jobs, just occasionally to check on something and everywhere in between.

Modern HVAC systems are complex and nearly impossible to operate manually. The most common task for Building Automation Systems (BAS) is to facilitate the efficient, automatic operation of Heating Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems. A Nest thermostat is an example of a BAS that you might use at home. However, a Nest is to UR’s BAS as an old-fashioned calculator is to a modern supercomputer. If you picture hundreds of thousands Nest thermostats talking to each other and working together, it might give you a sense of UR’s BAS. The system is comprised of sensors (temperature, pressure, etc), actuators, which control valves, dampers and other devices, relays which start and stop fans, pumps, etc. and other operational devices that connect to a controller module. This module coordinates the information from the sensors, identifies required changes, then sends commands to the actuators, and relays that control the HVAC equipment. Many of these controllers are networked together and connected to a central computer or web-server, where a human operator monitors, programs and adjusts the system.

Our BAS platforms are a critical component to making our buildings operate comfortably, efficiently and effectively.

• Maintain occupant comfort.
• Efficient equipment operation
• Alert an operator when equipment fails
• Maintain and collect operational trend data, used to analyze failures or look for opportunities for improvement.
• Allow the operational staff to use their time more efficiently

UEM maintains the following BAS platforms:

• Automated Logic WebCTRL
• Schneider Electric EcoStruxure
• Siemens Desigo
• Siemens Insight/Apogee – Legacy System to be upgraded or replaced in the next few years.

Building Analytic Systems

UEM is also responsible managing URs building data analytic platforms, which extend the BAS and similar data systems to provide much more detailed analytics about how the building and equipment is operating.

• Ensure the building is using the appropriate amount of energy.
• Provide a means of measurement and verification for energy conservation projects.
• Monitor the HVAC equipment for sub-optimal operation based on comparing actual equipment operation to an ideal modeling.
• Fault Detection and Diagnostics - Detect equipment faults that do not show up routine BAS alarms.

The eSight Energy Management Information System was installed as Phase I of building analytics, which analyzes information primarily at the building level. Phase II will look at platforms, which can perform, detailed analysis inside the building at the equipment level.