Joined up thinking

The Proplan division of intelligent buildings research company i&i demonstrates in its latest series of studies, Intelligent & integrated infrastructures in buildings, that such holistic solutions involve integrating the different building services controls and meshing them with the client's information systems such as customer relationship management.

To deliver such systems requires a fundamental change to contractual procedures and the organisation of building services contracts. There are two ways in which this can be achieved. The first is to have a separate contract for the control of all the different services, making this a major subcontract to the main contract. The second is to bring together all m&e services under one major contract.

Both methods will be used depending on the size and complexity of the building project. Whatever, their use will need the barriers caused by the division of contracts by major disciplines to be removed, particularly at the design level, where this currently thwarts the integration process.

For the electrical contractor this presents an opportunity and a threat. The opportunity is to expand and take on the responsibility for the different electrical services and on occasions the mechanical services. The threat is, at a minimum, loss of the electrical services controls contract.

Many sceptics may now be asking: "integration has been around for over 15 years and it has made little difference to working practises, so why the need to change?" Integration over the last 15 years has generally been achieved by joining islands of plant together through software gateways. This has increased the cost of projects and restricted the flow of data and information. However, by using the latest digital technology, the Internet and integrating areas of control that have common needs, first time costs can be lowered, at the same time reducing the building's operating costs. This cannot be achieved unless the supply side takes on the system integrator role and the current contractual arrangements are changed so that concepts can be conceived at the design stage. The latter has been a major barrier for integration but, as Proplan's reports show, it can now be achieved.

Multiple services can be connected through a common network protocol. Each node of control is grouped to a specific island, such as 'bms and power management' or 'fire and life safety'. These domains have much in common and the nodes will need to transfer information between each other, which is done through a common network protocol. A common communications protocol that can meet the requirements of all the domains is not yet available and it seems unlikely that one standard could meet all the requirements. What this arrangement allows is the conversion of relevant information from each domain through a transmission control protocol/ Internet protocol (TCP/IP), which will enable the exchange of information and interaction between the domains.

Electrical contractors are being courted by manufacturers of holistic building solutions to install their systems. There is reluctance to take on this responsibility, despite demand from the end-users and help and training from the manufacturers. Such products are now available from a number of controls companies, with one emanating from the electrical industry.

A case study in Proplan's report shows how Schneider Electric has produced a range of products that use a common communications protocol and control both mechanical and electrical plant in a building. Schneider has developed products that can integrate almost all infrastructures in a relatively simple, large retail building at a cost that is lower than installing each service separately. Working alongside Woolworths, it has developed an integrated holistic solution for Big W, Woolworths' latest retail format, which involves stores of around 10 000 m2. The system incorporates an intelligent electrical switchboard, final circuit distribution, busbar for the power and lighting of the main retail area and a plc controller for heating and ventilation. It regulates the temperature within the building, controls the lighting and is programmed with the correct shutdown procedures in the event of a fire.

People counting has also been integrated into the package, which has separate web pages for marketing, facilities management and store management functions. The system is fitted with an easy to use Human Machine Interface, which allows the user to view various parameters including the inside and outside temperatures, lighting status, total electrical power consumed and any alarm conditions.

The plc is fitted with a web-enabling module that permits the same screens to be viewed remotely using standard internet browser software, which has huge potential benefits in terms of maintenance costs. Procedures within the system ensure that the maintenance company responsible for faulty equipment receives instructions; this can be automatically by e-mail. Benefits of integrating the electricity metering onto the system include providing the end-user with detailed information about their energy usage.

The latest web technology has revolutionised the concept of open systems and allows more robust and flexible integration at a higher level, which reduces duplicity of hardware and improves the flow and relevance of information. If more can be achieved for less cost then there must be an abundance of opportunities out there waiting to be converted. But if electrical contractors want to win this business it will require them to take on additional responsibility and skills, focus on specific markets and organise to deliver total solutions.