School intelligence

St Benedict’s primary school and community centre in Glasgow is making the grade thanks to an intelligent system that integrates its m&e services. This has been achieved using Schneider Electric’s Transparent Building Integrated System (T-BIS), selected for the project by Glasgow City Council. It has created an environmentally sound, positive educational environment.

Located in the Easterhouse area of Glasgow’s east end, St Benedict’s accommodates 300 pupils, with a nursery catering for 120 children, toddlers and babies. The school was built by Glasgow City Council, which is currently building and refurbishing over 200 schools following receipt of a grant from the government. It is an amalgamation of three former schools – St Colette’s, St Clare’s and St Benedict’s – and is over half a square mile in size.

By incorporating a community and family centre into the school, the council is able to fully utilise the building; indeed, the family centre is in use until 9 pm each day. This initiative brings the community into the school and as a result, the building has received greater respect. There have been no problems with graffiti or other vandalism since its opening.

Integrated solutions

Glasgow Council’s building services contracts manager, Robert Gordon, sought a building management system (bms) that would effectively integrate all the services. He selected Schneider Electric’s T-BIS to cater for electrical distribution, lighting control, security, air conditioning, heating and ventilation.

Gordon had previously specified Schneider Electric’s Merlin Gerin and Square D electrical distribution equipment, so felt confident in implementing T-BIS at St Benedict’s. He explained: “This is proven technology, so we should be embracing it. Moreover, I knew Schneider Electric would provide a cost-effective, reliable solution and that the level of service would be excellent.”

George Haggarty, the facilities liaison officer for a cluster of schools (including St Benedict’s) is already reaping the benefits of the T-BIS solution. “The system is extremely easy to use. Everything is done for you, which makes my job so much easier,” said Haggarty. Schneider Electric provided full training on the bms to all facilities management staff at St Benedict’s.

Operating the system

St Benedict’s is one of the largest schools in the area. It includes 15 classrooms, offices, meeting rooms, dining room, sports hall and a gym. From a central control room off the reception area, the facilities management team can tell exactly what is happening in each area of the school, nursery and community centre. Centred around a single, easy-to-use touch screen from the Telemecanique brand of Schneider Electric, the team can control all services – pumps and boilers can be turned on and off and temperatures adjusted.

Installation of a PowerLogic energy metering system means that the exact amount of energy being consumed in specific areas of the building can be determined. This can also project where energy savings are being made and highlight any faults on the network. If there is a problem anywhere in the building, the system alerts the team by a flashing red light. After this has been acknowledged by the touch of a button, the light turns green.

The bms is also web-enabled, so if desired the facilities management team could control the system from anywhere in the world. “The system brings benefits over and above making the job of facilities managers easier,” explained David Hall, education segment marketing manager at Schneider Electric. “The increased efficiency means the running costs of the school can be kept to a minimum.”

Energy savings

St Benedict’s is enjoying financial savings on heating and ventilation from the installation due to local sensors in all communal areas. Should a room be vacated the system automatically turns off the lights; it turns them on again when someone walks in. Even the showers in the changing rooms are automatic.

T-BIS also offers safety features. For example, if the fire alarm goes off, the gas supply automatically shuts down. Should this turn out to be a false alarm, staff can turn the gas back on at selected switches, minimising problems.

Haggarty is set to benefit further from the T-BIS solution, with a local area network. This will allow him to gain access to each of the schools he is responsible for from a single location. By dialling in to the network, real-time information on the state of each building’s m&e services will readily be available. This will further aid consistency and ease of management.

The success of the St Benedict’s project shows the benefits an intelligent services system can bring to schools and an opportunity for contractors.