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Today's Automation News Headlines from Automation.com
| Lonworks says facility control getting integrated | ||
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 By: Ron Bernstein, Executive Director, LONMARK International Total Facility Control – is this a concept or a reality? Depending upon whom you talk to, you'll get different answers. The industry is certainly moving away from isolated system control towards more integrated solutions, but “Total Facility Control” seems like a stretch. First, a definition: Total Facility Control is the ability to visualize, control, report, and access ALL aspects of a facility, including energy, HVAC, lighting – both indoors and outdoors, signage (as in gas stations, emergency exits), power systems, environmental conditions, process control applications, security, access, water, gas, electricity, irrigation, air quality, ambient sound, and much more, from a single user interface. It can even extend further to other systems, not necessarily typically associated with a “building”, including wastewater, street lighting, cogeneration plants, weather stations, and asset tracking, for example. Utilities and demand response programs extend even further down into the home, where energy consuming appliances and devices are considered part of a total system. Over the past year or so, more companies have been evaluating their total facility energy footprint and have found that it interrelates to just about every aspect of an organization. From small to large operations, the issues and desires are the same – the need to see more information, use a common infrastructure, and leverage the lowest level of information available. There is a need for a common mechanism to visualize, quantify, and disseminate information in a cost effective way. This sounds a lot like an interoperable control networking platform. Energy policies around the world are mandating better control and greater monitoring coupled with significant incentives to reduce, recycle, and reuse – the mantra of the Green Movement. In the facility world, energy savings translate to reducing usage, shifting loads, and redirecting resources. Every policy or incentive starts by creating a simple baseline – what are you doing now? – then, evaluating areas for improvement. Unfortunately, most organizations have little understanding of their usage as they have no view into their total facility. Each system, process, or environment is completely isolated with no standards for transposing information from one system to another. Invariably, there is some element of proprietary systems installed and the engineering costs to integrate the various systems are unjustifiable. We’re back to isolated “silos” of information that are too cumbersome to combine. Hence, coming up with an ROI model is difficult, inaccurate, and often creates a roadblock for investment approvals. Justifying an energy efficiency program for just one element of a facility becomes a very difficult sell. On the other hand, considering multiple systems and the potential energy savings and cost reductions, it significantly helps the ROI justification. But what entity will do the “energy audit” and provide a justification and guarantee? There are a few, but more are needed. Enter the need for more Total Facility Control Engineers or what we’ve been talking about for several years now – the Master Systems Integrator. A controls company, IT company, and user interface company rolled into one; someone who understands system architecture, system design, and all of the subsystems that are involved in a total facility. This entity becomes a partner and an advocate for the owner and helps work with all of the subsystem vendors and installers to ensure the standards are developed and adhered to in order to take full advantage of the total facility integration opportunities. Studies show that the buildings sector accounts for 40% of the EU's energy requirements. It offers the largest single potential for energy efficiency, more than 20%. In the UK alone CO2 emitted from the operation of buildings accounts for over 50% of the total UK CO2 emissions. Yet the numbers of facilities that are implementing energy conservation measures could be higher. BREEAM and LEED certified buildings are great approaches towards raising awareness of the need for better design. Unfortunately, the vast majority of projects are for new construction. What happens to all the existing facilities that are in desperate need of energy plans? LONMARK International recently hosted a full day of educational programs at AHR Expo. Close to 300 people participated in the educational sessions. We also concluded a 52 city worldwide LONMARK Sessions program, which had over 4000 people registered. These seminars focused on topics relevant to energy, open systems, and Total Facility Control. We have many more educational programs scheduled this year around the world. We need a better way to upgrade, enhance, and control what we have. Facility managers need a plan, a partner, and an incentive. This won’t happen overnight, but it will happen. The pressure is on to think bigger, to leverage, and to conserve. Please join in our efforts to help educate and develop the technologies and standards that will generate greater adoption of energy efficient control systems. |
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