BuildCOM: automated auditing and continuous commissioning of next generation building management systems - Energy Informatics

Building management systems became an indispensable component and a key factor towards achieving an energy efficient and smart future building stock. However, and as highlighted in the state-of-the-art review presented above, there is a lack of a comprehensive and effective tool for building management systems auditing and smartness evaluation. In addition to rating and evaluating the current building automation system in the building, such tool will help in laying the foundation and establishing proper baseline for future building management systems design, aiding the transition towards a smart and energy efficient building sector. Moreover, the review presented above shows the added value and the urgent need for comprehensive and effective tools for proper building continuous commissioning and performance monitoring in general. Such tools will aid in reducing building performance gaps, establishing proper building operation from day one, highlighting faults and errors as soon as they happen and reducing operational and maintenance costs.

This BuildCOM project will advance the state-of-the-art through the development and demonstration of an innovative interactive and user-friendly software for building management systems automated auditing and continuous building commissioning. This first-of-its kind software will have three major capabilities and features:

1.

Initial commissioning of BMS installed in newly built or existing buildings
2.

Retro-commissioning of BMS upgraded and modified in existing building
3.

Continuous building commissioning and performance testing throughout the operational phase of the building

As a major milestone in the innovative software development, the project will aim at the design and development of a holistic methodology for building management systems auditing to serve as a backbone for BMS initial and continuous commissioning. The methodology will include a list of the major technical specifications and functions of BMS to be audited and tested along with the evaluation and assessment criteria.

The methodology developed will serve as the basis for a combined BMS auditing and continuous building commissioning framework and a first of its kind software with a set of tools targeting building management systems auditing, initial- and retro-commissioning as well as whole building continuous commissioning.

The building management system auditing and continuous building commissioning software developed in this project will be implemented, demonstrated and evaluated in multiple case studies to draw conclusions and recommendations for future implementations in the building sector.

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Project concept

Concerning the first two software features listed above, the BMS auditing process will include both initial commissioning of newly installed BMS in newly built and existing public and commercial buildings, and retro-commissioning of upgraded and modified BMS in existing public and commercial buildings. The auditing process will be based on the requirements and regulations of the European Standard EN 15232 “Energy performance of buildings – Impact of Building Automation, Controls and Building Management” and the auditing and certifying building management systems methodology developed by the European Building Automation and Controls Association (eu.bac). The auditing covers various BMS services and automation functions, including: temperature control, indoor air quality control, lighting, heating, cooling, ventilation, domestic hot water, drivers and motors, performance monitoring, technical alarms and power management, diagnostic information, central operation and settings and remote controls.

The third software feature will allow for automated holistic continuous building commissioning and performance testing throughout the operational phase of the building. This will build on the research findings of the International Research Project COORDICY (COORDICY Project, n.d.), ‘ICT-driven Coordination for Reaching 2020 Energy Efficiency Goals in Public and Commercial Buildings’, in particular the development of an Online Energy Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Tool (ObepME) (Jradi et al., 2018), aiming to integrate the overall continuous commissioning tool within new AC-BMS software. The ObepME tool comprises a set of building performance tests which was developed to meet the strict Danish building regulations and energy efficiency requirements. These tests target various building subsystems including heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) components and units, to assess the building performance and ensure that the building performs as expected.

As shown in Fig. 5, the tool has two main inputs: simulations from whole-building dynamic energy performance model and actual data collected onsite from various meters and submeters in the building. Based on these two inputs, performance tests are carried out within the tool to automatically and continuously compare actual building performance to expected performance baseline set by the simulations. ObepME was developed and demonstrated within COORDICY by the Center for Energy Informatics at University of Southern Denmark in collaboration with Schneider Electric and is at TRL4. The aim is that this proposed project will develop it further to TRL8. The ObepME tool was implemented and demonstrated using the OU44 Building Living Lab at the University of Southern Denmark, Odense, as a case study (Jradi et al., 2017). The tool implementation serves as a backbone for fault detection and diagnostics and this was demonstrated in different cases. For example, the tool has captured and reported a mal-functioning ventilation sub-system and based on the investigation, a VAV diffuser controller problem was highlighted which resulted in increased electricity consumption of the ventilation unit by 84%. Solving the issue on time has led to an avoidable average monthly operational cost of around 2800 DKK.

Fig. 5

Online energy performance monitoring and evaluation tool (ObepME) framework (Jradi et al., 2018)

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With its three functions, initial and retro-commissioning of the BMS and continuous building commissioning and performance testing, the software will support the Directive (EU) 2018/844 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018 upgrading Directive 2010/31/EU on the energy performance of buildings and Directive 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency, which sets strict specifications and capabilities of the next generation building management systems as (European Commission, 2018):

(a)

continuously monitoring, logging, analysing and allowing for adjusting energy use
(b)

benchmarking the building’s energy efficiency, detecting losses in efficiency of technical building systems, and informing the person responsible for the facilities or technical building management about opportunities for energy efficiency improvement
(c)

allowing communication with connected technical building systems and other appliances inside the building and being interoperable with technical building systems across different types of proprietary technologies, devices and manufacturers

Project methodology and deliverables

The overall project delivery is an innovative software for building management systems automated auditing and continuous building commissioning. This first-of-its kind software will comprise a set of tools aiming to fulfil three major tasks, 1) Initial commissioning of BMS, 2) Retro-commissioning of BMS and 3) Continuous building commissioning.

The project is composed of five work packages (WPs), with sub tasks as presented below. Each task is defined so it also relates to a work package delivery. Data and information can be transferred to other WPs before final delivery, in order to reduce time. Partial deliveries will be coordinated between WP/task leads and project management. For each WP, milestones have been stated when applicable, to ensure project feasibility throughout the different phases.

WP 1 Project Management
WP 2 Development of Building Management Systems Auditing Process
WP 3 Development of a Software for Automated BMS Auditing and Continuous Building Commissioning
WP 4 Demonstration of the Software in Case Study Buildings
WP 5 Project Results Dissemination

A shown in Fig. 6, all WPs are connected, and therefore work done in one WP is interrelated to other WPs. WP1 includes creation of detailed project activity plans, daily project management and coordination, project progress monitoring, risk management, project plan adjustment, periodic project reporting and writing of final project report. WP2 is dedicated to developing a systematic and comprehensive methodology for building management systems auditing, covering both initial commissioning and retro-commissioning of building management systems. WP3 deals with the software development, combining the BMS Auditing Process for initial and retro-commissioning of BMS developed in WP2 with the findings of the Online Building Energy Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Tool (ObepME) developed and demonstrated for building continuous commissioning. The developed set of tools are then implemented, demonstrated and evaluated in WP4, considering multiple case study buildings. WP5 is dedicated to the dissemination of the project’s results, in both public and commercial interest, during the whole project period.

Fig. 6

Project workpackages interconnection

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The specific deliverables of each WP are summarized below:

WP1: This is the overall project management WP, including project planning, meetings, administrative reporting, partners coordination and resources and budget tracking.
WP2: A list of technical specifications and functions of BMS to be audited and tested in addition to a holistic process for building management systems auditing to serve as a backbone for both initial BMS commissioning and retro-commissioning of upgraded BMS.
WP3: A Combined BMS auditing and continuous building commissioning framework and a first of its kind software with a set of tools targeting building management systems auditing, initial- and retro-commissioning as well as whole building continuous commissioning.
WP4: Demonstration and implementation of the developed software in multiple case study buildings, a comprehensive evaluation of the software for BMS initial and retro- commissioning and building continuous commissioning along with building management system certification in the case studies considered based on the auditing implemented.
WP5: project results and findings dissemination and communication to interested parties including research and academic network, public authorities and industrial companies in the field of energy in buildings, with newsletters, presentations, press releases, seminars, workshops, articles, and publications in reputed journals and international conferences.

Project partners

The project is carried out as a collaboration between academic, industrial partners and public bodies as presented in Fig. 7: Center for Energy Informatics (University of Southern Denmark), Schneider Electric Danmark, ReMoni, Sweco Danmark, Capital Region of Denmark, and Odense University Hospital. A steering committee will be formed with the responsibilities to oversee and ensure the project progress throughout the different phases in addition to monitoring and evaluating the progress of tasks and deliverables. The steering committee will ensure that the project is driven by the industrial needs at all times and will have direct and close contact during the project phases. The committee is also responsible for the coordination and communications between the different partners to ensure proper interaction and smooth collaboration.

The project is led by SDU Center for Energy Informatics, which is an interdisciplinary research center with expertise in development of innovative solutions for integrating and optimizing energy use with energy supply, considering technological, political, societal and economic framework conditions. The center has resources, competences, skills and experience in terms of building energy monitoring, benchmarking and performance evaluation, and employs experts within Computer Science, Software Engineering, Control Engineering, Building Physics, and Innovation Management. The first case study for the developed software demonstration is a selected building at SDU campus. SDU facility management department will contribute to this project in terms of preparing the building for testing and software implementation together with the SDU Center for Energy Informatics. The project manager is supported by experienced project administrator from SDU TEK-Innovation who is responsible for reporting to EUDP, and gathering the required data from the partners.

Schneider Electric is a world leader in the field of automation solutions, power management, energy management, spanning hardware, software, and services, with a global presence in over 100 countries. The company’s main mission is to provide integrated efficiency solutions, combining energy, automation and software. The company is leading the global digital transformation of energy management and automation. Building management systems design, development and operation is one of the core competences where Schneider Electric is the world leading manufacturer and supplier. In this project, Schneider will collaborate with SDU in terms of developing and highlighting the major BMS specifications and functions to be targeted in the auditing and commissioning process as well as testing the developed auditing process. Moreover, Schneider Electric will collaborate with SDU and ReMoni on the development of the different tools, and take part in the demonstration of the software in the case study building.

ReMoni delivers the core technological platform for clamp-on measurements in the project: A cloud-based solution with low-cost, patent-protected clamp-on sensors and meters, wireless connected to the cloud. The novelty of its technology is that its sensor system enables the user to monitor power, flow and heat and cooling, simply by clamping sensor units onto cables, pipes, etc. without the need of technical intervention or disconnecting the system. In this project, ReMoni will have a major responsibility in the automation of the commissioning process and the development of the auditing and commissioning software along with taking part in the different case studies conducted within the project. ReMoni will implement and install their innovative sensing and metering technologies in the case study buildings to ensure proper data collection, as well as aiding data management and analysis.

Sweco is a global leading company in the fields of architecture and engineering. This includes, design, development and operation of buildings, cities and communities. The company applications include building services, energy systems and units, infrastructure, architectural design, urban development and management services. Sweco will be majorly involved in the demonstration of the developed software in case study buildings with a main responsibility in buildings services and HVAC systems inspections, to collect information required for the auditing process.

The two partners Capital Region of Denmark and Odense University Hospital, and collaborator, Frederiksberg Kommune, are also at the same time end users of the developed software. They will lead the building preparation along with demonstration and testing, each for its own case study. An office building will be considered in Frederiksberg Kommune, Bornholms hospital will be considered in Region Hovedstaden and a selected building in OUH Svendborg will be selected to serve as a case study as well.

Expected results and impact

The major BuildCOM project outcome is the development and demonstration of an innovative first of its kind software for BMS automated auditing and continuous building commissioning. The software has three major capabilities, initial BMS auditing, BMS retro-commissioning and continuous building commissioning. The value proposition for the building owners is a guarantee that the building performs as expected with regard to energy efficiency, not only before the building is handed over but also continuously during operation and daily use. The direct benefits would be:

Optimizing the energy performance of newly built and exiting buildings through ensuring a properly functioning building management system at the initial stage or throughout the building operation
Reducing the energy consumption and improving the buildings energy flexibility quotient by ensuring high-level operation of the BMS while ensuring a smooth interaction and integration between various building components and energy systems
Achieving operational costs savings and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions through implementing a continuous building commissioning process aiming to ensure a proper operation of the building throughout its operational phase while forming a backbone for a systematic fault detection and diagnostics framework.

The BuildCOM project builds up partly on the research findings and results of the international R&D project COORDICY (COORDICY Project, n.d.), ‘ICT-driven Coordination for Reaching 2020 Energy Efficiency Goals in Public and Commercial Buildings’, in particular the development of an Online Energy Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Tool (ObepME), aiming to integrate the overall continuous commissioning tool within the new software to be developed in this project. The tool was developed within COORDICY by the Center for Energy Informatics at University of Southern Denmark in collaboration with Schneider Electric.

In Denmark, the government has set an ambitious target to achieve a fossil-free energy supply by 2050 and relying solely on renewable energy sources to cover the Danish energy demands (Lund & Mathiesen, 2009). Thus, building energy requirements have been progressively tightened since the 1970s to reduce the overall energy consumption of buildings through forcing energy-efficient measures and standards (Danish Building Regultion BR18, n.d.). In addition, as a part of Denmark’s energy agreement established in 2012, the largest ever comprehensive Danish energy renovation strategy was presented, “Strategy for the energy renovation of the existing building stock” (The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Building in Denmark, n.d.). Through developing and demonstrating the first-of-its kind innovative software for building management systems automated auditing and continuous building commissioning, this project will lead to substantial improvement in the overall energy performance of existing and newly built buildings. So, it contributes to the Danish goals of achieving a 75% reduction in energy consumption in new buildings by 2020 and a 50% reduction in existing buildings by 2050 (Lund & Mathiesen, 2009).

In addition, the BuildCOM will support the recent EU building Directive 2018 (European Commission, 2018), with enhancing the design, operation and auditing of next generation building management systems. In the recent Directive (EU) 2018/844 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018 amending Directive 2010/31/EU on the energy performance of buildings and Directive 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency, the EU have set strict requirements regarding installing and assessing Building Management Systems.

Energy efficiency has been referred to as the best energy resource (Energy Efficiency is the best Energy Resource, n.d.). The direct impact of the project is to reduce the gap between real and predicted energy performance, to a value consistent with energy-efficiency standards, for buildings. In addition, the proposed software aims at ensuring a proper and energy efficient operation of the building systems from day one and throughout the building operational phase. This increase the energy efficiency and reduces the energy consumption of buildings which is about 40% of the total energy consumption today.

Moreover, the BuildCOM project contributes to the development of a fast-growing global market for building energy-management solutions, which is driven by energy efficiency policies, increasing energy prices, and an urgent need for cost savings. In 2017, the BMS market was poised to grow at a compound annual growth rate of around 16.7% until 2023. In 2023, the BMS market is expected to be valued at 19.25 billion USD, a drastic increase compared to only 6.65 billion USD in 2016. In a recent report by the European Commission entitled ‘Smart Building: Energy efficiency application’, an expected market growth of 15% between 2015 and 2025 for smart buildings is reported. In addition, the number of smart home and smart building devices is forecasted to increase from 233 to 980 million units by 2025 (European Commission, 2017). This includes building energy management systems. In terms of the socio-economic importance, the Danish building sector has an overall employment of 350,000 including service and industry, and a total annual revenue of around 223.6 billion DKK (Iris Group, 2009).

A major target group for the project results and findings dissemination is building owners, including public buildings, offices, commercial buildings, hospitals, restaurants, university buildings and others, who will be interested in using the project findings to ensure that buildings perform as expected regarding energy efficiency, comfort and functionality.

Schneider Electric expects to bring the project results to the market in the upcoming releases of their innovative EcoStruxure Building management platform. By automating the BMS auditing and commissioning process, Schneider Electric will be able to deliver a better product at a lower cost, with more cost-effective and energy efficient buildings along with better indoor environment to the benefit of the end customer and building user. Through proper design and automation of this process, Schneider Electric will be able to stand out of its competitors on quality without adding to the overall costs. The size of the Danish BMS market is estimated to be around 1.000–1.2000 Million DKK (Schneider Electric, Building Management Systems, n.d.). Schneider Electric’s current share of the Danish market is estimated to be around 20%. The technology will be implemented in new buildings and when major renovations are performed which corresponds to approximately half of Schneider’s business within BMS systems. Thus, the market potential is estimated to be around 100–120 million DKK.