Company A has one building.   Company B has a campus with multiple manufacturing facilities and administrative offices.   Company C has stores in 50 states.   Company D has large, multiple-building campuses in a score of cities around the world. 

As diverse as these companies seem, what they all have in common is an opportunity to “put buildings online” using new technologies that allow precise monitoring and control of total energy consumption, whole systems such as HVAC or security, even a single switch or valve, over the Internet or their own enterprise network. The same system allows different users having different management and reporting responsibilities to gather facilities’ data based on geographical areas, operating divisions, weather regions or any other meaningful grouping depending on their management, analysis, and reporting needs.

The benefits of such an enterprise-wide facilities information system go deep into the organization --- and beyond. Real-time information from sites or groups of sites helps energy managers, maintenance and service managers, network operations personnel, and general management to better manage the facilities of a large, diverse enterprise. Moreover, as energy deregulation accelerates, the system allows unprecedented demand-side control, making it particularly attractive to utilities, energy services companies, energy marketers, and control contractors. 

The technology to create this type of networked facilities management system is only now coming to market, and standards are still being established. But it is real. It’s here. And before you take steps to integrate one into company operations, here are a few considerations you should make.

Assess the network structure.
An enterprise-wide facilities monitoring and control system should be based on a logical, hierarchical structure with an intelligent, interactive gateway at its heart. 

At its lowest level are digital and analog inputs and outputs connected to a dedicated controller which is in turn connected to a network host computer. Information from host computers is aggregated into a larger entity, the facility, representing, for the sake of this model, one building. Several facilities can be grouped into a site such as the campus in the example above, or into site groups. At the top of this network structure is the Command Center (or Help Desk) which contains the master enterprise database and software that supports information delivery throughout the enterprise. Together, this structure provides the kind of real-time information companies need to efficiently operate facilities, maintain support systems, procure energy, and deliver value-added services.

Develop the database and support software.
Without going into technical specifications, the database should be compatible with the existing data structure, be accessible by the facility information gateways, and be compatible with the data visualization, reporting, and network software used by the enterprise.

Information technology management should, in conjunction with network users and facility management personnel, carefully map out the specifications for a consolidated, SQL-compliant facility information database: 

• What data/information will be collected and stored?

• At what interval(s)?

• Is information averaged for an interval?

• What is done when information is missing?

• How is information checked for accuracy?

• Is some information aggregated and stored?

• How is the information accessed by all system users?

• Can the user easily compare real time information with historical information? For varying time periods and site groups?

• What other information is derived, mined, or calculated from retrieved information? 

Present the collected information.
To make information useful, there are a number of software packages featuring data graphing, filtration, and viewing capabilities which enable users to spot anomalies and easily recognize subtle data trends. The general structure and features of the system should provide the organization with options on what information is available and how it is presented. A few examples:

• Energy Views (electrical, gas, steam, etc.) - The user can examine real-time demand, energy, and demand control information and dispatch commands related to these functions. One may need to meet particular energy demand targets, or to mitigate the effects of unplanned downtime on energy generation or transmission equipment.

• Alarm Views (HVAC, refrigeration, Indoor Air Quality, etc.) - The user can view and respond to real-time alarms by individual site or site group.  System Operation and Efficiency Views - View screens will allow the user to monitor the status or performance of a facility system in real time, as well as concurrently display performance and historical reports.

• Weather and Climate Views - Weather significantly affects energy demand and usage, so monitoring of this data is critical to the effective management of energy resources. This information can be combined with other views to facilitate analysis and may include regional weather forecasts, real-time measured data, temperature profiles, and weather history. 

• Historical Views - Historical data concurrently compared to real time data is a necessity for providing a frame of reference on which to base facility and energy management decisions. The user should be able to access energy usage, demand, profile, and costs for all energy streams as well as facility system performance. 

Network and gateway considerations.
The function of the network is to transport information rapidly, accurately and clearly, and provide for the seamless linking of all enterprise nodes.

Other network considerations include ongoing routine maintenance of not only network servers, routers, user workstations, etc. but also the individual facility gateways and installed facility systems. The enterprise must be able to remotely manage, troubleshoot, and upgrade all software components as well as provision and integrate new facilities into the infrastructure. 

The facility information gateway is the single point of connection representing the site to the enterprise. It should gather information on energy and demand from all energy streams, gather data from environmental and other installed sensors, and be able to exert supervisory control and monitoring for lighting, HVAC, generators, and other facility systems. 

The gateway should have several capabilities and be capable of performing certain common network functions:

• It should be capable of being remotely managed as a network device.

• It should have an embedded controller that does not require input or attention.

• It should be accessible as a node on the network without using special application software.

• It should be capable of performing other required network functions such as file server, router, security, etc.

• It should allow users to remotely access the gateway software and read information, change configuration parameters and setpoints, and create custom control strategies.

Integrate facility systems.
Facility systems are all of those devices used to perform facility related tasks such as lighting and HVAC control, energy monitoring, security and access control, environmental monitoring, and water and sewage metering. For some companies there is even greater value in monitoring process-related functions such as compressed air, chilled water, ventilation and exhaust, etc. Having these facility systems integrated at the gateway and sharing common information makes the management and operation of the facility a far simpler and more efficient task. For example:

• Data from the building electric meter facilitates load shedding by the energy management system. “Discretionary” loads, which may include process related pumps and motors, can be started and stopped more economically when building energy demand is monitored.

• Information from the security and access control system(s) is useful in controlling lighting and HVAC systems. Monitoring fire and security systems helps effect the rapid shutdown or startup of HVAC and generation equipment when necessary.

• Monitoring of key equipment can provide a warning of potential problems with energy use, maintenance, and environmental compliance. 

Put buildings online.
An integrated enterprise facility monitoring and control solution is a complex assortment of hardware and software, bound together on a network to deliver a highly-desirable range of facility services:

• Systems share information with other systems to operate more efficiently.

• Users get real-time and historical information that facilitates the active management of sites and systems.

• IT personnel manage a system that is an extension of their present network and database functions and don’t have to maintain a separate entity.

• Enterprise managers get consolidated information required for the high-order management of distributed facilities. 

As the size, business, operations, and facility designs of enterprises vary, so will the solution that will deliver the site management capabilities needed by the enterprise. But the future of facility management is clear: it’s putting buildings online.

Gerry Lands is president of EnFlex Corporation, a Prescott, AZ manufacturer of information gateway systems to directly connect devices within a building or group of facilities. The system then collects data, controls operations and delivers information via an enterprise network or the Internet. For more information, contact EnFlex Corp., 1040 Whipple Street, Suite 225, Prescott, AZ 86305, phone 520/776-7101, fax 520/776-9078, or www.enflex.net.

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