Welcome back our past Contributing Editor Paul Ehrlich

Welcome back, our past Contributing Editor 

Paul Ehrlich Consultant focused on energy efficiency and building to-grid integration

Paul Ehrlich, a well-known industry stakeholder and advocate of integrated and intelligent buildings.

Articles & Columns from the past

• The Future for Building Automation Systems  This month, I want to take a look forward to what I envision needs to happen with building automation and controls over the next decade.
• A Look Back  Since in January, there will be a new columnist, this month I will focus on looking back over the last decade of controls and building automation, and next month, I will offer my perspective on the future.
• Controls Project Life Cycle The focus this month is on that cycle and some of the challenges related to the design and delivery of controls systems.
• The Future of Interoperable Systems  Seems like just yesterday, it is now 21 years since the BACnet standard, ASHRAE 135, was approved and published. Since then much has happened.
• The Need for Speed  The driver for faster operation is going to come from upcoming needs for buildings to work more cooperatively with their power sources.
• BAS Commissioning Basics  The purpose of controls commissioning is to go through the system and validate that it is working the way that it was designed.
• BAS and IOT It is fairly probable that the movement to IOT is also going to change how we look at BAS, controls and integration.
• Control SequencesControl sequences are the responsibility of the systems designer and are used to describe how systems shall operate.
• Systems Integration  Much of the challenge in making integrated systems work falls to the controls contractor / systems integrator.
• Building Automation for Management of Water  A BAS can be used as an effective tool not just for energy but for water management as well.
• Advanced Rooftop Controls  The concept of the ARC is to provide a retrofit controls package for existing packaged systems that offers a dramatic improvement in efficiency.
• Outdoor Air Management and Indoor Air Quality  Controlling outdoor air is a matter of balance.
• BAS – Back to the Future  What will systems look like in ten, twenty, or thirty years?
• Central Energy Plant Control and Integration  Proper design of the controls and integration to key equipment is one of the best options to improve not only efficiency but also reliability and maintainability.
• DFW Airport Seeks Systems Integrator  The owner will be requesting technical proposals and is looking for integrators with experience on projects of similar size and scope.
• Lighting Control and BAS  While it is desirable to have an integrated system, it is very viable to have a lighting control system that is standalone from the BAS.
• Future of Open Protocols  While we now have good choices in terms of robust protocols for use in commercial buildings, areas remain where more effort is needed.
• Specifying Sensors  Like any element of a control design, selecting the right sensors, and making sure that what is specified is being provided, helps assure a quality control installation.
• Efficient Control of Operating and Procedure Rooms  By necessity these critical areas are energy intensive, in fact they are arguably the most energy intense spaces in a healthcare facility.
• Pool and Ice Rink Control  Conditioning these spaces is always energy intense, however there are strategies that can be used to provide the needed conditions as efficiently as possible.
• Building Automation for Small Commercial Buildings  The benefits to having automation in smaller buildings include the ability to better control energy usage, but also include monitoring, preventative maintenance and enhanced grid integration.
• Control System Retrofits  Many buildings though are operating with the same control systems that were installed when the building was constructed, ten or more years ago.
• Lab Hood Control  Ideally the more data that can come back into the BAS, the better the facility operations team can work with the lab staff to make sure that things are being operated efficiently.
• Enhanced BAS with Data Analytics  We believe that even though analytics are fairly new, they are an invaluable tool for better understanding how a facility is operating and in making decisions to improve comfort and efficiency.
• Demand Controlled Ventilation  Proper management of ventilation is an essential task for any BAS, and when properly applied it can result in a building that is both healthy and efficient.
• Pressure Independent Control Valves  The concept of pressure independent control is that you should be able to have the same amount of flow through a device regardless of the inlet pressure.
• Control of Critical Environments  When designing controls for a critical environment it is imperative to start with a solid understanding of the operational parameters.
• Upgrading VAV Boxes  It is not surprising when dealing with existing buildings to find a variety of VAV terminals.
• Control of Variable Refrigerant Flow Systems  Properly designed VRF systems offer many benefits including high performance, improved comfort, and a robust controls solution.
• Impact of ASHRAE 90.1 on Controls and BAS Design Optimized controls are now required for HVAC systems and lighting controls (for interior, exterior, and parking structures) as well as control over certain plug loads.
• Occupancy Control  Using integration, it is possible to use the sensors that are part of a lighting control system as an input for the BAS to better operate the HVAC system.
• Data Analytics  Find a system that meets your needs and get it on the next project.
• Spring Tune Up for your BAS?  Making sure that the system is readily accessible; that the data is correct, and that the operators understand how to use it are key items to improving the performance of any BAS.
• Making BAS Readily Accessible – but Protected from Cyber Attack
• Controls Optimization  No Longer Optional
• Chiller Plant Control  The key to chiller plant optimization is to remember that the meter is on the plant, not the chiller.
• Controls Retrofits Preserving Smoke Control
• Pneumatic Upgrades  The challenge is that simply upgrading from pneumatic to DDC will not necessarily save energy.
• Building to Grid aka B2G
• Upgrading Aging Building Automation Systems  A well-designed upgrade can provide the ability for enhanced operability and reduced energy use, easily paying for the upgrade cost.
• Application and Control of Air-to-Air Energy Recovery Units  Used properly energy recovery is an important tool for managing ventilation and energy efficiency.
• Big Buildings meet Big Data   At the end of the day “data is data” and whether it comes from a building system or the sales information of a large retailer the same tools and techniques can readily be applied.
• Measuring Building Occupancy The movement toward a better integrated, inclusive, and accurate occupant measuring system is something to consider.
• Lighting Control Look to make lighting control part of an integrated system as part of the BAS for improved coordination, support and efficiency.
• Evolution from Building Automation to Energy Information  The focus is clearly changing from seeing the BAS as being an enhanced temperature control system to becoming a working part of an EIS that may be used for the successful operation of a high performance building.
• BAS and Cyber-Security  Traditionally building systems including BAS have been protected partially through obscurity, and largely through physical protection.
• The Importance of Measurement and Feedback  There is a need for continued measurement and feedback, since only with this continued input can we improve.
• Energy Efficiency Challenges  The challenge with achieving efficiency, however, is that as we pick the easier to gather fruit, the cost and complexity of the getting the rest off of the tree is both more expensive and riskier.
• How Home Automation may transform Building Automation  While Nest is focused on the residential and light commercial space, it is not unreasonable to expect to see similar technologies in future commercial products.
• Intelligent Buildings  From Theoretical to Practical
• Tipping Point for Fault Detection and Diagnostics?  Ideally delivery of FDD will allow for BAS to transition from providing data (i.e. alarms) to actionable information, which can be used for improved operations and efficiency.
• BAS vs PLC for HVAC Control  Some interesting points about the pros and cons of using industrial programmable logic controls (PLC) over commercial Building Automation Systems (BAS).
• Keeping Current on Building Automation and Controls Systems  There are so many areas that BAS impacts from security to integrating renewable energy sources that are invaluable for us to understand.
• Controls Specification Development  What is the right approach?
• Open Systems at the Summit  Building owners are still confused about what is really open and what isn’t.
• Failed Building Automation Systems  Unexpected and Unknown Results
• Back to BAS Basics  Actuation
• VAV Box Flow Settings  How to properly specify and set up the flow setpoints on a DDC VAV box
• Future of Lighting Control and LED Lighting  A number of new solutions coming on the market are designed around integrated lighting control for LED or solid state lighting
• The Importance of Doing BAS Right   An optimized system has the potential to provide improved operation, reliability, and of course energy efficiency.
• In-house BAS Department?  What skills should an owner look for to better support their building systems especially controls and BAS?
• Where Is the BAS Industry Going?  Further, without new manufacturers entering the market (which bring new, fresh ideas to BAS products) what will lead the industry to product improvements and innovations?
• Everything gets old – dealing with obsolescence  One of the goals of using an open protocol based system is to be able to avoid obsolescence.
• Variable Frequency Drives and Building Automation Systems  Part 1 Proper Selection
• Proactive BAS Alarming for High Performance Buildings  To start implementing a proactive alarm management process, it is necessary to prioritize the alarms.
• How Far We’ve Come  you can see readily observe the “state of the art” from the 1970’s and 1980’s in many existing buildings
  
• Integration Myths, Lies and Misconceptions  More and more projects are involving the integration of more systems and/or equipment, many whose function is not for HVAC. – Paul Ehrlich, Ira Goldschmidt & Angela Lewis Building Intelligence Group
• BAS Usability  Creating high quality graphics is only half of the picture to support system usability.
• Can Specifications Lead the Advancement of Systems Integration?  Perhaps, but keep in mind that specifications in and of themselves do not dictate who does what.
• Set it and Forget It?  We suspect that this is exactly the approach that most designers, owners and contractors would really like to be able to take with their BAS installations.
• Alarms Lead to Reactive Operations  An alarm event indicates that a problem has already occurred.
• Making Commercial Controls Work  Nearly everything about a controls system—the points, architecture, integration, etc.—comes from the requirements defined in the sequence of operation.  
• Networked Building Automation System (BAS)  It is amazing how little we know about what really goes on in most buildings.
• Closing the Feedback LoopWhat type of feedback is needed by each party? Answering this question is a bit more complex. Angela Lewis, Building Intelligence Group
• Why is it that control systems don’t work?  Focus on thorough control design and installation, coupled with good training and tools for continuous commissioning and monitoring. These are the keys to the delivery of high performance building operation platforms.
• When Does Building Automation Become Industrial Automation?  However tempting or logical it might seem to use industrial automation in complex building projects, it usually leads to problems (generally due to the technical and business practices “gaps”) that are greater than the benefits.
• BAS as a Tool for Existing Buildings Operations  Operations teams are tasked with running buildings that have minimal documentation and may never have been properly commissioned. New tools, processes, and training can help overcome these issues.
• Intelligent Buildings in the Age of Pneumatic Control?  How intelligent can a building be if most of the temperature control is provided by antiquated controls? 
• Integrated Lighting Control  Providing an efficient building requires good lighting control that includes coordinated scheduling, occupancy sensing, and daylight harvesting.
• Why Do Open Protocol Myths Still Abound?   We see plenty of opportunities for the industry to educate itself sufficiently to overcome these myths.
• Fundamental Changes  In June, Engineered Systems and Building Intelligence Group will be conducting the first Sustainable Solutions Conference. 
• Is Hospitality at the “Fringe” of the Intelligent Building Industry?  Hospitality-centric products appear to have been immune to the market pressure of open protocols, so we have solutions that do not enjoy the benefits of this advance nor can they readily integrate to the commercial controls.
• BAS System Tune Ups  Improving efficiency can be fairly complicated and expensive, but many changes can be made simply by tuning up the systems that are already in place.
• Integrating BAS’s To Everything All The Time?  Equipment or systems integrated to a BAS and how they are integrated is a project-by-project decision based on the needs of the client and the design.
• Smart Buildings Meet the Smart Grid  Keep the Smart Grid in mind as you start to work on your next project and think about how you can make the building a smart part of the Smart Grid. 
• The Coming Evolution of BAS Design  A good BAS design starts with a well thought-out sequence of operation and point list. 
• Advanced Controls Optimization for High Performance Buildings – Part II Water Side Last month’s column focused on the control of the air side with the use of strategies including demand controlled ventilation and static pressure reset. This month we would like to explore the control of the water side. 
• Advanced Controls Optimization for High Performance Buildings  Strategies that should be considered to optimize the operations of these systems using the control system to dramatically reduce energy usage.  
• The State of the Building Automation Market  “who makes the best building automation system?” 
• The dawn of the era of the Intelligent Building?  The simple answer is that a convergence that has been building for years is now occurring.
• Commissioning An Intelligent Building  Interoperability testing is an important key to the success of multi-manufacturer BAS’s and will become even more important to the success of Intelligent Buildings.
• BAS and Advanced, Integrated Lighting Control  New technologies including the use of wireless communications, networking and open standards are making the deployment of advanced lighting control practical in both new and existing building projects.
• Building Automation Wishes for a New Year  As with technology in general each advance seems to reveal the need for more advances to achieve that elusive state of perfection.
• BAS Use of Ethernet / IP Infrastructure II  Use of Virtual Local Area Networks
• BAS Use of Ethernet/IP Infrastructure Simply put, should a BAS use its own dedicated Ethernet/IP system, or should it use that provided for the building’s business-enterprise communications and managed by the IT department?
• Data Center Building AutomationIn many ways data centers come closest to blurring the line between commercial and industrial controls in our industry.
• Selecting the Building Automation or Systems Integration Contractor  The process that we use involves a formal “Request for Proposals” (RFP), allowing us to gather information and evaluate it in an impartial manner.
• Differentiating an Intelligent Building These three levels of an Intelligent Building system can result in a significant improvement of system operations, operational efficiency, and high level tools for facility assessment and optimization.
• An Intelligently Green Building  The imagination of the building design team (along with the willingness to research and specify the technology and products involved in this integration) is the only limit to creating intelligently green buildings. 
• Controlling Demand Response  A building that has been designed for demand response can readily drop electric loads with little impact on the occupants.
• Campus Automation Presents Unique Challenges  Multiple interfaces makes campus-wide optimization, data mining, and energy and operational analysis difficult. 
• More on the Challenge of Writing the Controls Specs….Open/standard communications protocols is probably the most important example of where a specification should contain explicit, prescriptive requirements.
• Writing the Controls Specs…. One of life’s great challenges  In reality the design of the controls system really starts with the selections made for the mechanical and electrical systems and a good understanding of how the building will be operated.
• Green Intelligent Buildings – a Brief HistoryThe original concept of Energy Management, which later became Building Automation, started in earnest as a result of the OPEC oil embargo in 1973.
• How Automated Are Our Green Buildings?The new draft “LEED for Healthcare” document is not poised to add any new warmth to our hearts.  A close look at this document (or any LEED rating system for that matter) reveals very little direct reference to the use of building automation.  In fact the term “building automation” appears to be used only once in the entire document!  
• New Year, New Beginnings  “We don’t plan to fail, but often fail to plan”.  
• Delivering Sustainability   Sustainability is a complex issue and involves many decisions ranging from the use of recycled materials to safe cleaning chemicals.
• Intelligent Buildings Roadmap“The industry needs to get together to integrate or at least educate all of the people that are involved. The owner cannot integrate the industry, the architect cannot integrate the industry, the industry must integrate itself and take the lead…”
• Intelligent Buildings – Today!The concept of an Intelligent, Smart or “Next Generation” building has been around for years.
• Help Wanted: Building Systems Architect
• Why your next project should be an Intelligent BuildingIn addition to being a better building to live, learn, work and play in it can also be a very satisfactory investment for any owner. 
• February Supplement Engineered Systems
  A Healthy Fear of Technology!
  Building Automation System Ethernet Switch Selection
  Joe Stasiek, Sales Manager, George Thomas, President Contemporary Controls
  A Return To Growth
  James McHale i&i limited
  Defining The Intelligent Building Control Market
  Ken Sinclair, AutomatedBuildings.com
• The Time is Now for Intelligent BuildingsLearn why at AHR Expo
• August Supplement Engineered Systems
  What Is An Intelligent Building?
  Growing Greener Buildings with Automation 
  Ken Sinclair, AutomatedBuildings.com
  What’s The Role For Advanced Technologies In Green Building Design? 
  Thomas Hartman, P.E. The Hartman Company
• Elevating our IndustryThe time has come to work together to promote and educate end users and owners on the benefits of Intelligent Buildings.
• XML Update From Chicago Meeting June 3rd  Helping us find facility managers, energy managers, asset managers, property managers, etc. who would be willing to participate over the next 2 – 3 months would be great.

Interviews

• oBIX is now an OASIS Committee Specification Paul Ehrlich PE, President, Building Intelligence Group Toby Considine – Technology Officer, Facility Services, University of North Carolina Being approved as an OASIS committee standard means that oBIX has had a successful public review and that the committee has voted for approval.
• Intelligent Buildings We have seen strong progress toward delivery of Intelligent Buildings. The technologies have become more economical, the integrators more sophisticated, but most importantly owners are starting to demand it.
• Building Intelligence Tour – Who, What and Why
  The Building Intelligence Tour is a series of educational seminars that help building owners, consulting engineers, integrators and suppliers understand the benefits, technology and solutions involved in Intelligent Buildings.
• Buildy Vision Award – One Year Later  In 2004 Paul Ehrlich was awarded the first ever Buildy Vision Award. This award was based on peer nominations and voted on by BuilConn attendees.
• Enterprise@BuilConn The concept of Enterprise Integration is that groups of buildings can now be centrally managed and also that we can connect Building Systems to Business Systems.
• The Who, What, Where, and When of BuilSpec  Paul Ehrlich and Anto Budiardjo The BuilSpec seminar series was created to provide technical owners and consulting engineers with an objective and clear understanding of the technologies, initiatives and trends that are reshaping the building systems playing field.
• What is oBIX? oBIX is an industry wide initiative to define XML and Web Services based ways to present buildings related information.

Reviews

• Commercial Buildings Initiative Workshop – New York  What if commercial buildings didn’t use any energy? While this sounds like science fiction, it is the goal of a new effort called by the Commercial Buildings Initiative or CBI
• Building Automation 2006 Conference The event was a rousing success, bringing together building owners, consulting engineers, suppliers and experts for a two day event focused on planning and change.
• Event Report ZigBee Open House – Oslo, Norway June 15, 2005 The event was open to the public and featured seminars and exhibits featuring ZigBee and other mesh solutions.  Attendance was strong, with over 300 participants. 

Other related articles/interviews published 2004-2005

“Observing Protocol – What’s in Store for BAS?” Engineered Systems. (roundtable) May and June 2005 http://www.csemag.com/article/CA601652.html http://www.csemag.com/article/CA601687.html
“The New Buzz”.  Journal of Property Management. (interview) March / April 2005.  http://www.syska.com/news/articles/irem_newbuzz_0305.pdf
“oBIX Gets a New Co-Chair”.  CSE online. (article) March 2005
http://www.csemag.com/article/CA513355.html
35 People to Watch at the Intersection of Real Estate and Technology”. RealComm Advisory. February 2005.  http://www.realcomm.com/advisory.asp?aid=136
“Building Management – Moving Into the Future”  Engineered Systems.(article) February 2005.  http://www.esmagazine.com/CDA/ArticleInformation/features/BNP__Features__Item/0,2503,142999,00.html
“BuilSpec Spec Tips”.  Consulting Specifying Engineer. (interview) December 2004. 
http://www.reedconstructiondata.com/article/CA487680.html
“Zigbee – What’s That?” (interview)  Consulting Specifying Engineer, November 2004
http://www.keepmedia.com/pubs/Consulting-SpecifyingEngineer/2004/11/01/653831?extID=10026
“BuilSpec About the IT Sea Change. (interview) Consulting Specifying Engineer. October 2004. 
http://www.reedconstructiondata.com/article/CA473233.html
“On the Road to Wireless” (article)  Contracting Business Magazine, October 2004. 
http://www.contractingbusiness.com/news/article.cfm/newsarticleid/901
“The X Factor – Understanding XML and oBIX” (interview)  Buildings.  July 2004. 
http://www.buildings.com/Articles/detailBuildings.asp?ArticleID=1975
“XML Q&A”. (interview) HPAC, July 2004.
http://www.hpac.com/microsites/pdf/arnold_0410.pdf
“oBIX interoperability picture becomes clearer at Builconn”. (interview)  Consulting Specifying Engineer, May 2004.
http://www.reedconstructiondata.com/article/CA420983.html
“Connecting the Dots Surrounding XML / Web Services”  Engineered Systems. (interview) May 2004
http://www.esmagazine.com/CDA/ArticleInformation/features/BNP__Features__Item/0,2503,123935,00.html
“The Future of Facility Management” (author) HPAC.  May 2004. 
http://www.hpac.com/member/archive/0405freaks.htm
“What does the future hold for BAS?” (interview)  Consulting Specifying Engineer.  January 2004.
http://www.keepmedia.com/ShowItemDetails.do?item_id=362827&extID=10026

Professional Information

In 2004 he formed the Building Intelligence Group an independent consultancy, whose primary purpose is to help system suppliers as well as building owners and managers, manoeuvre their operations through the vast changes prompted by open systems, convergence and enterprise building management. The main focus is in the areas of facility and IT integration, convergence and intelligent buildings. Clients include major systems manufacturers, technology providers, integrators and property developers.

Previously Paul was with Trane where he served as Business Development Leader guiding the global direction and development of Trane’s line of building control products. Prior to working for Trane, Paul worked for Johnson Controls providing solutions to building owners.

Throughout his career, Paul has been actively involved with various industry groups involved in the creation of new automation standards and technologies. Previous roles include chairing the ASHRAE Guideline 13 committee on how to specify DDC controls, chairing the BACnet sub-committee on interoperability, and acting as the inaugural chair for the oBIX committee to establish XML standards for building controls.

At BuilConn 2004, Paul was honored with a Buildy Vision Award for his perseverance in promoting whole building integration and interoperability through advocacy, promotion, educational and training endeavors.

Paul has a Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of St. Thomas. He is a licensed engineer in the State of Wisconsin and lives with his family in White Bear Lake Minnesota.