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Information Technology Basics for Energy Managers and Facilities Managers
I have been amazed and impressed with the widespread recognition of the need for a comprehensive, yet basic and readable book that introduces this topic in a way that is understandable to the average person working in the energy and facility management area that is not an IT trained professional.

Barney L Capehart, PhD, CEM, Professor
Emeritus College of Engineering
University of Florida


The new information technology wave

One of the most powerful technological waves of our time is sweeping through the development and application of facility and energy information and control systems. This powerful wave is Information Technology, or IT as it is commonly known. IT has brought with it the Internet, the World Wide Web, TCP/IP, Web browsers, relational databases, and a host of highly capable, time saving software tools. In addition, IT has promoted the development of inexpensive, high speed microcomputers as well as high capacity communication links, networks and Intranets. IT is revolutionizing our entire economy, and it has finally come to our doorstep in the form of Web-based energy information and control systems.

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We have two basic options in my opinion. One is to stand by and let the IT and Web-based system wave roll over us, drown us, and thereby relieve us of any future concern. The other option is to climb on the IT and Web-based system wave and ride it to previously unknown heights of energy efficiency, energy cost reduction, improved occupant comfort, improved service and manufacturing performance, and finally to a state of optimized performance of our entire facility. This second option is clearly the most desirable one, and the one that I believe is available today for those facility and energy managers who can make the transition to the full use of IT capabilities in their buildings and facilities.

Editors note: AutomatedBuildings.com's editor/owner Ken Sinclair  has written a forward for this informative book and will be working with Barney on his next book "Case Studies and Applications of Web Based Energy Information and Control Systems". We believe that it is important to get the evolving concepts from our web site documented in print.

In order to help transition facility and energy mangers over to this new wave of Information Technology, I have just edited a new book titled "Information Technology for Energy Managers: Understanding Web Based Energy Information and Control Systems." This book has just been published by Fairmont Press, and is available at www.FairmontPress.com. It has 34 chapters of detailed information to help people get started in IT, and has content that explains terms and principles, as well as providing a number of detailed facility IT system designs and applications.

Originally, this book was envisioned as a resource solely for working energy and facility managers, to help them prepare for, and succeed in their specification, purchase, operation, and maintenance of these complex Web-based energy and facility information and control systems. As the development of this book proceeded, and various authors came forward to describe their interest in this new technological area, it became clear that there were many other people who would benefit from this book. Besides the actual users at the buildings and facilities, there has been a keen interest from the developers, suppliers, integrators and consultants working with these Web-based information and control systems. Software vendors, hardware vendors, computer service and support organizations, and consulting firms have all shown a tremendous interest in this book, and its potential to help them educate themselves and their customers and clients.

There are so many new terms, concepts and operational aspects of these Web-based systems that there is a great need for an educational and training resource to assist in this technology transfer process from suppliers to end users. I have been amazed and impressed with the widespread recognition of the need for a comprehensive, yet basic and readable book that introduces this topic in a way that is understandable to the average person working in the energy and facility management area that is not an IT trained professional.

Initial interest in this book has been so great that the publishers have already asked for a second volume focusing on Case Studies and Applications of Web Based Energy Information and Control Systems. Readers who are actively working on projects involving IT and Web Based Systems are encouraged to contact the Editor if they are interested in writing a chapter for the second volume of Information Technology for Energy Managers: Case Studies and Applications of Web Based Energy Information and Control Systems.

Editor Contact Information: Dr. Barney L Capehart, University of Florida, Capehart@ISE.UFL.EDU 352 392-3180

Control Solutions, Inc Table of Contents
Preface
Foreword
Foreword
List of Authors
I. Introduction to Information Technology for Energy Managers
Chapter 1 Introduction to Information Technology for Energy Managers: Understanding Web-Based Energy Information and Control Systems
Chapter 2 Introduction to Web-Based Information and Control Systems
II. Overview of Web-Based Energy Information and Energy Control Systems
Chapter 3 How a Web-Based Energy Information System Works
Chapter 4 The Evolution of Building Automation Systems toward the Web
III. The Technological Benefits of Modern Web Based Energy Information and Energy Control Systems
Chapter 5 What Network Building Control Can Do For End Users
Chapter 6 Life-Cycle Considerations for 'Smart Equipment'
Chapter 7 Introduction to Web-Based Energy Information and Control Systems for Energy Management and Demand Response in Commercial Buildings
Chapter 8 Trends Affecting Building Control System (BCS) Development
Chapter 9 How to Get the Most Out of Your EIS: A New Organizational Management Paradigm
IV. Data Collection and Data Input for EIS and ECS Systems
Chapter 10 The Case for Energy Information
Chapter 11 Using the Web for Cost-effective Energy Information
Chapter 12 The Importance of A Strategic Metering Plan for Utility Cost Management
V. Energy and Facility Data Processing, Analysis and Decision Making
Chapter 13 Optimizing the Value of Web-Based Energy Information 
Chapter 14 Guide to Analysis Applications in Energy Information Systems 
Chapter 15 Data Analysis and Decision Making: Using Spreadsheets and "Pivot Tables" To Get A Read On Energy Numbers 
Chapter 16 Knowledge Practice in a Sea of Information
Chapter 17 Some Methods of Statistical Analysis for EIS Information Signals
VI. Network Security for EIS and ECS Systems
Chapter 18 Introduction to Network Security
Chapter 19 Computer Network Security: An Overview
Chapter 20 Network Security for EIS and ECS Systems
VII. Relational Data Base Choices and Design for EIS and ECS Systems
Chapter 21. Fundamentals of Database Technology and Database-Driven Web Applications
Chapter 22 Relational Database Choices and Design
VIII. Techniques for Utility Data Web Page Design
Chapter 23. Utility Data Web Page Design - An Introduction
Chapter 24. Utility Data Web Page Design - Learning Technologies
Chapter 25. Utility Data Web Page Design - Presenting the Data
IX. Integration and Communication Technology Issues in Implementing EIS and ECS Systems
Chapter 26. BACS Industry Shaped by Standardization and Information Technology
Chapter 27. BCS Integration Technologies - Open Communications Networking
Chapter 28. ANSI/EIA 709.1, IP, and Web Services: the Keys to Open, Interoperable Building Control Systems
Chapter 29. Real-Time System Integration
X. Web Based EIS and ECS Applications and Case Studies
Chapter 30. Specifying, Selecting and Evaluating Web-Accessible Control Systems
Chapter 31. Custom Programs Enhance Building Tune-up Process
Chapter 32 Application Examples of Energy Information Systems
Chapter 33. Leveraging IP Technology for Remote Monitoring in the Energy Industry: Pipeline Operations and Facilities Management
Chapter 34. Creating Web-based Information Systems from Energy Management System Data
Afterword
Glossary
Index

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