www . refrigerationandaircon . co . za RACA Journal I October 2023 23
Feature
EMBRACING NEW VENTILATION AND BMS TECHNOLOGIES FOR ENHANCED EFFICIENCY
Written by Eamonn Ryan
Ventilation equipment and building management systems ( BMS ) are critical components of HVAC & R systems , providing a means to control and optimise building environments .
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• Indoor air quality is a critical concern in the HVAC & R industry , particularly in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic . There is a growing need for ventilation equipment and BMS that can provide high-quality indoor air , including systems that can filter out pollutants and airborne viruses .
• Energy efficiency is a key consideration in the design and operation of HVAC & R systems , including ventilation equipment and BMS . There is a growing need for systems that can optimise energy consumption , reduce costs and minimise environmental impacts .
• Integration with smart technologies , such as sensors and analytics , is becoming increasingly important in the HVAC & R industry . There is a growing need for ventilation equipment and BMS that can be integrated with smart technologies to optimise performance , reduce energy consumption and improve building occupant comfort .
• Proper maintenance and repair of ventilation equipment and BMS is important for ensuring optimal performance and energy efficiency . There is a growing need for maintenance programmes that can help building owners and operators to reduce energy consumption and avoid equipment failures .
Data centres cannot afford power interruptions as they can disrupt critical operations .
• Building automation is becoming increasingly important in the HVAC & R industry , including in ventilation equipment and BMS . There is a growing need for systems that can automate building operations , such as HVAC and lighting , to optimise energy consumption and reduce costs .
BMS has therefore become an indispensable tool for optimising building ventilation , performance , energy efficiency and occupant comfort .
The BMS market is competitive , with several prominent players specialising in different sectors . Companies like Schneider-Electric , Honeywell , Johnson Controls , Tridium / Niagara , and Siemens have established themselves as industry leaders , offering a wide range of BMS solutions . Each player focuses on specific applications and market segments , catering to diverse customer needs .
Tridium says : “ The core reason to install a BMS is to break-down operation silos across equipment and services like HVAC , lighting , access control and utility monitoring . From one location , remote or local , a BMS optimally starts and stops equipment in a building based on occupancy creating an energy saving opportunity .” New technologies are ushering in a transformative era , revolutionising the way buildings are monitored , controlled and optimised . Gone are the days when BMS solely focused on HVAC systems . Today , BMS encompasses every aspect of a building , from HVAC and uninterrupted power supplies ( UPS ) to water monitoring and generators , temperature sensors , actuators , valves , damper actuators and differential pressure sensors .
Mark Freeman , offer manager Digital Buildings , Anglophone Africa at Schneider-Electric explains that with the advent of open Application Programming Interface ( APIs ) and integrated platforms , BMS now offers a holistic view of the entire building , eliminating the need for managing multiple disparate systems .
“ Traditionally , BMS primarily concentrated on HVAC systems , commonly referred to as a track monitoring system . However , the new era of BMS goes beyond HVAC , encompassing the entire building infrastructure . The goal is
www . refrigerationandaircon . co . za RACA Journal I October 2023 23