The function of a Building Automation System (BAS) is to control and monitor building services responsible for a wide range of systems including but not limited to heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting, security, and access control. Building Automation Systems undergo changes all the time. Based on occupant feedback or failing equipment or maintenance cycles, building operators who manage the BAS may have to make changes to how the controllers are configured and equipment are operating.
While Building Automation Systems allow the flexibility of making changes to manage the day-to-day operations, this very flexibility can often affect the optimal BAS settings of a building. When a building is commissioned and ready for occupants, or after a re-commissioning project, the state of the BAS could be considered as the true baseline of the building. Every controller is configured and operating as per the proposed design and sequence of operation, and the building is now ready for occupancy.
Once the building moves into the normal operation phase, it is common for BAS operators to make changes to the BAS. These changes may be good changes or bad changes. It could also be that a change has to be made to ensure occupant comfort in the short term, but it may not be a good change in the long term. A simple example could be a pump that has to be placed in ‘Manual Mode’ to ensure that the pump keeps running and is no longer controlled by the BAS program. In the short term, it could be a much needed change to ensure that the occupant comfort levels are maintained but if these changes are not tracked, it could very well be forgotten. This could result in the pump running 24/7 until someone reverts it to program based control.
CopperTree’s Golden Standard feature allows building operators and managers to continually track changes being made in the BAS. These changes are presented to users as Golden Standard Insights with varying priorities so that users can effectively manage and control these changes. Good changes can be promoted to be the new “Golden Standard” for the building, while the bad changes can be reviewed to take the necessary action. This then allows for ongoing commissioning improvement to building performance.