CONTROLS | INTEGRATION sensors such as those for room temperature, dew-point temperature and windows can be controlled. A key feature of the intelligent actuator is its ability to monitor energy through the optional temperature sensors and flow measurement to the terminal units, the ongoing monitoring and optimisation of plant, and continuous commissioning. Intelligent variable speed drives Danfoss application manager Bratton said intelligent variable speed drives could offer more energy savings than standard variable speed drives. By using the I/O signals from an intelligent drive, the number of outputs to the BMS can be greatly reduced, he added, potentially offering lower costs and requiring fewer components which could, in turn, offer greater reliability. To get the best from an intelligent drive, it needs to be supported by a fieldbus, Bratton said, and in doing this the BMS points can be removed. Drives are programmable and can perform analytics of the drive/motor operation for predictive condition-based maintenance. Smarter metering Wood, technology director at Optimised Group, talked about using smart metering to help clients get the most out of their buildings. Metering is required for compliance, recharging, accountability of occupiers and benchmarking. It enables visibility and accountability in multi-use buildings, and, if deployed and managed correctly, helps eliminate energy waste, which will drive long-term asset value, he said. There are tools for energy management, Wood added, and by combining utility recharging with energy analytics, the landlord can gain useful information, including expected energy loads against actual loads, monthly cost per room occupied and total monthly operating costs. The final item Wood covered was recharging methodologies and how to minimise service charge through HVAC metering. These included: ensuring that the building had a focused metering strategy, including plant associated with heating, cooling and electrical power; having a real-time, reliable data feed and dynamic apportionment, as well as occupier engagement; and ensuring that the methodology is backed up by a lease agreement to ensure enforcement. Closing the intelligence loop Christou concluded the event by saying that, as a client, he would be looking to make his buildings smarter. He called on the industry to create a system that gathers data, reviews it, takes action from it and, ultimately, learns and evolves thereby closing the loop and creating a truly smart building. CJ MARY-ANN CLARKE MCIBSE is regional director of building engineering at Aecom and chair of the CIBSE HVAC group , MORE MONITORING. LESS TROUBLE SHOOTING. Digital solutions from KSB. Take the first step with KSB Guard and ensure the availablity of your system. Learn more. www.ksb.co.uk - 01509 231872 Pumps Valves Service 32 December 2020 www.cibsejournal.com CIBSE Dec20 pp30-32 Smart HVAC systems.indd 32 20/11/2020 15:59