CONTROLS AND INSTRUMENTATION
PIR, humidity, and CO2 sensors to aid in providing greater energy savings and comfort as well as simple installation, operation and running costs.
New wireless interface solutions that are being introduced to the industry enable direct serial communication between building management systems and room controllers.
This integration allows building owners and managers to view all of their core building systems, including HVAC equipment, lighting, security, power and electrical distribution, anytime and anywhere via a single interface. It delivers
actionable insights to reduce energy consumption and drive savings.
Exciting times lay ahead for the industry, with lead manufacturers investing heavily in commercial and residential air conditioning products and support services to fully address customers’ needs and deliver additional benefits in building energy management through partnerships such as Panasonic and Schneider Electric.
By combining the power of building management with cutting-edge VRF technology, end users are further able to reduce capital and operating expenditures and reach new levels of sustainability.
To fully receive the business benefits that advanced internet-connected heating and hot water systems offer, end users need to be made aware of this new smart technology by their installers.
Smart controls integrated with domestic and commercial heating systems can offer end users a more comprehensive, flexible heating and hot water solution that meets their exact requirements. To take full advantage of the business growth opportunities presented by smart control technologies, the plumbing and heating industry would need to fully embrace the innovative and disruptive control technologies that are coming to market which will help analyse and improve the system performance.
Better Remote Access
Historically, control functionality has been an issue for heating and hot water systems. Setting
up and programming heating and hot water schedules has often proved difficult for end users, and many people struggle to adjust their schedules once they have set it up. Typically, control systems are also only accessible from a fixed point in the home or commercial space, and the interface can be difficult for users without technical experience of heating systems to operate.
It is crucial for installers offering smart control systems that the interface enables users to adapt and optimise their heating and cooling systems to suit their specific requirements. End users want to control their heating through an interface that replicates the intuitive services they use on the web or in apps on their smart phones.
Smart Controllers enable users to manage and monitor their heating and hot water with an easy-to-use interface that can be accessed via any web-enabled device, including Android and iOS applications and Internet browsers. Users can easily adjust the temperature in two different zones and view the current room temperature in that zone.
This enables users to eliminate unnecessary heating when a zone is unoccupied and therefore reduce energy consumption. Additionally, it is possible to change the temperature of the hot water supplied by their system from their remote device.
With the technology that intelligent room controllers offer, users can access a detailed breakdown of the system’s energy consumption on a daily, weekly, monthly or annual basis. This
can help end users compare space utilisation and adjust the system to turn off during quiet periods, so that energy is not wasted heating the home or office space when it is unoccupied. It is crucial that installers draw attention to the added value a smart control system can bring, if their businesses are to benefit from the IoT revolution.
Remote access will also enable installers to offer ongoing maintenance contracts to their customers. Maintenance teams can be engaged in predictive fine-tuning which keeps the heating and hot water system operating at its optimum level for longer.
This minimises the likelihood of a system break-down by anticipating maintenance, and means a longer lifespan for the system. Installers will also be able to respond more quickly to faults and issues, keeping the end user completely satisfied with their heating systems.
The Future
We are only beginning to see what is possible with innovative heating and hot water control. Throughout 2018 and beyond, the industry is set to see new services added to this type of intelligent control system, making them even more attractive to end users.
The ultimate aim is to provide end users with an environmentally friendly, comfortable, efficient and intuitive heating solution.
Breakthrough innovations and partnerships such as Panasonic and Schneider Electric are examples of the steps being taken towards reaching this aim.
www.acr-news.com December 2017 47
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