BSEE


BUILDING CONTROLS


Winning the space race


When we inevitably reach a point where employees begin to transion back to their regular places of work, creang a secure, low risk working environment will become the number one priority for businesses. Paul Wetherfield of global associates looks at the latest ways to measure occupancy levels and ensure fresh air requirements are met.


A


s offices up and down the country plan for the eventual return of staff after months of homeworking, it’s becoming clear that building owners and managers face exceptional


challenges in reintegrating staff in a safe and manageable way. It’s no longer enough to rearrange the furniture and open a few windows when you’re responsible for dozens, hundreds or even thousands of individuals in a multiple occupancy building. Basic social distancing measures can be put in place but if the worst should happen and a spike in COVID-19 cases was linked to the building you can be sure that these measures would be closely scrutinised from every possible angle and any shortcomings highlighted for all to see. Exceptional circumstances often require pioneering solutions and getting to grips with occupancy levels inside commercial buildings means introducing intelligent space planning measures. These measures can take many forms but the key is knowing how many people are in a given space and having the means to action before pinch points occur and occupation levels reach a point where they become dangerous.


In the zone


People counting is not a new concept but the technology behind it has been steadily refined so that numbers are accurate and results can be relied upon, allowing building operators and manager to clearly see how many people are in a particular office or zone. When integrated into a BMS, alerts can be used to inform managers when a building or floor in approaching capacity. This acts as an early warning system and allows the individual to take action before the situation gets out of hand.


Alongside a fully integrated footfall management system, desk occupancy sensors can be used to provide further insight into working conditions and traffic light displays can be used to provide occupants with a visual indication of how many people are in a space or zone and show whether it is currently safe to enter. The traffic light system is clear and obvious, leaving very little room for doubt amongst building occupants – a green light simply means the space or room is safe to enter; amber means the space is nearing its


30 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER FEBRUARY 2021


maximum occupancy; whilst red means that the space has reached capacity and it is currently unsafe to enter. Desk occupancy sensors can also be beneficial when it comes to cleaning regimes and sanitising procedures, allowing managers to determine whether or not an area is clear of personnel and safe for cleaning staff.


A breath of fresh air


As well as keeping occupancy levels under control, building managers and operators have a responsibility to ensure that there is enough fresh air entering the building at all times. By linking occupancy data to the BMS, air handing unit (AHU) fresh air requirements can be automatically calculated and maintained, with wireless air quality sensors helping to ensure that the BMS has the data it needs to respond in a timely manner and deliver fresh air when and where it is needed, keeping the space below the maximum CO2 setpoint


Over time, the data collected will help the building manager or operator identify clear patterns of occupancy and will enable them to look at how to use space more efficiently, making use of underutilised spaces and optimising the flow of people around the building.


Energy saving


Occupancy monitoring and delivery of fresh air may have jumped up the list of priorities but keeping tabs on energy usage and optimising energy efficiency is still a key concern for building managers and operators. Footfall monitoring can also make a valuable contribution to this particular cause by helping to control energy usage based on the number of individuals present.


If an area is or even an entire floor of a building is sitting unoccupied for long periods of time there are clear opportunities to save energy by managing the lighting, heating and cooling so that these services are only ever available when there are individuals present. Once energy consumption data has been collected over a period of time, historical analysis can reveal when consumption typically starts each day and when it hits its peak.


New normal


Part of adapting to the ‘new normal’ is understanding and navigating the ‘new workplace’.


Intelligent space planning will allow for a safer and more structured return to places of work for employees, providing peace of mind for all building occupants. As things stand, it’s almost impossible to completely remove the element of risk but tools such as a footfall monitoring system and occupancy and air quality sensors can make a substantial difference when transitioning staff back to their usual places of work and providing them with a more secure working environment.


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