Building Life Cycle Part 17 - Building Automation
The What, Why, and How of Building Automation
Building Automation Systems have been used in Commercial, Industrial and Institutional buildings for decades. Pneumatic systems were the norm all the way up until the 1980’s and have been slowly phased out over the past 30-40 years. With the climate crisis there is growing demand for energy efficiency and municipalities and corporations alike are setting aggressive GHG reduction goals. Better building control leads to increased efficiency which is why we are seeing more new buildings and mechanical retrofits designed with DDC systems. Direct Digital Control (DDC) is now becoming the standard for maintaining control of a facility’s critical systems.
This education session will aim to answer the following questions:
- What is a DDC system and how does it work?
- How is DDC system different than stand-alone controls such as a thermostat?
- How is a DDC system maintained?
- What are the benefits and cost savings associated with DDC Systems?
- How can DDC can be used to increase your building efficiency and occupant comfort?
Presenters:
Rob Wilson
Rob has worked as an electrical journeyman specializing in HVAC controls for the past 30 years. For the past 12 years he has been working with ESC Automation is the service division and eventually graduated into sales in 2019. He prides himself on educating clients as much as possible to allow them to understand their building and the DDC system that controls it. Rob has vast experience in installation, design and commissioning of HVAC control systems for many different applications including residential towers, commercial towers, complex process plants and many more building types.
Helena Michelis
Helena has spent most of her 21 year career in Mechanical and DDC Services as an Estimator, Project Manager and Account Manager. Having also worked as a Facility Manager, she has the unique ability to see issues through the lens of her customers and takes the time to understand their needs. In Helena’s current role, she assists customers increase occupant comfort while reducing energy consumption and equipment downtime by providing customized DDC Maintenance programs to commercial, institutional, municipal and multi-residential buildings.