Ongoing Cx with BAS and Data Loggers

Bryan Welsh, PE, CCP, Welsh Commissioning Group, LLC

Bryan Welsh’s presentation will discuss how a Building Automation System (BAS) can be configured as a tool to automatically perform a series of functional tests on the building HVAC system. These functional tests will allow the building operator to quickly identify typical abnormalities that affect system performance. Data loggers can also be useful additions to the building operator’s tool box. Welsh will explore the pros and cons of data loggers and how they can help commission the DDC system. Success strategies will be discussed along with lessons learned. The presentation will also discuss using alarms, trending and the automated tools together to create a simple but effective on-going commissioning strategy.

There are a range of Fault Detection and Diagnostic (FDD) systems available. These systems are typically add-ons to the BAS or stand-alone systems. FDDs are generally fairly sophisticated, including statistical analysis and regression, making them of limited use to the average operator. Further, new construction typically does not include them as part of the work scope. By using the native BAS system and defining special sequences of operations and graphical interfaces, a relatively inexpensive and user friendly system can be developed. This presentation will examine an actual example of how this concept was applied to a building that was commissioned by Welsh.