FEATURE
52
Electronic oversight
Plumbing Africa looks at building management systems
(BMS) and how they are used to enhance and maximise
design elements, as well as monitoring and controls.
By Tristan Wiggill
A BMS is a blend of hardware and software-based
control systems installed in buildings to control and
monitor the building’s mechanical, electrical, and
utility equipment. pumps, VFDs, and associated field devices. It is
necessary to measure the values of each field device and
other connected points individually before putting them
into logic.
Mechanical systems typically comprise the HVAC,
plumbing, firefighting, and STP equipment, while the
electrical services manage the electrical DBs,
lighting control and monitoring, generator sets, and
UPS equipment. Meanwhile, utility services look after the lifts, fire alarm,
security, and public address system equipment.
Water-side commissioning comprises individual
commissioning of water-cooled chillers, air-cooled
chillers, cooling towers, primary pumps, secondary
January 2018 Volume 23 I Number 11
INFORMATION SOURCE
A BMS system collects the operating information
required for intelligent building management. It
analyses the operation of the building systems by
viewing all important temperatures, humidities, and
equipment status.
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