MECHANICAL & ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING - ACMV SYSTEMS
OPTIMISING THE SUPPLY OF HEALTHY AIR AND ENSURING SUSTAINABILITY by Terence Tan, Director, Digital Solutions, Southeast Asia, Johnson Controls Digitalisation can help to resolve this conundrum in the built environment. Buildings are designed to support the health and wellness of occupants. In the past, the key priority of building codes and standards was to minimise energy use while providing adequate indoor air quality (IAQ). The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) deemed comfort levels as ‘sufficient’, if at least 80% of a building’s occupants do not object to the ambient conditions. However, the scales have now tipped towards ensuring better IAQ in today’s pandemic world. Scientists have confirmed that airborne transmission plays a large role in the spread of the COVID-19 virus and are demanding new building standards that stipulate higher airflow, filtration and disinfection rates. In the last 18 months, we have seen a push to enhance the air-conditioning and IAQ codes and standards, including ASHRAE 62.1-2019 (Ventilation for acceptable IAQ), Singapore Standard SS 553 : 2016 (Code of practice for air-conditioning and mechanical ventilation in buildings) and SS 554 : 2016 (Code of practice for indoor air quality for air-conditioned buildings). With higher demands for a healthier indoor environment and cleaner air, air-conditioning systems would require more outdoor air intake, in turn, driving up energy use. Yet, we cannot compromise on energy efficiency, especially having set net-zero carbon emissions targets and more stringent ESG (environmental, social and governance) regulations. Against this backdrop lies a conundrum - how do we optimise IAQ and meet energy efficiency demands? The solution lies in leveraging built data through digitalisation. It starts with the age-old adage- understand thyself. For instance, are facilities managers getting sufficient data about the buildings and occupancy patterns? Could maintenance engineers easily extract data from chiller plants, airside equipment and building systems? Are there sensors in the buildings to pick up salient environmental factors?
OpenBlue digital suite of connected solutions To help building owners and managers navigate these dynamic challenges, Johnson Controls has combined in-depth domain knowledge and digital innovation to provide the comprehensive, OpenBlue digital suite of connected solutions. They include: • The OpenBlue Enterprise Manager (OBEM) which pro14
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER September 2021
vides holistic visibility of the IAQ, occupancy and thermal comfort environment, for spaces within the built environment. With a built-in, advanced fault detection and diagnostic module, it can also proactively uncover faults to support energy efficiency and predictive maintenance. • The world’s first IAQ control - by leveraging artificial intelligence in our OBEM Performance Advisor and the Wells Reilly equation - to predict the spread of infectious diseases using real-time data, including on occupancy. The solution is well-suited for the current pandemic, where occupant health is of utmost priority, while balancing against clean air delivery and optimised energy usage. The software computes the scores for infectious disease risk, IAQ and energy usage, based on multiple data input sources, to provide multi-solve recommendations. Coupled with machine learning over time, the solution will deliver desired outcomes. Some of the largest property developers and forward-looking organisations, including banks and educational institutions in the region, are adopting our OpenBlue solutions. They are reaping significant energy efficiency improvements, while ensuring that work spaces are healthy and they enable occupants’ productivity.
Leveraging existing domain expertise We can achieve the best outcomes for the built environment, when we integrate the critical digital layer with efficient air-conditioning and mechanical ventilation (ACMV) systems such as the award-winning YORK YZ magnetic-bearing chillers. Johnson Controls has a comprehensive range of chillers and heat pumps, built with smart, connected technology, that integrates well with the digital layer and building management systems. For example, together with the OBEM Plant Monitor and Central Utility Plant (CUP) optimisation modules, as well as a built-in digital twin, we can make chiller plants run at notably lower energy consumption levels than the average of 0.65 kW/ton. Johnson Controls adopts a comprehensive approach that helps our customers and partners respond effectively and quickly during the current pandemic. Our holistic methodology covers assessment, remediation, effective ventilation, filtration, disinfection, isolation, monitoring and maintenance, that will support sustainable performance outcomes, throughout the building’s entire lifecycle, with exacting safety standards.
