BACnet Integration

Can the Arens Natural Ventilation Systems integrate with BACnet?

Arens provide a number of ways to integrate a smoke or natural ventilation system with BACnet. This will allow for building automation and control systems, such as air conditioning, heating and natural ventilation to exchange status information and operate in synchronisation.

What benefits does BACnet integration bring?

By integrating the HVAC and Natural Ventilation Systems with BACnet, it allows for synchronisation between building automation and ventilation control systems. This can result in improved thermal comfort and indoor air quality for occupants as well as improving energy efficiency by delaying the activation of the HVAC system.

This integration can also allow features such as two way communication between MotorControllers and the BMS, precise position control and feedback, as well as early fault indication.

How does Arens make BACnet integration possible?

There are a number of ways that BACnet integration is made possible by Arens.

  • WindowMaster FlexiSmoke BACnet Controller (WSC 520) – this will allow for direct communication from the BMS to the MotorControllers that are controlling the actuators, signalling them to either open or close the windows according to when the BMS sees appropriate. This may occur when temperature or CO2 set points are exceeded for example, or windows can be manually operated by occupants in the relevant rooms or zones.
  • Through a voltage free contact – this is our simplest form of integration with BACnet. It will allow the BMS to operate the windows but it will not provide it with any status information.

The WindowMaster FlexiSmoke is a BACnet compliant controller that is implementing a standardised profile – using BACnet Smart Actuators. PICS documentation is available and outlines its BACnet capabilities.

What if I want a finer degree of control over the natural ventilation of the building?

The WindowMaster NV Comfort™ is a bus-based solution that is KNX compatible, but operation with BACnet is possible using a gateway.

When looking for an automatic system and a finer degree of control over the building’s natural ventilation, the NV Comfort™ can:

  • Integrate with the BMS and control the natural ventilation, heating, cooling and shading of the building.
  • Act as the BMS, in which case it can control the natural ventilation, heating, cooling and shading of the building, as well as having inputs available for communication with other systems such as security, lighting or presence detectors.
  • It can also report back to the BMS and provided status information of the all the systems that it is controlling.

The NV Comfort™ must be used in conjunction with WindowMaster MotorLink™ Window Actuators and MotorControllers. Some advantages of using MotorLink™ technology include:

  • Precise position control and feedback
  • Three speed actuator operation
  • Early fault indication
  • Genuine synchronisation

Where has Arens been involved in BACnet integration?

Nishi Building, Canberra – this is one of Canberra’s most sustainable mixed-use building complexes. It has WindowMaster BACnet MotorControllers and WindowMaster Actuators installed to allow for natural cross ventilation within the building. The MotorControllers are integrated with BACnet, allowing operation of the windows from the Building Management System.

 

For more information on BACnet integration, please feel free to contact us today.