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This
article describes a scheme for naming monitoring data in buildings. This
standard supports the automatic analysis of the operation of technical systems.
Modern
non-residential buildings are increasingly equipped with building automation
systems. Unfortunately, these buildings rarely reach the promised energy
performance indicators and functionality (Waide et al. 2014, Debusscher and
Waide 2015, Fütterer et al. 2017). Errors in the programming of complex
building automation systems (BAS), but also faulty components must be
identified. This requires an analysis of the system. In order to achieve this
within a reasonable amount of time, a standardized naming structure of the
components is very helpful to quickly find your way around, even in systems
that are not planned by yourself.
To achieve
this, an intensive analysis is necessary. In practice, time and money for that
investigation are limited. In addition, automatic analysis algorithms could
accelerate this work. The basis for a reliable working algorithm is a standard
for naming the system components. Many data are required for the analysis,
which a building automation or an energy monitoring system could supply.
Currently, however, the naming of data points is very individual. (Bhattacharya
et al. 2016)
System
integrators or operators have their own idea of a data point naming scheme in
order to integrate it into the organizational structure; the scheme of the BAS
vendor is implemented, or no explicit scheme is given. After commissioning,
this increases the resources (time, money, etc.) required for fault analysis
and optimization of the technical systems. Companies that specialize in
analyses, optimizations or novel control concepts have to prepare the data with
great effort. Only then can the actual desired work begin. This leads to a high
basic effort before an action takes place. Standardized monitoring data could
break the vendor lock-in, which is a common complaint in building operation
practice. This means that specialized and independent companies can focus on
analysing building data and provide solutions for the operation of a building
system.
Based on four buildings in which the naming scheme is applied, we show how it is used and what possibilities it offers. One of the buildings is currently under construction. For this purpose, we present application fields for the naming scheme.
For the
development of a universal naming scheme, we have investigated different
structures from practice (6 examples), norms (3 examples) and schemes (4
examples). The elements of naming are often similar. However, they usually
differ in their arrangement, predefined restricted amount of characters and
used vocabulary.
The scheme
developed by Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE (Réhault et al,
2013) proved to be the most applicable, due to its approach of a logical
structure and vocabulary, which is why we chose to develop this scheme. We have
introduced additional categories and made the entire structure of naming
schemes and its vocabulary consistent.
The outcome
of this development is a “buildings unified data point naming schema for
operation management” (BUDO). It has a hierarchical structure, which consists
of five categories that form the data point naming scheme:
·
system,
·
subsystem,
·
position/medium
·
type
·
I/O
function
An
underscore character is used to separate them. A detailed naming is also
possible, e. g. to distinguish a temperature sensor (SEN.T) from a volumetric
flow meter (SEN.VF). A point is used for subdivision. This supports object
orientation in the analysis of attachments. Additional user-specific names are
important to ensure that a system integrator or operator can recognize data
points. User-specific categories are also decisive for the applicability in an
organization. Therefore, we allow a free text before the standardized
vocabulary. This can include all additional categories required by the
organization (e.g. a building number or focus of information). This text is
delimited by two slashes (//) from the developed data point key. We show the
structure of BUDO in Figure 1. BUDO allows a standardized
naming of the components in the building automation systems and at the same
time allows an assignment of components in the system, which makes it easier to
assign the data points to a component later in the automation schema.
Figure 1. Structure of the unified data point naming structure BUDO.
With a
translation tool developed by us, the scheme can be easily applied in any
construction or retrofit process. We currently implemented the tool in Excel.
We planned further integrations (html, python). An application of the tool can
be found in Figure 2.
Figure 2. Example of how to use the
translation tool.
The tool is
downloadable under http://www.ebc.eonerc.rwth-aachen.de/cms/E-ON-ERC-EBC/Forschung/OPEN-SOURCE/~qajk/Standardisierte-Bezeichnung-zeitaufgeloe/.
Due to a simple copy-and-paste of the existing name, our naming scheme can be applied very easily also on existing buildings. A user can select the appropriate vocabulary conveniently via a drop-down menu and receives a new standardized naming at the end. For a building with approx. 400 data points, the renaming into the new scheme required approx. 2 hours without specialized training. This shows that the naming scheme is applicable to existing buildings. We show this below on the examples of a building in construction, an existing building, different organization structures and on the case of a building information model (BIM).
BUDO can be
composed of entries in the GA function list according to ISO 16484 and can
therefore be easily integrated into the planning process. The assignment of the
data point key to a specific position in the system makes it easier to find the
data point in the automation scheme.
The
complete data point consists of e.g. a building allocation or focus of
information etc., the plant, the description of the data point or object and
the I/O functions (see Figure 3). For this purpose, the
corresponding categories are suitable. The building identifier can be set in
the arbitrary text at the beginning. The description of the plant is stored in
the system. Several parts of the naming scheme can be integrated into the
description. The I/O function is used at the end of the scheme and contains
information about which information type one can count on and which signal can
be processed by the component. This can already be useful for debugging a
system.
Figure 3. Assembling the data point label from the function list of ISO 16484-3.
We have integrated the developed key into a building process in a test hall currently under construction. This way, the previous theoretical considerations on the applicability of the key can be examined. The labels of data points in the concrete core activation are located in Figure 4. It shows that particularly more complex systems, such as a pump, have significantly more data points than a simple valve. The choice of vocabulary should be consistent. This means that if a component has been named with a certain name once, this name is also used for all subsequent designations.
Figure 4. Examples of BUDO in a Concrete Core Activation of a building in construction (test hall) (source: DEERNS B.V.).
Table 2 shows the vocabulary needed to
understand the data label in Figure 5. It shows a system with
two boilers and a hydraulic separator as located in the case study office
building. Typical data labels of components used in such a system like a
thermal energy storage, pump, valve and temperature sensors either to measure
the temperature or to watch a maximum or minimum set point of a temperature
difference are named according to the BUDO.
Figure 5. Boiler in case study 2 (office building) (source: Johnson Controls International Plc).
Table 1.
Example Buildings.
BUILDING NO | EXPLANATION |
1 | Office Building
with mixed utilization |
2 | Test Hall |
3 | Canteen |
4 | Battery
Storage System |
Table 2.
Data label of BUDO.
ABBREVIATION | EXPLANATION |
System | |
BOI | Boiler |
CHP | Combined Heat and Power Unit |
CCA | Concrete Core Activation |
Subsystem | |
PU | Pump |
SEN | Sensor |
SW | Switch |
VAL | Valve |
Position/ Medium | |
HYDS | Hydraulic Separator |
STO | Storage |
WS | Water System |
Type | |
AL | Alarm |
COM | Command |
MEA | Measurement |
SEV | Setpoint Value |
STAT | Status |
I/O Function | |
AI | Analog Input |
AO | Analog Output |
BI | Binary Input |
BO | Binary Output |
SAO | Shared Analog Output |
Specifications | |
BOT | Bottom |
CLEA | Clearance |
CTRL | Control |
DIFF | Differential |
DIST | Distribution |
DIV | Diverting |
EMR | Emergency |
H | Heat/Hot |
LT | Low Temperature |
MAIN | Maintenance |
MAX | Maximum |
MID | Middle |
MIN | Minimum |
NROT | Number of Rotations |
OPR | Operation |
POS | Position |
PRIM | Primary |
RET | Return |
SEC | Secondary |
SUBS | Substitute |
SUP | Supply |
T | Temperature |
TOP | Top |
VF | Volume Flow |
As we show in Figure 6, there are no restrictions in the usage of BUDO at the Cologne Bonn Airport. We integrated the building, trade and room in front of the standardized part of the label. User-specific attributes are also applicable here. The system is integrable in the standardized part. BUDO completely maps the data point designation.
Figure 6. Example of integration into
organization structures of the Cologne Bonn Airport/Germany.
In the case
of the city of Frankfurt/Germany (Figure 7), we have to depict the street
code, house number, building, floor and type of costs. BUDO does not map these
parts in a standardized way. Therefore, they must be inserted before the
separator (//). For each unstandardized type, we recommend using an underscore
as a separator. For the rest, we used the standardized part of BUDO.
Figure 7. Example of integration into
organization structures of City of Frankfurt (Main)/Germany.
The integration of data labels that are named after the
developed naming scheme into a building information model (BIM), whose de facto
standard is ISO 16739 (IFC4) was successful. We have implemented this in an
existing building (see Figure 8). Here the description of objects
offers the possibility to integrate the new label into BIM. The planning
information can be added to BUDO according to the level of development in BIM.
For example, if it is not yet clear which boiler type will be implemented, BUDO
can initially contain the boiler information (BOI) only and the information of
a condensing boiler (BOI. COND) can be supplemented later. If installations are
subsequently changed in the planning process, the data point keys can also be
adapted automatically by BUDO, thus avoiding errors in the planning process.
BUDO therefore supports the workflow and benefits from BIM.
Figure 8. Example of integration of BUDO into
IFC4 (Building Information Model).
We have developed an easy-to-apply data point naming
scheme. It can be easily integrated into existing organizational structures and
helps to develop new standardized products for the analysis and optimization of
buildings. If everyone would name or rename their building automation system
accoring to BUDO, a lot of time spent on finding one’s way around in a building
automation system could be saved, and it could provide the basis for algorithms
for an automatic evaluation of building automation in the future. We showed
that the naming scheme can consistently name data points in existing buildings
and in buildings under construction. The naming scheme could facilitate the
application of innovative analysis and control concepts in the future.
Airport
Cologne-Bonn, 2014. Richtlinie Gebäudeautomation, Geschäftsbereich Technik –
Gebäudebetrieb, Abteilung Versorgungstechnik. Available at (accessed on 07.02.2018):
https://www.koeln-bonn-airport.de/uploads/tx_download/Technische_Vertragsbedingung_Gebaeudeautomation.pdf
Bhattacharya,
A.; Ploennigs, J.; Culler, D., 2015. Short Paper: Analyzing Metadata Schemas
for Buildings: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, Proceedings of the 2nd ACM
2015.
Butler,
J., Veelenturf, R., 2010, Point Naming Standards, Available at (accessed on
07.02.2018): http://www.bacnet.org/Bibliography/BACnet-Today-10/Butler_2010.pdf
City
of Frankfurt/Main (Germany), 2016. Lastenheft Gebäudeautomation, City of
Frankfurt, Energy management. Available at (accessed on 07.02.2018):
http://www.energiemanagement.stadt-frankfurt.de/Betriebsoptimierung/Gebaeudeautomation/GA-Lastenheft-Vortext.pdf
Debusscher,
D., Waide, P., 2015. A timely opportunity to grasp the vast potential of energy
savings of Building Automation and Control Technologies, White Paper
Fütterer,
J., Schild, T., Müller, D., 2017. Gebäudeautomationssysteme in der Praxis, Whitepaper RWTH-EBC 2017-001,
Aachen, 2017, http://dx.doi.org/10.18154/RWTH-2017-05671
ISO
16484-3:2005. Building automation and control systems (BACS) - Part 3: Functions,
Norm.
ISO
16484-6:2014. Building automation and control systems (BACS) -- Part 6: Data
communication conformance testing, Norm.
ISO
16739:2013. Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) for data sharing in the
construction and facility management industries, Norm.
Réhault,
N., Ohr, F., Zehnle, S., Mueller, T., Rist, T., Jacob, D., Lichtenberg, G.,
Pangalos, G., Kruppa, K., Schmidt, F., Zuzel, A., Harmsen, A., Sewe, E. 2013.
Projektbericht: Modellbasierte Qualitätssicherung des energetischen
Gebäudebetriebs (ModQS)) Available at (accessed on 07.02.2018):
http://www.modqs.de/uploads/tx_buildingeq/20140703_ModQS_Abschlussbericht_rev1.pdf
Waide, P.,
Ure, J., Karagianni, N., Smith, G., Bordass, B., 2014. The scope for energy and CO2 savings in the EU
through the use of building automation technology: Final Report, Waide
Strategic Efficiency Limited, White Paper.
The authors
would like to acknowledge the financial support of the German Federal Ministry
of Economic Affairs and Energy within the funded project 03ET1022A and
“OOM4ABDO” (03SBE0006A).
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