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Combining HVAC expertise and automation to deliver energy savings

INSIGHTEXECUTIVE INSIGHT

Barghest Building Performance (BBP) is a company dedicated to helping their customers to achieve their energy efficiency goals without financing restrictions. BBP

primarily focuses on HVAC and refrigeration systems as it is the most energy-intensive system in a building as well as many industrial sites. BBP also offers a range of other energy efficiency and Green Mark related services..

The project starts with BBP engineers performing a site audit where they gather necessary technical and operational information at no cost to the client. Thereafter, BBP creates a simulation of the current system efficiency taking into account existing operating conditions and limitations. BBP thereafter simulates system performance with BBP solution, calculating the potential efficiency improvements.

More often than not, there is a large energy savings potential justifying a commercial negotiation with the client. At this point, BBP often does a more extensive data logging and site evaluation to verify the audit results.

Upon commercial agreement, BBP develops a hardware and software solution for the client and installs a complete optimization solution. BBPs optimization solution helps HVAC and refrigeration systems deliver the amount of cooling required for the operation with lower electricity usage. The solution thereby helps clients in reducing operating costs and environmental impact. BBP solutions have delivered 20-40 percent improvement in HVAC/refrigeration system efficiency to their clients.

C.V. Kumar, COO, BBP, said: “Chillers are the main component of the HVAC system. The efficiency of chillers has not improved drastically in the past 20 or so years. If we can bring the existing chiller back to the design condition, and optimize the auxiliary equipment like chilled water and condenser water pumps, even plants older than 10 years can perform in line with some newly designed ones.”

Before the BBP solution is commissioned, an independent third party will create a baseline of the current system performance and compare it to data post BBP’s installation. BBP’s solution can be

customised to any HVAC and refrigeration system, independent of the age and brand of the chiller.

Cloud based remote monitoring and data analytics

BBP’s HVAC and r e f r i g e r a t i o n p l a n t optimization solution gathers massive amount of data to operate the system in the most energy efficient manner. Each system is connected to BBPs cloud based remote monitoring and data analytics module. The equipment level data

All of these come at no extra cost to the customers, adds Pradeep Chakraborty.

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at minute interval can help the clients in accessing the data for internal analysis, benchmarking, as well as for remote monitoring and alarm purposes.

The system increases the productivity of the operational staff by allowing them to monitor the system via mobile devices and to receive email/SMS alarms in case key performance indicators (KPI) deteriorate. It can also be used by portfolio owners to have a holistic view of all their different assets at a central location.

Kumar added: “We do remote diagnostics to help companies measure energy efficiency and consumption. We are now developing a system that will inform the users not only what has happened, but also why it happened and the proposed solution. It can also indicate the financial and environmental impact if the error is not corrected. That will help operation team to take corrective action immediately as they know what, why, and the impact of the alarm. The platform also gives us data to offer predictive maintenance of HVAC system to our clients.”

The BBP system –• Can be installed independent of age and brand of current

equipment.• Can work with any BMS or operate independently.• Non-intrusive; Does not require interruption in operations for

installation.• Maintains cooling requirement, while delivering lower energy

consumption for HVAC and refrigeration systems• Has no operational risk – Client can always bypass the

BBP solution and run its system as it was done before BBP installation

• Has no financial risk for the client – BBP is only paid if there is actual saving verified by independent third party.

Shared-saving approachPoyan Rajamand, CEO, BBP, said: “We design a solution to

improve an existing system and have worked closely with Siemens in a number of projects. Siemens supports BBP to find creative design solutions with right components in order to help BBP

to continue delivering fully funded optimization solutions to its clients.”

So, what makes the company unique in building efficiency and management?

Kumar said: “We focus exclusively on improving efficiency of existing equipment, which requires deep knowledge in HVAC/refrigeration systems, as well as knowledge in a wide range of related areas – automation, instrumentation, operations and maintenance to mention a few.”

He mentions the shared-saving approach whereby client enjoys energy savings with no upfront cost. After the contract period, ownership of all the installed equipment will be transferred to the client, whereby, the client can have the benefit of the entire energy savings.

The long term contract between BBP and client also ensures that the system performance remains consistent over time with corrective actions taken in case of any deviation or deterioration in performance.

Regarding the variety of solutions offered, Kumar pointed out: “We serve buildings, manufacturing plants, process industry and data centers. Examples in the industrial sector are Lumileds and Singapore Airport Terminal Services (SATS). SATS Singapore is a leading provider of gateway services and food solutions in the region.”

BBP has also done work with district cooling plants, as well as with clients in office space like Tolaram and HSBC. On the hospitality side, BBP has worked for Shangri-La Hotels and in the retail sector BBP has had projects with Dairy Farm at their Giant Hyper Market in Tampines.

BBP customizes the control system to optimize the operation of current equipment while considering operational flexibility and user friendliness.

Siemens as tech partnerAs to why BBP chose Siemens’ PLC, Rajamand said: “We chose

to work with Siemens PLC as we and our clients prefer an open solution with parts, expertise and support available regionally

EXECUTIVE INSIGHT

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EXECUTIVE INSIGHT

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both from Siemens as well as from Siemens partners.Every system is unique in nature. One may need a different controller.”

The Siemens’ variety of solutions helps BBP make right selections based on the user requirements.”

C.V. Kumar added: “Siemens has impressed us with their willingness to bring different parts of the company together to help BBP selecting right products for each project requirement. Their work and commitment has laid foundation for a long term partnership.”

Value of Green MarkThe BCA Green Mark Scheme was launched by the Building

and Construction Authority (BCA) in January 2005 to promote environmental awareness in the construction and real estate sectors.

It is a benchmarking scheme, which aims to achieve a sustainable built environment by incorporating the best practices in environmental design and construction, and the adoption of green building technologies.

As energy related aspects of a building constitutes close to 50 percent of the total score of a Green Mark certification project, BBP also helps its clients achieve Green Mark Certification.

BBP project at Lumileds SingaporeIn their latest project, BBP solution helped Lumileds

Singapore comply with the most stringent Green Mark HVAC system efficiency requirements. As such, the Lumileds Singapore chiller plant recently won Prestigious Green Mark Platinum Award under the ‘Existing Buildings’ category at the BCA Awards 2015, becoming the first existing Manufacturing plant to achieve this certification.

Through HVAC system optimization, Lumileds achieved 27 percent improvement in the chiller plants efficiency, without needing to replace any major equipment or disrupt plant operations.

For its next project, BBP plans to evaluate and optimize the plant and office air handling unit system to reduce energy consumption at Lumileds. CEA