Smart Building Systems
ASHRAE Technical Committee 7.5

The FDD Subcommitee of TC 7.5: Smart Building Systems has goals of exploring and developing technologies to help detect  and  diagnose  common  faults in building HVAC systems.  The scope of this subcommittee includes (a) identifying  and sponsoring research projects to develop new FDD technologies; evaluate existing FDD technologies; provide  recommendations to building operators and practicing engineers; and develop supporting tools for researchers working in fields related to FDD; and (b) organizing programs to disseminate research findings and advancements in FDD areas  among ASHRAE members.

The Building Operations Dynamics Subcommittee of TC 7.5 is concerned with the dynamic characteristics and interactions of comfort conditions, the active components of HVAC systems, the passive components of HVAC systems, control systems and operation strategies and the building. The committee is concerned with the methods of building system operation which minimize energy used through the consideration of dynamics and interactions. It is also concerned with methods which consider dynamic and interactive characteristics in the design or comfort conditioning systems.

This subcommittee aims at exploring and developing technologies which will enable the development, implementation and commercialization of smart building applications such as fault detection and diagnostics, model-predictive control and optimization, and smart grid applications such as automated demand response. Three focal points of this subcommittee are i) smart transducers, such as sensors and actuators which provide diagnostic information, ii) communications, such as wireless devices and protocols enabling greater data exchange, and iii) embedded metadata, such as embedded equipment and system information to enable smart building applications. On these topics, the scope of this subcommittee includes identifying and sponsoring research projects, evaluating existing technologies, providing recommendations to building operators and practicing engineers, developing supporting tools for researchers in these areas, and organizing programs to disseminate research findings and advancements among ASHRAE members.

This  subcommittee will explore and develop ideas and research work statements to improve the building and utility interactions (and more specifically the electric grid). The research will focus on developing enabling technologies for seamless interaction of smart building components and utilities and other building services. An important aspect of this work is to identify the information that is necessary to support smart building technologies, and to identify the requirements of communication protocols to support the exchange of this information between different building services buildings and utilities, between multiple buildings, with outside service providers.

The importance of a stable and reliable electric power grid to life and the economy in the 21st century has been underscored by two major events over the last decade: a major black out on the east coast of North America and wildly varying electricity prices in California during an attempt at restructuring the electricity marketplace. In response to these events many organization (DOE, EPRI, and CEC) have started research activities to find ways to modernize the grid. However, there a significant gaps in the research activities, especially as they relate to buildings. Since buildings consume over 70% of the electric in the U.S., they have to part of the solution to modernize the grid. ASHRAE has traditionally developed technologies, standards, and guidelines for buildings. Therefore, this subcommittee can play a major role in continuing this effort.

The ASHRAE Handbook is published in a series of four volumes, one of which is revised each year, ensuring that no volume is older than four years.

The Handbook can be purchased at the ASHRAE Bookstore by clicking on this link.  TC 7.5 is responsible for the following chapters in the ASHRAE HVAC APPLICATIONS Handbook:

Smart Building Systems

Smart building systems are building components that exhibit characteristics analogous to human intelligence. These characteristics include drawing conclusions from data or analyses of data rather than simply generating more data or plots of data, interpreting information or data to reach new conclusions, and making decisions and/or taking action autonomously without being explicitly instructed or programmed to take the specific action. These capabilities are usually associated with software, but they can also be possessed by hardware with embedded software code, or firmware. The line between systems that are “smart” and “not smart” is blurry, and, for purposes of this chapter, does not need to be absolutely defined. The purpose of this chapter is to introduce readers to emerging technologies that possess some of these smart characteristics.

Supervisory Control Strategies and Optimization

Computerized building and energy management and control systems provide a variety of effective ways to reduce utility costs and energy consumption associated with maintaining environmental conditions and thermal comfort in buildings. These systems can incorporate advanced control strategies that respond to inputs including changing weather, building conditions, occupancy levels and utility rates to minimize operating costs, energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions while also enhancing occupant comfort. This chapter focuses on the opportunities and control strategies associated with using supervisory control strategies and optimization methods applied to cooling systems, heating systems, air-handling units, and zone equipment.

The ASHRAE HVAC APPLICATIONS HANDBOOK may be purchased from the on-line bookstore by clicking on the highlighted text

Comment on the Handbook: ASHRAE welcomes your comments on the Handbook or a specific Handbook chapter.  To submit a comment about any aspect or part of the Handbook series, you can use the Handbook Comment Form.

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Technical committees develop and sponsor technical sessions at the winter and annual conferences. Information about their future technical program is discussed at each TC meeting and at the TC’s Program Subcommittee meeting

ASHRAE publishes papers and transactions from presentations at its conference events. In addition, ASHRAE records most of the seminar sessions from its conferences on DVD. These DVDs are ideal for use at chapter meetings, in university courses, or company lunch and learns. Products available from the most recent conference may be found here.

Technical Committees are responsible for identifying research topics, proposing research projects, selecting bidders, and monitoring research projects funded by ASHRAE. Information about their specific research program is discussed at each TC meeting and at the TC’s Research Subcommittee meeting.

TC 7.5 has the following on-going research projects.  For a list of projects under development, see the applications-focused subcommittees below.

1615-RP: FAULT DETECTION AND DIAGNOSTIC (FDD) METHODS FOR SUPERMARKETS- PHASE I

TC 7.5 Smart Building Systems
Co-sponsored by: TC 10.07, Commercial food and Beverage Refrigeration Equipment

This research directly addresses the concept of sustainability. The supermarket sector has a significant impact on global warming, not only from the point of view of energy consumed but, even more importantly, from the point of view of the impact of leaked refrigerant

1633-RP: DATA AND INTERFACES FOR ADVANCED BUILDING MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION

TC 1.4, Control Theory and Application
Co-sponsors: TC 7.5, Smart Building Systems, TC 7.6, Building Energy Performance and TC 7.9, Building Commissioning

Develop a set of standard data-driven metrics, interfaces and dashboards for advanced building operation and management, segmented by building typology and stakeholder needs; proto-type those dashboards, document methods of data collection, and test those metrics with real building data. Provide this body of work to help fill the void in standards literature for informing designers and practitioners on how they can use building data to improve building operations, energy efficiency, comfort, and sustainability.

ASHRAE writes standards for the purpose of establishing consensus for: 1) methods of test for use in commerce and 2) performance criteria for use as facilitators with which to guide the industry. ASHRAE publishes the following three types of voluntary consensus standards: Method of Measurement or Test (MOT), Standard Design and Standard Practice. ASHRAE does not write rating standards unless a suitable rating standard will not otherwise be available. ASHRAE is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and follows ANSI's requirements for due process and standards development. Standards may be purchased at the ASHRAE Bookstore.

TC 7.5 is cognizant for the following standards:

Standard 201: Facility Smart Grid Information Model

Standard 207: Laboratory Method Of Test Of Fault Detection And Diagnosis For Air Economizers

ASHRAE’s Honors and Awards program recognizes the dedicated ASHRAE Members who give freely of their time and expertise to fulfill the Society’s mission of advancing the arts and sciences of HVAC&R to serve humanity and provide a sustainable world. This subcommittee helps members with the process of applying for the Distinguished Service Award or the Exceptional Service Award.

Distinguished Service Award

This award recognizes members of ASHRAE who have served the Society faithfully and with distinction on committees or otherwise given freely of their time and talent on behalf of the Society (15 service points are required).

Exceptional Service Award

This award recognizes members who have served the Society faithfully and with exemplary effort, far in excess (45 service points) of that required for the Distinguished Service Award. The individual must have been a Full Member for a minimum of ten years and be a past recipient of the Distinguished Service Award.

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ASHRAE Technical FAQs are provided as a service to ASHRAE members, users of ASHRAE publications, and the general public. While every effort has been made to ensure their accuracy and reliability, they are advisory and provided for informational purposes only, and in many cases represent only one person’s view. They are not intended and should not be relied on as an official statement of ASHRAE. Technical questions not addressed may be submitted to the ASHRAE Technical Services department at tse@ashrae.net.