The Siemens Building Technologies Division used this year’s ISH, the leading international trade show for building, energy and air conditioning technology, to present its innovative products and systems for energy-efficient and comfortable building operation. The highlights, shown under the trade show motto ‘Efficient solutions for a better world,’ included solutions for plant and room operation as well as a number of especially energy-efficient field devices.
Siemens presented its extensive portfolio of energy-efficient products for HVAC applications. They range from intelligent products for ventilation and air-conditioning systems and innovative room automation solutions to new user interfaces for HVAC installations as well as energy services and specialised software tools that assist planners and installers in their work.
Building automation at the touch of a finger
Siemens presented two ergonomic operator units for its Desigo building automation system ‚ the Desigo Touch and Web touch panels PXM40 (10-inch screen diagonal) and PXM50 (15-inch screen diagonal), which are especially intuitive to operate. Both devices offer a high-resolution, high-contrast colour display in wide-screen format. The touch panels are designed as dedicated system operator units for 24/7 operation and are mounted on the front of switchgear doors.
The communications-enabled QMX3 room operator units for wall mounting as well as additional AQR25 sensors supplementing the Delta design frame program were shown for the first time. The Desigo TRA (Total Room Automation) line of room automation products now includes room operator units with and without displays and operating controls for any application, including air quality and humidity measurements.
In addition, Siemens presented the HomeControl smart phone app for iOS and Android and the Energy Indicator software. HomeControl allows owners of a Synco 700, Synco living, Albatros or Sigmagyr HVAC controller to access their system from any location, check its operating state and correct setpoint values. Energy Indicator makes it easy to check the energy-efficient operation of HVAC systems and allows the operating parameters to be fine-tuned.
One area of the Siemens booth was dedicated entirely to new user interfaces, which allow practical, intuitive and universal operation regardless of which building discipline (e.g., cooling, heating or complete control station) is to be operated or by which means this is to be done (e.g. remote access via the Internet or from a smart phone, or locally in the room).
Hands-on total room automation
In another partitioned area of the booth, the Desigo TRA Room, Siemens demonstrated its interdisciplinary solution for total room automation. In an attractive presentation that covers all required processes and functions, the TRA Room showed how unnecessary energy consumption can be identified using the RoomOptiControl efficiency function and then corrected by the user simply by touching the Green Leaf display on the operator unit.
Open communication between different systems in conjunction with a comprehensive automation and operating concept are key requirements for energy-efficient, reliable operation. The new version V5.1 of the Desigo building automation system therefore fully complies with AMEV ‘s BACnet 2011 guideline. Support for the BACnet B-AWS profile in Desigo Insight V5.1 significantly improves interoperability between Desigo and third-party manufacturers. Desigo V5.1 also supports the latest IT systems, including Microsoft Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012. It is also the world’s first offering to support the new BACnet/IPv6 communication standard.
Integrated applications for maximum energy efficiency
With its integrated applications, which use KNX to establish an intelligent, seamless link between electrical and HVAC systems, Siemens demonstrates how building automation can comply with energy efficiency class A and simultaneously minimise operating costs. By controlling lighting, shading and HVAC in the room and throughout the entire building according to time, occupancy and daylight, it is possible to achieve energy savings between 20 and 70 percent compared to conventional non-energy-efficient solutions.
Innovative products for water and air circuits
Siemens presented a range of new products in the completely redesigned line of Acvatix valves and actuators. The portfolio includes new combi valves, pressure-compensated valves, ball valves and thermal actuators that are especially compact, more energy-efficient and easy to handle. The valves and actuators in the new Acvatix generation can be used to cover all control tasks in HVAC applications.
In addition, Siemens presented the G120P, a modular and especially energy-efficient variable speed drive for use in HVAC installations. The G120P variable speed drive was demonstrated in a ventilation application, together with the communications-enabled damper actuators for variable air volume control from the OpenAir product line. The installation was controlled by the Desigo building automation system using the AirOptiControl application, which optimises energy use and maximises energy efficiency.
