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© 2002,
Architectural Energy Corporation.
All Rights Reserved.
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 Funded
by California Energy Commission's Public Interest Energy
Research (PIER) Program
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P2-7. Enabling
Tools > Conclusions
Conclusions:
The improvements
made under this project
to the VCBT and FDD
Test Shell enabled
testing
of WBD and demonstrated
the feasibility of
laboratory testing
of FDD tools.
Commercialization
potential:
Several HVAC controls manufacturers provided
hardware and software for the project. They
were briefed periodically by the research
team and are interested in being involved
with continued FDD tool research.
The VCBT and FDD
Test Shell is available
to manufacturers
and other interested
parties
as a platform for
product development
and
testing. Since it
promotes rapid development
and testing in a
controlled environment,
it should allow faster
product development
and allow users to
bring products to
market
sooner.
Recommendations:
Doing the following
could enhance market
penetration of FDD
Tools:
- Inform the building controls manufacturing
market about the VCBT and its capabilities.
- Develop standard test data suites, such ASHRAE's
Standard 140, BestTest,
for FDD tools to
provide an objective
basis for improving
performance and
give end users a means of
ranking different
FDD Tools relative to particular
HVAC system configurations.
- Additional research is needed in the following
areas:
- Develop analytical techniques to improve
isolation of
the causes of
faults without
additional sensors.
- Study impact of sensitivity settings further.
- Develop guidance for operators for selecting
sensitivity settings.
Benefits to California:
The VCBT and FDD
Test Shell will be used
to test diagnostic
tools and communications
in the controlled
environment of the laboratory.
Simulation/laboratory
testing of this type
contributed greatly
to the success of the
BACnet demonstration
performed for GSA at
the Philip Burton
Federal Office Building
and has proven to
be equally beneficial in
testing the Whole
Building Diagnostician.
The availability
of the tools at the
national
level will benefit
California because
the
makers of building
controls sell their
products
into the national
and international
market.
Given the current
utility cost structure
in California, the
national level manufacturers
are more likely to
adopt FDD tools if
California
customers request
them.
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