Wireless sensor technology makes light work of HVAC controls retrofit
Wireless sensor technology from Sontay has enabled the speedy retrofit of HVAC controls at the head office of Bedford Pilgrims Housing Association in Bedford. The work was carried out by systems integrator AES Control Systems of Northampton with minimal disruption to the day-to-day running of the building and will help reduce energy consumption and increase the flexibility of use of the building for many years to come.
This 4-storey building dates back to the 1980s and has a prominent glass facade. Upgrading the controls was identified as able to significantly improve comfort and reduce fuel consumption. Matthew Hunt, facilities manager with BPHA, explains, ‘Temperature regulation in our office block, with its large windows all round, had been a huge issue for us. We need to improve efficiency, but minimise installation cost and disruption.’
AES specified Sontay’s SonNet wireless system as the solution for the projects.
Dave Redmond of AES says, ‘We would have had difficulty in installing cable to sensors because of the size of the building and the disruption this would have presented to the office staff in a highly populated call-centre-type environment. The wireless option helped us overcome these problems.’
A detailed site survey proved that the equipment would work correctly. One SonNet receiver runs a network of sensors to measure internal temperature and solar gain alongside one router on each floor.
The sensors use licence-free 2.4 GHz radio technology.
Dave Redmond says, ‘The savings made on the cost of materials and labour for the project are impressive. We’re also impressed with the robustness of the system and had only positive feedback from the customer.’
