Automated Logic Introduces New ACxelerate^TM Tool, Reduces Variable Air Volume Commissioning Time

Buildings that are properly commissioned are typically more energy efficient, have lower operating and maintenance costs and have fewer change orders. If not commissioned properly, HVAC equipment- like variable air volume (VAV) terminal units, can have performance issues upon installation.To help with this problem, Automated Logic created the ACxelerate^TM Automated Commissioning Tool, which automates VAV commissioning to help ensure optimum performance from day one. Automated Logic Corporation , a leading provider of innovative building-management solutions, is a part of Carrier (NYSE: CARR), a leading global provider of innovative HVAC, refrigeration, fire, security and building automation technologies.

The new ACxelerate auto-commissioning tool is an add-on to the WebCTRL® v7 building automation system (BAS), and can be used to test single-duct, dual duct and fan-powered (series and parallel) VAV terminal unit dampers and reheat valves. Automated testing is ideal for VAV terminal units due to quantity, location and the difficulty in accessing them. The ACxelerate tool has been tested on all types of buildings, and has been shown to substantially reduce commissioning time.^[1] Days-to-weeks scenarios have turned into hours.

“Identifying and fixing HVAC performance issues can have a significant impact on energy savings and occupant comfort, both now and in the future,” said Mead Rusert, president, Automated Logic. “So, we created a tool that would streamline the process through automation, making commissioning easy and cost-effective throughout the building life cycle.”

The ACxelerate tool can run on-demand or on a schedule. Once initiated, it discovers all VAV terminal units and air handling units in the WebCTRL system and maps the necessary data points for testing. Next, a set of functional tests automatically exercises the dampers and reheat valves in the VAV system. The test data is then analyzed based on known physical behavior patterns and faults of VAVs, such as “stuck,” “over-stroking,” or “under-stroking” dampers and valves.

Once the automated testing is complete, an intuitive health report for all VAVs is generated automatically, using dashboards, charts, and graphs to note the specific faults that need to be corrected. In new construction projects, this health report is typically provided to the commissioning agent by the controls contractor. The controls contractor can then correct the issues, repeat the tests and present a final report to the commissioning agent, who in turn presents it to the building owner or facilities staff to verify VAV system performance.

As time goes on, VAV performance may degrade, resulting in poor energy efficiency and inadequate comfort levels. As such, the ACxelerate tool can be executed https://www.automatedlogic.com/Whitepapers/ASHRAE Winter Conference Auto-CX_Final.pdf on an ongoing basis to help facilities staff ensure that original VAV performance persists and their VAV systems remain optimized.

The ACxelerate tool will be available this spring and can be added to existing WebCTRL v7 systems. To learn more about the new ACxelerate tool, please contact your local ALC dealer.

[1] https://www.automatedlogic.com/Whitepapers/ASHRAE Winter Conference Auto-CX_Final.pdf