June 2004
Review
AutomatedBuildings.com

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National Building Controls Information Program - NBCIP

  Ken Sinclair, Editor

Are you aware of this valuable web site and its great resources?

[an error occurred while processing this directive] The National Building Controls Information Program publishes reports designed to assist engineers, building owners, facility managers, building operators, installation specialists, product specifiers, commissioning providers, and manufacturers with the selection, installation, operation and maintenance of control products and strategies for their building application.

http://www.buildingcontrols.org/publications.php

Check out this new rating of six duct RH transmitters.

Duct-Mounted Relative Humidity Transmitters, April 2004 (932)KB  5/12/2004

Also planned is a project to develop an application guideline on return fan control strategies.  This guideline addresses five return fan control strategies, emphasizing key design and implementation issues, and also provides guidelines to design engineers on the selection of the most appropriate strategy for a given application, implementers on the best approaches to ensure a given strategy meets the design intent, and building operators on how to ensure a given strategy operates as intended. 

Who is National Building Controls Information Program (NBCIP)?

The National Building Controls Information Program (NBCIP) was established by the Iowa Energy Center with support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to facilitate the adoption of energy efficient building control products and strategies through testing, demonstration, education and dissemination of product information.

Addressing the need for building control system information
Building control systems are a complex technology that changes rapidly. A multitude of controllers, software, sensors and devices are currently available, but there is a lack of credible information concerning the actual performance of control systems and control strategies. It has become increasingly difficult for building owners, facility managers and professionals who design, specify, install and operate control systems to understand and compare the attributes and shortcomings of control systems, fully exploit their capabilities and implement the most energy efficient control strategies.

The NBCIP provides unbiased, accurate, reliable, manufacturer-specific information on building control systems to guide and improve the selection, installation, operation and maintenance of control products and strategies for building applications.

Promoting energy efficiency in buildings
Building energy use represents 36% of the total primary energy consumption in the United States. Problems with control systems and building operation are a primary cause of inefficient energy use. High efficiency HVAC components coupled with a control system that suffers from improper control strategies or erroneous sensor readings can lead to system operation that conceals significant energy waste. Hardware failures, software errors, and human factors related to difficulty of use and understanding of control products all contribute towards preventing buildings from achieving expected levels of energy efficiency.

The Iowa Energy Center has launched this national consortium based on our investment in the Energy Resource Station, a unique facility that serves as the NBCIP's testing laboratory, and the expertise our researchers have acquired in building controls. With the support of government agencies, electric utilities and public benefit organizations, the NBCIP addresses a critical energy management issue that impacts every state in the nation. To ensure objectivity, NBCIP does not accept funding from manufacturers.

Contacting NBCIP

National Building Controls Information Program
Iowa Energy Center Energy Resource Station
DMACC, 2006 S. Ankeny Blvd.
Ankeny, IA 50021
Phone: (515) 965-7055
Fax: (515) 965-7056
Email: nbcip@energy.iastate.edu

 

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