Advances in Building Automation Controls

Before officials in Hamilton County, Ohio, contracted with Ameresco two years ago for updates to its energy infrastructure at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, the facility already had a building automation system (BAS) and lighting controls.

“The new systems upgrade and retro-commissioning designs allow us better control of individual areas of the stadium, resulting in additional energy savings over the previous systems,” says Joe Feldkamp, Hamilton County director for stadia and parking.

Reducing energy consumption through building automation controls is the bottom line for facility owners and operators. For Hamilton County, it meant the ability to integrate new energy-efficient ventilation algorithms, take advantage of recent code updates for demand-controlled ventilation, and address building pressure control deficiencies to optimize energy
recovery and savings, says Feldkamp. “Overall, the systems are better coordinated, detailed, and user-friendly,” he says.

Feldkamp notes that although the county experienced significant upfront capital costs, “there is a level of comfort knowing that equipment is new after 15 to 16 years of operation, that the staff of Ameresco will be familiar with our systems, and that their personnel is knowledgeable and can discuss any issues that arise with our professional onsite staff.”