ASHRAE Guideline on Specifying Building Automation Systems Published

Guideline 13 provides background information, recommendations for good practice, project considerations, and detailed discussion of options with respect to the design of building automation systems. It includes online access to an example specification that illustrates the concepts described throughout the document.

Annex D was added to aid the specification of performance-monitoring systems.

“The guideline defines three levels of performance monitoring and provides criteria for each level,” Dave Kahn, chair of the Guideline 13 committee, said. “This allows even the basic systems to realize some performance-monitoring benefits. It allows monitoring and reporting of HVAC-equipment function and operating efficiency, energy consumption, and environmental conditions. Careful grouping of X-Y-type plots can provide information required to monitor and, if necessary, troubleshoot each different part of the HVAC system. A Level 3 automated fault diagnosis can be used to predict faults.”

The cost of Guideline 13-2014 is $81 for ASHRAE members and $95 for non-members. Copies can be ordered by phone at 800-527-4723 (United States and Canada) or 404-636-8400, by fax at 678-539-2129, or online at www.ashrae.org/bookstore.