Building Management System (BMS)

Description

The BMS (Building Management System) controls the majority of the HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) plant within Imperial College London. Since the BMS is central to the successful completion of any HVAC project work, the correct co-ordination and sequencing of commissioning works is vital. Any additions to the BMS must fit in with the existing Imperial BMS, which is the largest system of its kind in Europe. 

Engagement

  • During the course of any project it will be necessary to speak with one of the Controls Engineers, Mark Reader (m.reader@imperial.ac.uk) or David Leon (d.leon@imperial.ac.uk).
  • All equipment selected must be from the Approved Component List (see form below). All works must be completed by an agreed Trend Technology Partner
  • Additions to existing controllers, and any work on the Imperial BMS graphics must be arranged with the BMS Maintenance Team. 
  • Access to plantrooms, and work which may affect the existing plant, must be approved by the Maintenance Manager for the building. 

Forms and Links

Approvals and Compliance Review

Each completed BMS project will require full documentation, and updates to the existing BMS head end graphics. Before project witnessing can take place, a full set of O&M documentation is required to check against the installation. An Independent Validation Engineer will perform a 100% witness when the mechanical contractor confirms that they are satisfied that project works are complete. 

Following a successful test by the Independent Validation Engineer, an Imperial College London Engineer will conduct a 10% witness test. When all snags have been confirmed as complete, the graphics pages for the project may be added to the BMS head end. These will be checked by one of the Engineers. 

The project will be considered complete when all snags, graphics and documentation (including software backups, O&Ms, panel drawings and location maps) are completed. The BMS Maintenance Engineer will issue a Completion Form to the Project Manager to confirm that the day-to-day maintenance of the project area has been accepted. 

RIBA Stages Overview

  • The BMS outline functions will be presented to the Engineering Team by the Mechanical Design Engineer as part of the Stage 3 TRM.
  • A full controls design will be developed by a control system designer during stage 4.
  • Control panel construction, site installation and commissioning will take place in RIBA Stage 5, ready for witnessing and completion. 
  • RIBA Stage 6 handover requires that all works, graphics and documetation are complete.
  • A RIBA Stage 7 visit may be requested during the project as part of seasonal commissioning.

RIBA Stages Details

RIBA Stage3 Tasks
Control System Specification
  • Written by mechanical designer, outlining their concept for how their systems will work, and how they are to work together. 
  • Concept design to be approved by Engineering Team.
  • Control concept to be discussed with Maintenance Teams
Appoint Control System Designer
  • Project Manager to oversee shortlisting of Control System Designers
  • Invite tenders
  • Project Manager to review tenders
  • Appoint Control System Designer
RIBA Stage 4 Tasks
Design System
  • Control System Designer to create points list, description of operation, network drawings and where necessary control enclosure layout drawing
  • Design to be co-ordinated with mechanical designer
  • All works must be in compliance with current BESPR (see form above)
  • Systems Design to be approved by Engineering Team
Appoint Controls Contractor
  • Project Manager to oversee shortlisting of Controls Contractors
  • Invite tenders
  • Project Manager to review tenders
  • Appoint Controls Contractor

RIBA Stage 5

Tasks
Full Design and Technical Submittals
  • Controls Contractor to finalise and issue design for control system including description of operation, final points list agreed with mechanical contractor, panel diagrams, network layout drawings, example graphics pages and equipment selections
  • Controls Contractor to submit request for all necessary datapoints to the Project Manager
  • Design and Technical Submittals approved by Engineering Team
  • Alarm requirements to be agreed by Project Manager, Site Maintenance Manager and End-Users. List to be issued to Controls Contractor
Installation
  • Where necessary, panels will be witnessed in manufacture
  • Engineering team and site supervisors to review installation works on site
  • Any installation issues to be raised via Project Manager 
  • Any necessary test certificates to be issued to Project Manager
Software Design
  • Controls Contractor to design and load control software to reflect any changes which may have been encountered on site
  • Graphics pages to be created, and screenshots sent to the Engineering Team for comment
Commissioning
  • Details of all ICT networked devices to be sent to Engineering Team for registration
  • Basic functionality and networking of controls system to be checked by Controls Contractor
  • Mechnical Contractor to confirm to Project Manager that each system is complete and mechanically commissioned, ready for BMS commissioning
  • Complete full commissioning in line with description of operation
  • Confirm correct operation 
  • Confirm correct operation of graphics pages 
  • Complete commissioning documentation, and issue to Project Manager to pass to Engineering Team
Witnessing
  • Control System Contractor to provide 100% witness to Independent Validation Engineer
  • Control System Engineer to issue data to prove stable system operation over an agreed time period
  • Control System Contractor to confirm all snags are complete to Project Manager
  • Control System Contractor to provide 10% functional witness to Engineering Team
  • On successful completion of witnessing, Control System Contractor to arrange with BMS Maintenance Manager for access to add graphics to BMS head end
  • Engineering Team to check graphics
RIBA Stage 6 Tasks
Handover
  • Maintenance Team are to be trained on new installation
  • BMS Maintenance Team are to be given a familiarisation sessions for the new works 
  • When all snags have been cleared and checked, the project completion certificate can be completed
  • All project files are sent to BMS Maintenance Manager, who will sign the completion certificate and return it to the Project Manager