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General Information

Course ID (CB01A and CB01B)
E S D051C
Course Title (CB02)
Building Automation Systems
Course Credit Status
Credit - Degree Applicable
Effective Term
Fall 2023
Course Description
Examines detailed strategies and principles for building operation systems and controls. Course covers building automation systems including IP based solutions and looks at the financial return on investment of implementing a building management and control system. The Kirsch Center for Environmental Studies and other campus-wide buildings as a learning laboratory will be utilized.
Faculty Requirements
Course Family
Not Applicable

Course Justification

This course prepares students for careers in advanced energy technology and managing energy efficient buildings. This is a Career Technical Education (CTE) course and is part of the Energy Management and Building Science Degree program. Student develops the skills to assess computer-based simple controls, including time clocks, occupancy sensors, photocells, energy and building management systems, as well as control programmable thermostats.

Foothill Equivalency

Does the course have a Foothill equivalent?
No
Foothill Course ID

Course Philosophy

Formerly Statement

Formerly Statement
(Formerly E S D078B.)

Course Development Options

Basic Skill Status (CB08)
Course is not a basic skills course.
Grade Options
  • Letter Grade
  • Pass/No Pass
Repeat Limit
0

Transferability & Gen. Ed. Options

Transferability
Transferable to CSU only

Units and Hours

Summary

Minimum Credit Units
2.0
Maximum Credit Units
2.0

Weekly Student Hours

TypeIn ClassOut of Class
Lecture Hours1.02.0
Laboratory Hours3.00.0

Course Student Hours

Course Duration (Weeks)
12.0
Hours per unit divisor
36.0
Course In-Class (Contact) Hours
Lecture
12.0
Laboratory
36.0
Total
48.0
Course Out-of-Class Hours
Lecture
24.0
Laboratory
0.0
NA
0.0
Total
24.0

Prerequisite(s)

E S D078. (may be taken concurrently)

Corequisite(s)

Advisory(ies)

ESL D272. and ESL D273., or ESL D472. and ESL D473., or eligibility for EWRT D001A or EWRT D01AH or ESL D005.

Limitation(s) on Enrollment

Entrance Skill(s)

General Course Statement(s)

Methods of Instruction

Lecture and visual aids

Guest speakers

Field observation and field trips

Researching various controls topics through the exploration of Internet sites

Collaborative learning and small group exercises

Quizzes to demonstrate grasp of the material

Written final project / exam demonstrating knowledge of course materials

Laboratory discussion sessions and quizzes that evaluate the proceedings weekly laboratory exercises

Assignments

  1. Required reading assignments from text and other pertinent readings
  2. In class discussions
  3. Lab projects including lab worksheets analyzing results
  4. Field Trip reports
  5. Online Forum participation
  6. Homework assignments including collaboration and individual research
  7. Written final project / exam demonstrating knowledge of and demand of course material

Methods of Evaluation

  1. Graded lab worksheets showing comprehension of lab assignments
  2. Instructor evaluation of lab set up and lab exercise
  3. Quizzes demonstrating grasp and understanding of key concepts and principles
  4. Homework assignments requiring student's understanding of key concepts
  5. Forum participation requiring research and assessment of other student inputs
  6. Final group project / exam requiring collaboration and consolidation of lab exercise results

Essential Student Materials/Essential College Facilities

Essential Student Materials: 
  • None.
Essential College Facilities:
  • Kirsch Center for Environmental Studies (Special purpose facilities: sustainable building with sustainable materials, design, Energy management lab (KC239), PV (Photovoltaic/outdoor lab KC West), rooftop/building systems: solar thermal system, PV system, controls room & other equipment

Examples of Primary Texts and References

AuthorTitlePublisherDate/EditionISBN
Auvil, Ronnie J. "HVAC Control Systems", 3rd Edition, American Technical Publications. 2012
Shadpour,Frank," Fundamentals of HVAC Direct Digital Control: Practical Application and Design", 3rd Edition. ASHRAE 2012
Torriti, Jacobo. "Peak Energy Demand and Demand Side Response" Routledge. 2015
NJATC, "Building Automation Control and Devices and Applications", American Technical Publications 2017

Examples of Supporting Texts and References

AuthorTitlePublisher
Patrick, S.R., Patrick, D.R, & Fardo, S.W, "Energy Conservation Guidebook", 3rd Edition, The Fairmont Press- Lilburn, Ga. 2014
Thumann, A. "Energy Audits." 9th Edition, The Fairmont Press, Inc. Lilburn, Ga. 2012

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

Course Objectives

  • Explore building automation controls available to help reduce energy consumption in buildings.
  • Demonstrate and understanding of control principles for common HVAC and lighting systems in commercial buildings
  • Explore and analyze industry standard building automation networks
  • Assess and understand human interface principles used in building automation
  • Examine the role of controls in power monitoring and demand response in reducing usage/cost
  • Explore the financial return of Building automation and energy management systems

CSLOs

  • Evaluate energy efficiency savings as a result of building automation systems and control implementation.

  • Summarize the terminology, physics and principles of energy management and building control systems.

Outline

  1. Explore building automation controls available to help reduce energy consumption in buildings.
    1. Occupancy sensors
    2. Introduction of basic Residential control systems including thermostats, photocells, and occupancy sensors
    3. Introduction of Commercial building control systems including control networks and advanced human interface implementations
  2. Demonstrate and understanding of control principles for common HVAC and lighting systems in commercial buildings
    1. Input sensors and output devices
    2. Controlled Devices
    3. Programmable Logic Controllers
    4. Control Algorithms including Proportional-Integral-Derivative
    5. Sequence of Operations
    6. Control Techniques for common HVAC and Lighting equipment
    7. California Title 24 and Controls
    8. Occupancy Scheduling
  3. Explore and analyze industry standard building automation networks
    1. Industry standard low level wired and wireless network protocols including RS 485, WiFi and Ethernet
    2. Industry standard high level network protocols including BACnet and MODbus
    3. Physical wiring techniques including RS 485 shielded wiring and ethernet
    4. Router, switch and WiFi configuration for building automation networks
    5. Personal computer remote control
    6. Architecture of building automation networks
    7. Industry standard controls and integration platforms including Tridium Niagra
  4. Assess and understand human interface principles used in building automation
    1. User interface design including web server architecture, presentation hierarchy and navigation
    2. Graphic design including high res equipment images, animation and visual cues
    3. Mobile user interface techniques
    4. Building operator overrides
    5. Event Scheduling
    6. Alarms and events including email/text configuration
    7. Data trending, reporting, and analysis
    8. User management and security
  5. Examine the role of controls in power monitoring and demand response in reducing usage/cost
    1. Power monitoring devices and the integration with control systems
    2. Utility time-of-use rates, demand cost, energy cost and the controls techniques which manage them
    3. Controls techniques for effectively participating in utility demand response programs
    4. Automated demand response switch signals and load shedding in various forms
    5. The impact of California's renewable energy revolution in driving control strategies including the controls techniques for managing energy storage.
  6. Explore the financial return of Building automation and energy management systems
    1. Cost saving opportunities using controllers
    2. Modeling controls energy costs
    3. Developing the return on investment of building automation control systems

Lab Topics

  1. Develop working control sequences for air handler, chiller, boiler, VAV and heat pump devices
  2. Prepare wire, connect controllers, and test a functioning BACnet MS/TP network
  3. Build a networking human interface for an air handler, central plant and unitary control systems
  4. Configure a power meter, measure a sample electrical load, and integrate data to a control program
  5. Configure a router to support remote access to a Tridium Jace controller via WiFi
  6. Configure a PC to be a "remote" controlled by another PC
  7. Build a mobile interface for a control system and demonstrate access with student mobile/smart phones
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