Let’s take a look at how these various devices and networks combine in some very complex building installations. The first is a two-tower project known as the Emirates Towers in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This office/hotel complex accommodates business and vacation travelers alike. The office tower is home to numerous MNCs requiring the latest fiber-optic technology and integrated systems. The five-star hotel tower offers 500 rooms, including 40 suites, and three main theme restaurants. A five-level podium building, with retails shops, restaurants and parking lots, connects the two.
Let's take a look at how these various devices and networks combine in some very complex building installations. The first is a two-tower project known as the Emirates Towers in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This office/hotel complex accommodates business and vacation travelers alike. The office tower is home to numerous MNCs requiring the latest fiber-optic technology and integrated systems. The five-star hotel tower offers 500 rooms, including 40 suites, and three main theme restaurants. A five-level podium building, with retails shops, restaurants and parking lots, connects the two.
A goal during the project construction phase was the implementation of a scalable, technological infrastructure to handle future developments. The project was also designed to provide the latest available technologies and integrations to ensure the towers' competitiveness, while guaranteeing a quality building environment.
A single building automation system, with four graphic workstations, manages and integrates 20 subsystems, including video surveillance, access control, fire alarm, telephone, paging, lighting, HVAC, elevators, video on demand, and hotel and property management systems via the IT network.
This portion of the project increased operator efficiency through single-seat operation of 23,000 data points; streamlined operations and maintenance costs due to the integrated systems; adopted scalable technology that ensured reductions in future retrofit and upgrade costs; and enhanced guest experiences through interactive technologies.
Physical integration of all subsystems and applications was achieved through one common IT network based on asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) and Gigabit Ethernet technology. A network management system handles the high-speed network and its connected devices. The change from a stand-alone system approach to an integrated system leads to significant changes in the engineering and management processes.
The basic platform for the integrated solution is the Ethernet technology and TCP/IP (Internet) compatibility of the building automation system. This provides the foundation for technology integration in the Emirates Towers. The use of open protocols and standards in the building automation system ensured that the owner and officials were able to operate an intelligent building without losing connectivity or features.
Throughout the project, there are switches linking access control panels and locks over a LAN, and other LANs link the surveillance, fire panels and other building systems. Routers are installed to link the LANs, where appropriate, and then to the enterprise IT network.
Here is a look at another major project depending upon switches and routers to move and share data with a number of disparate systems. The Toronto Pearson International Airport is nearing the end of a 10-year, US$4.4-billion program to provide higher levels of safety, efficiency and services for the more than 25 million passengers that pass through it each year.
The new terminal's security system uses IP video technology, providing full, flexible access to the facility's 700 cameras in groups of up to 40. The security network can be expanded to meet growth or changes in government regulations and technology advances. Again, the security system is integrated with the building management system. That management system also controls the HVAC system throughout the terminal and ancillary facilities, including the parking structures. It provides a single-seat user interface for monitoring and regulating multiple functions.
This system operates on a campus WAN configured as a dual-redundant, fiber-optic ring. Management and other authorized personnel can access the system from a central workstation or from their offices and from off-site, by way of the airport intranet.
The Web-based building automation system (BAS) is programmed to integrate numerous functions, and airport officials are taking increasing advantage of the integration as the building program is completed. For example, integration with the air traffic information management system saves energy and enhances traveler comfort by controlling fresh air intake, heating, cooling and lighting automatically in accord with arrivals and departures.