The information displayed here is available as a Microsoft Word.doc file. Please click on this link to down load this file.
8.6 WHY THE CCS DESIGN MANUAL WAS CREATED
BC Buildings Corporation uses low cost high performance direct digital control systems to achieve the greatest possible client comfort at the lowest possible costs. Meeting all of the above criteria on all new and existing projects is a challenging task.
Any vendor who meets all Performance Specification requirements is acceptable to the Corporation, thus preserving competitive bidding and keeping capital costs down. This often has the effect of increasing the operator interface learning curve. To counteract the operator interface concerns and to increase the use of the CCS system by casual users, ie: managers, clients, consultants and others, the Graphics Guidelines were developed. These Guidelines became Section 7 of the manual. All vendors meeting the performance criteria have graphic packages that allow a similar ”touch and feel” interface to the generic CCS graphics.
A point naming convention is extremely important to any attempt to standardize the touch and feel of the many vendor systems. The Corporation reviewed and clarified its working naming convention and this became Section 6 of the manual. It became apparent that if the Corporation was going to effectively provide a performance specification for a graphic interface, the virtual points would require specification as well as the hardware points. In the past the Corporation had only specified hardware points and had left the creation and configuration of virtual points up to the installing vendor. Graphics, if specified, were simply requested to match the points list.
Graphics are a powerful communication medium and can completely change the nature of a project. The best method of specifying a graphic is with a graphic. A graphic representation was developed, using the Guidelines, for each approved BCBC system which included the generic start up code, hardware and virtual points list. These approved systems were organized by system type and became Section 5 of the manual. The generic start up code is organized into output orientated logic modules. This concept greatly reduces the size and complexity of the programs and allows simple presentation launched from program icons near each CCS output depicted on the graphic. In the process of providing more information on the points sheet, it became obvious that the end devices should be specified and referred back to the performance specification in Sections 1,2,3 and 4.
The time proven BCBC Request for Proposal (RFP) was reviewed, updated and configured to a Performance Specification to fit in Section 15900 of any Mechanical Specification. The same basic retrofit Performance Specification was modified for new construction for large and small buildings as well as lease projects. Section 8 of the manual houses costing data for control valves, ASDs and general engineering data such as this document. Section 9 refers to general optimization and Section 5 system specific optimization guidelines. Section 10 includes an actual example of the complete concept.
Why The CCS Design Manual Is On the World Wide Web Once the manual was completed the cost of production became a concern. It costs about $50 to assemble, color copy and bind each manual. Updating the rapidly changing contents also was a major concern. The Internet was chosen as the lowest cost method of distributing the Manual. The updating task is greatly reduced and a design consultant need only to connect to the Net to download the current specification and graphics into a word processing program. Choosing the Net as a distribution vehicle has allowed BCBC to share the manual with the world at no additional cost.
Comments and concerns from many users will allow BCBC to improve and keep the manual current.
8_6.DOC Updated: 96/06/10 by KWS Copyright © British Columbia Buildings Corporation, September 1994
[ Previous Page || Table
of Contents || Overview ]
[ Comments
|| Disclaimer ]