For all the types of equipment available to you in Noda, each building can have their own configuration for the points that show on the equipment table view. We will focus this article on HVAC equipment, but this workflow is the same for anything that has data to show in a table view from your Noda UI.
We will review some suggested configurations based on our experience, but please remember that these are just guidelines, and what works for you may vary depending on the data available from your connected devices and equipment. The best thing may be taking no action, as there are default selections that may work fine for you!
However, there is a large variation on what is available for HVAC equipment across buildings, so if you aren't sure what is best for your team, please reach out to your Customer Success Manager and they can assist you on this.
How do I know what equipment can be affected by this change?
From your Noda building, when you mouse over equipment you will see the system type in the first drop-down (HVAC, for example) and the equipment types in the sub-navigation that expands from each. These are the groups that share a main point (column data) configuration. Any changes made to the point table for AHUs, for example, will impact all equipment that falls into that sub-category, as the same table is used across all equipment of that type.
In the screenshot below, we can make adjustments for the City Center building on AHU, VRF, VAV, FCU, Heat Pumps and Radiant Floor Heaters.
What are my default configurations?
AHU:
FCU:
VAV:
After clicking on the AHUs option from above, we will see out equipment table. It's the points you see here in the column that are the topic of this article.
Guidelines that are applicable for all equipment types:
We want to see 3 types of points on the equipment table columns:
The sensor that is the process variable
Example: Zone Temp on an FCU
The setpoint the equipment are programmed to control to
Example: a Cooling or Cooling or Heating Zone Temp Setpoint on an FCU.
The command, or what we are changing to maintain the process variable at the setpoint
Example: Chilled Water Valve command on an FCU.
Rule of thumb: select up to 5 useful points for the main (column) config.
If a default main point is blank because the connected equipment does not have that point data, we will always want to remove that column and instead include a point that is available on that equipment type.
Discharge Fan Status and Occupancy Status will show as an icon on equipment table view under the equipment name column. You won't need to add those as columns, since if they are active, you will get the fan or occupied icon.
Primary Suggestions are what we see most often, and a good idea of what you might see as well. Secondary suggestions are what we have seen, but is not always present.
Air Handler Unit (AHUs)
Please make note if your AHUs are serving VAVs or are in a direct zone configuration. We want to focus on the primary sensors that are being used to operate the equipment. For an AHU serving VAVs, the primary sensor readings that are important for control are the Discharge Air Temp and the Discharge Air Duct Static Pressure.
Primary Point Suggestions*:
Discharge Air Temp
Discharge Air Temp SetPoint
Discharge Air Duct Static Pressure
Discharge Air Duct Static Pressure Setpoint
*For AHUs serving other equipment, not direct/single zone AHUs.
Secondary Point Suggestions:
Chilled Water Valve Position
Discharge Fan Speed
AHU Example:
Variable Air Volume Unit (VAVs)
A typical VAV will be providing comfort, cooling and heating. With that in mind, what we often set for the column configurations can include:
Primary Point Suggestions:
Zone Temp
Effective Zone Temp Cooling SetPoint
Effective Zone Temp Heating SetPoint
Inlet Air Flow
Effective Air Flow SetPoint
Secondary Point Suggestions:
Damper Command
Hot Water Valve Position Feedback
Hot Water Valve Command
Zone CO2
VAV Example:
Fan Coil Units (FCUs)
FCUs are often comfort, cooling and heating units like VAVs. However, we find it can be all three or just one. So if you cooling (or heating) only FCUs, please pick the points that are applicable to your building.
The main challenge for showing the data here is the numerous configurations of FCUs that can provide heating or cooling. Here are a few examples:
FCU with a Chilled Water Valve
FCU with a Hot Water Valve
FCU with both a Chilled Water and Hot Water Valve
FCU with Electric Heat Command
With that in mind, let's go over our FCU suggestions.
Primary Point Suggestions:
Zone Temp
Effective Zone Temp Cooling SetPoint
Effective Zone Temp Heating SetPoint
Chilled Water Valve Command
Secondary Point Suggestions:
Discharge Air Temp
Discharge Fan Speed Command
Hot Water Valve Command
Electric Heating Output Command
FCU Example:
