Few buildings demand stricter environmental controls than a library, given the potential for damage caused by temperature, humidity, light and pollutants. To preserve its precious collection more effectively and efficiently, the National Library of Scotland called in Trend Control Systems’ long-term partners, Craigalan Controls (CCL), to conduct a comprehensive BEMS upgrade.
The National Library of Scotland, first established in 1925, is a major European research library based in the center of Edinburgh. With a collection of more than 30 million items, it is an information treasure trove for Scotland’s knowledge, history and culture. As the Library grew, however, so did the demands on its BEMS technology.
Delivering enhanced environmental controls
“As we asked progressively more of the system in terms of both performance and usability, an upgrade became increasingly urgent,” says the Library’s Head of Estates, Ian Symonds. “We worked with the CCL team to plan a series of innovations that would deliver enhanced environmental controls and energy savings, whilst meeting the inevitable funding constraints of our business”.
The task was to update a legacy, closed protocol BEMS system which required manual monitoring and data downloads with the latest Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Fortunately, Trend equipment enabled CCL to offer a solution that could extend the Library’s existing BEMS infrastructure without any detrimental effects to its irreplaceable collections.
Providing real-Time analytics
The graphics demonstrate proactive energy optimization and control of global rate changes
“We proposed a phased upgrade from the legacy 963 Supervisor system to Trend’s latest IQ™VISION platform,” said CCL’s Managing Director, Craig James. “Thanks to its full backwards compatibility, connection between the two was seamless. With IQ™VISION, the Library now has a single interface providing real-time analytics via the cloud and allowing enhanced integration with environmental controls, lighting systems, CCTV, fire and intruder alarms,” he added.
The upgrade from 963 to IQ™VISION includes the creation of new Analytic Dynamic Graphics. The rich graphics suite provides a dynamic, analytical overview of each area, whilst monitoring temperature and humidity conditions, along with energy usage. The graphics demonstrate proactive energy optimization and control of global rate changes – which are all part of a demand driven response strategy to enhance site performance and help visualize the energy savings /CO2 reductions.
Real-Time graphic representations
Critically, IQ™VISION software also facilitates the integration of data from a pioneering trial the Library has undertaken with Heriot Watt University - predicting and responding to future weather patterns. The researchers’ algorithms have been developed to add future planning to the system’s broad range of data sets, thus enhancing BEMS performance over time.
Thanks to the new platform, energy use and humidity levels are now managed to extremely fine tolerances and rapid analysis is made far easier through real-time graphic representations. The technology allows heating and cooling to be used as efficiently as possible. As a result, the Library has achieved energy savings of £343,000 - a ten-fold return on their initial investment - through a 9% reduction in energy use. They have also seen a 32% reduction in their facilities’ greenhouse gas emissions, allowing the Library to reach the government’s carbon emissions 2020 level four years early.
Achieving unprecedented results
The project has received widespread industry recognition, including the FM sector’s top honor
“Not only have we seen huge savings, we also know we’re fully compliant with the relevant standards and can manage the environment for the Library’s collections and our guests far more effectively – both today and in the years to come,” said Ian Symonds.
“The results have far exceeded our expectations, in large part thanks to CCL and Trend’s technology, which has enabled us to think differently, control differently, and achieve unprecedented results,” he added.
The project has received widespread industry recognition, including the FM sector’s top honor, when it was declared Overall Winner of the 2019 PFM Partnership Awards. Its success has also led to the Scottish Government recommending that the National Library of Scotland’s practices be applied to public sector facilities throughout the country.
