The Learning Tree Building, Euston London.

The project required the replacement of an ageing control system, while utilising as much of the existing infrastructure as technically possible. Working directly for and with the building owner PA Collacott & Co designed, installed and set to working a full BMS.

The Learning Tree, Euston House Education Centre provides 30-plus fully equipped classrooms designed to accommodate high-tech, hands-on courses, featuring the very latest in hardware and software. A complete refurbishment of the main plant and fan coil units was undertaken with a view to integrating the building’s existing FCU controllers with controllers from Priva Building Intelligence.

The building is environmentally maintained by a standard heating system combined with air handling units and chillers. Managing the services are some 300 Priva Comforte CX FCU controllers and 80 previously installed Trend IQL FCU controllers. Marrying the two was easily achieved with the installation of a series of Compri HX4 controllers that communicate using both BACnet and Lon protocols.

“The existing FCU controllers use the LonWorks protocol to communicate. Introducing new controllers that did not operate on LonWorks would have attracted additional costs to the project through the need to develop a communications gateway that would enable both systems to be linked. However, right from the start Priva took the decision to make its systems as multi-lingual as possible. Consequently, we were able to specify the best system for the project without incurring difficulties in comm nication or attracting higher costs.

“In this instance, two of the floors are served by the original FCUs and the Compri HX4 controllers serving those areas communicate using LonWorks. Elsewhere in the building, the HX4s use BACnet. Ultimately the data, whether originating in LonWorks or BACnet, is analysed by the Priva building management system for easy access by the end-user.”