Systematic Commissioning and Performance Testing of Next Generation Building Management Systems

In recent years, the energy sector as a whole has benefited from new services and effective management due to an extensive digital transformation. The major component driving this digital revolution in buildings is the building management system (BMS). One of the key issues confronting the smart building industry is the assumption at the design stage that the building management system will work as planned and described in the design documentation. Inadequate BMS system design and testing, as well as failures on multiple levels of control of various building components, are important causes of these performance disparities. This work presents the design, development, and implementation of a first-of-its-kind testing and commissioning application for building management systems. The application adopts step response testing as an approach to monitor, test, and evaluate the BMS functionalities and control capabilities. The application demonstration to test and assess the ventilation system control and operation in an actual office building is presented and discussed. The findings highlight the effectiveness of the proposed tool in ensuring a proper design of the building automation system and smooth integration and interaction with the rest of the building systems as a milestone to improve energy performance and enhance building smartness.