Tall buildings — tall technology.
In the 20th century. Moscow's «high-rises» could be counted on the fingers of one hand: 7 «Stalinist» buildings, the buildings of Novy Arbat, the Tourist House, the «National» hotel.
Nowadays, skyscrapers are almost a daily occurrence: in 2003, the » Edelweiss (43 floors, 176 m) and Scarlet Sails (48 floors, 179 m), in 2004 – Vorobyovy Gory (49 floors, 188 m) and Triumph Palace (59 floors, 225 m, with a spire — 264 m) — the tallest residential building in Europe.
It looks like this is just the beginning: within the framework of the “New Ring of Moscow” program, it is planned to build 60 “high-rises” (30-50 floors) between the Garden Ring and the Third Transport Ring, and in the International Business Center “Moscow-City” it is planned to build about 20 skyscrapers (more than 300 m), the tallest of which will be the “Russia” tower (118 floors, 612 m) designed by the English architect Norman Foster.
A tall building should be “smart”.
Such large-scale architecture is due to the rapid development of technologies, and not only construction ones.
For normal operation of high-rise buildings, it is necessary to use up to 50 engineering systems (heat and water supply, ventilation, fire safety, etc.), most of which are subject to automation and control.
Experts recommend implementing a single automation and dispatching system for engineering equipment for the entire building.
It is best if it is built on a modular principle, i.e. supports the ability to connect new control areas.
And, of course, such a system must be highly reliable, based on a decentralized local network.
Practice shows that intelligent components of life support systems (controllers and processors, integration units, control complex and software) make up to 15% of the total cost of all systems. At the same time, they provide annual savings of up to 20% of the costs of energy and water supply of the building and pay for themselves after 3-5 years of operation.
The «brain» of the house
For interaction of individual subsystems of engineering equipment and automated operational control and management, a dispatching structure is needed. In the 1970s, American engineers developed a standard and protocol for transmitting Building Management System (BMS) signals. On its basis, the first centralized system of intelligent building management was created. Later, other standards and systems were developed, which formed the SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) class or, in domestic practice, ACS TP (automated process control systems).
In principle, three functional parts can be distinguished in the ACS TP:
• peripheral equipment — sensors (temperature, pressure, etc.) and actuators (valves, drives, etc.);
• controllers, or mini-computers, in complex systems usually having a modular structure;
• control terminals – automated workstations of dispatchers equipped with monitors that receive data from equipment and controllers of one or several engineering systems, and consoles that allow you to adjust the parameters of these systems.
At the same time, if previously the automation and electrical cabinets were installed separately, now they are increasingly combined. This reduces the number of cable connections and increases the overall reliability of the system.
Assembly point
Until the mid-1990s, automation component manufacturers used «closed» protocols. This obliged customers to use equipment from a single supplier to automate all systems. But the range of engineering systems is so wide that no company can offer a full range of automation tools. Therefore, the problem of exchanging information between equipment of different brands arises. It can be solved using unification protocols, the most common of which today are LON and BACnet. The first is used in the Bagration business center and the headquarters of Russian Railways (MPS); the second — in the Lukoil building on Bolshaya Ordynka and in the new Ice Palace in Kazan; both are used in the headquarters of TNK-BP on Stary Arbat, which is also planned for the Federation Tower.
Automation systems are also often built on the basis of ModBus, RS-485 and industrial Ethernet protocols. Another option is to use an industrial bus (Foundation Fieldbus («FieldBus»)), a hardware and software intermediary for digital devices that can convert between different protocols.
The PROFIBUS bus has become a recognized standard. Developed by Siemens (Germany), it quickly spread to Europe, and is now used in China. Many master and slave devices have been created for the bus, and its range of application is very wide — from production to office and residential buildings. Gradually, this standard is «settling down» in Russia: PROFIBUS is included in the automation systems at a number of stations of the Urengoy-Petrovsk and Yamal-Europe gas pipelines. Other industrial buses include CAN, AS-Interface, and InterBus.
Automation «from above»
One of the most illustrative examples of an intelligent high-rise building is the West Tower (242 m) in the Moscow City complex. The tower has 45 automated engineering systems, including about 7,500 units of equipment, 1,500 of which are connected by the modern BMS system Metasys M5 from Johnson Controls.
The lower control level is made up of network processors NCM300/NCM350 (operate via ARCnet or Ethernet protocol) and N30 (BACnet protocol). They provide monitoring of alarm signals, collection and recording of statistical data (equipment operating time, energy consumption, etc.) of connected systems. The operator can control these devices both from the workstation and from the VT100 terminal. Local control controllers DX-912x support the LonWorks network and are connected to the Metasys system via the N2E bus. They have analog and digital inputs/outputs and provide information exchange between executive devices and the dispatcher's workstation.
The upper control level is represented by the M5 Workstation dispatcher workstation. This is a set of programs that work in the Microsoft Windows environment, so they can be installed on a regular PC. Both local and remote connections are possible (via a dedicated line or modem) — in this case, the Metasys Web Access solution is used. Control and delimitation of access rights to the dispatcher's workstation is provided by the M-Password subsystem. M5 Workstation applications have a user-friendly interface, flexible settings (including programming), different types of display and analysis of information. Several dispatcher workstations can operate in one local network, each of which simultaneously controls up to 25 control subnets.
Thanks to the multi-level distributed architecture, the Metasys control complex integrates the building's life support systems into a holistic fault-tolerant infrastructure. The modular organization principle and wide scalability capabilities allow connecting up to 32 thousand control points to the system. The Metasys Integrator module is used to integrate third-party devices into the control system.
Automation «from below»
Modern manufacturers equip engineering equipment with automation elements of various levels — from sensors to control cabinets and terminals. If we take engineering networks as an example, we can highlight the GRUNDFOS company, which produces a wide range of pumps.
Thus, the Modular Controls system was developed for monitoring and controlling the operation of sewage pumps (today, control cabinets based on this development are manufactured at the concern’s Russian plant in Istra, Moscow Region). It includes various components and programs that can be combined in accordance with the size and complexity of the controlled object. The “brain” of Modular Controls is the CU 401 device with digital and analog inputs/outputs, controlling up to 6 pumps. Pump control programs are loaded using CompactFlash memory cards, and the GSM module provides wireless remote control via a PC or mobile phone (SMS service). A PC or the OD 401 attachable panel can be used as an interface between the system and the operator. It implements logical, intuitive control, allowing you to configure system parameters. The system status is displayed in graphic and text form (inscriptions and messages in Russian or English). The alarm log ensures fast and accurate detection of faults, and code protection ensures authorized access to the control system.
Similar systems for other types of life support and security networks were used in the construction of one of the largest skyscrapers in Moscow City, the Northern Tower.
The fire extinguishing system of this building consists of sprinkler systems and fire hydrants, where various combinations of GRUNDFOS pumps of the TP and CR series are installed. All these units are connected to a single network via PROFIBUS buses and are controlled from a single control room of the «Northern Tower». This ensures the safety of all levels of the «high-rise» — from the multi-level underground garage and stylobate to the 27th floor of the central atrium.
Energy-saving technologies and built-in automation systems make such equipment attractive for use, including in various domestic and industrial facilities. It operates in the Bolshoi Theatre and the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, the Mariinsky Theatre and the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, as well as in municipal buildings and water utilities in many Russian cities — from Nizhny Novgorod to Khabarovsk.
Implementing innovations in the field of construction and architecture, designers of high-rise buildings use advanced technologies in life support systems. Considering that the share of these systems is from 30 to 50% of the total cost of the facility, it is worth considering the selection criteria already at the design stage. Installing reliable equipment is a good investment that will ensure the convenience and durability of the skyscraper.
Press service of the company «GRUNDFOS»