NEXA software from Citect
Citect has been a software supplier and successful player in the market of automation of buildings, infrastructure facilities, housing and utilities for over 30 years.
To solve this class of problems, Citect offers the Nexa software product, the main functions of which are: centralized control and management of ventilation, heating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, as well as additional functionality for monitoring, managing power distribution, security systems, elevators and other systems.
Anna Nesterova, head of the coordination and marketing center of RTSoft, the exclusive distributor of Citect in Russia and Belarus, talks about the competitive advantages of this software product.
– The widely known Citect SCADA system is a powerful, universal and multifunctional system used in various industries.
Many years of practice have shown that the concept embedded in Citect is practical and extremely convenient to use, which probably explains such active use of the company's products.
Systems based on Citect software products have proven their functional effectiveness in many industries, including oil, gas, chemical, food, metallurgy and energy.
In addition, an important area for Citect is the use of software products developed by it for managing life support systems of buildings, structures and municipal facilities.
It is for this market segment that Citect has released special software Nexa (formerly CitectFacilities).
Considering the needs of the automated life support systems market, Nexa includes specialized symbol libraries to speed up the application development process.
New drivers aimed at the life support automation sector, such as EIB and BACnet, are planned to be included in the delivery in the near future.
The advantage of Nexa is that it is a universal system that allows the integration of equipment from various subsystems. The attractiveness of the price also plays an important role, since Nexa is supplied under special conditions, and the developer's package is free.
– What is the range of integration solutions based on Nexa software?
– It is obvious that in the process of creating automated systems it is necessary to ensure the implementation of a whole range of diverse tasks.
For example, a building has several systems for which separate solutions are provided – these are air conditioning and ventilation systems, security systems and others. Naturally, the customer wants to see all this as a single whole.
And Nexa can become just such a single integrated solution, thanks to the presence of seamless communications, which allows for centralized management of buildings of any size and even entire complexes.
– Many equipment manufacturers now provide their hardware for building automation. To what extent can Nexa work regardless of which company has already supplied the equipment?
– Open universal protocols are currently being actively developed on the market.
Large manufacturers use protocols and communication tools that provide the ability to integrate with third-party systems.
For Nexa software, Citect supports all major integration capabilities available on the market, including OPC+ interfaces, database connectivity, and a set of built-in Nexa drivers that allow communication with various controllers and data collection devices.
– Which companies use Citect software?
– Among the customers of Citect are such companies as Alcoa, BMW, BP, NASA, Mars, Pratt & Whitney, Urenco, Mitsubishi, Siemens and many others.
In Russia, the users of this software are: Business + center «Nevsky, 38», the system of dispatch control and temperature control of warehouses «Sheremetyevo + Cargo».
One of the most famous applications of Citect in Russia is the climate control system of the Moscow Kremlin museums, in particular, the modernization of automated air conditioning, ventilation and heating systems of the Assumption Belfry of the Moscow Kremlin.
– So, in essence, we are talking only about large companies and business projects?
– Not only. Based on the realities of today, we can even formulate a kind of slogan for the future: “SCADA system – in every home!”
This system has the potential to be used in multi-apartment residential buildings, primarily in the field of heat management, water supply, ventilation and access control.
For example, SCADA systems are already being used in multi-apartment complexes and even individually in the Netherlands – in apartments and flats. They can integrate electricity, water and heat calculation systems individually for each consumer.
– What does the company «RTSoft» offer?
– For those who systematically develop applications using Citect software, Citect offers a partner program that includes priority technical support, free upgrades to the latest versions, access to the knowledge base and partner resources of the citect website, discounts on licenses that CIP (Citect Integration Partner) purchases for its customers.
In turn, RTSoft, as the exclusive distributor of Citect in Russia and Belarus, offers documentation translated into Russian, preferential terms of training at the RTSoft Training Center, as well as technical support by phone and e-mail.
– What is the strategy for developing partnerships between RTSoft and other Russian companies?
– Our company is a member of the Association for Building Automation and Engineering Equipment Control Systems Based on the BACnet Protocol – BIG-RU, which aims to unite all participants in the intelligent buildings market, creating a platform for cooperation, discussing existing problems, solving them, and sharing experiences.
– What upcoming events will be held where you can learn about all the advantages of the Nexa software product?
– Undoubtedly, the most detailed information about the Nexa software product can be obtained at the annual conference organized by RTSoft, with the direct participation of Citect and the assistance of its partners – Microsoft and Schneider Electric.
The conference “Integration of Automated Life Support Systems for Buildings, Structures, and Municipal Facilities” will be held on October 19, 2006 in the Izmailovo Hotel Complex.