Abstract: A temperature sensing device enclosed in a housing having at least one thermally isolative wall and machined slot for isolating the temperature sensing device to ensure accurate reading of ambient temperature in room.

Abstract: A building component system includes a building component that is controllable between a first state and a second state in response to a sensed condition. The system may include a sensor on a first side of the building component and a sensor on the second side of the building component. The building component may be a window that is controllable between an opaque state and a clear state by a micro electromechanical system (MEMS) network that senses the conditions on both sides of the window.

Abstract: An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display panel for a heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) sensor used for building automation controls. The OLED display will transmit information to the building occupant relating to heating ventilation and air conditioning outputs.

Abstract: An arrangement that provides power to an electrical device includes an inverter, first and second switches, and a bypass controller. The first switch has open and closed positions, and is operable to connect the inverter to the electrical device when in the closed position. The second switch has open and closed positions, and is operable to connect a utility power line source to the electrical device when in the closed position. The bypass controller is operable to cause a transition sequence in which the first switch changes to the open position and the second switch changes to the closed position. The bypass controller is further operable to: cause continuous actuation of a first indicator when the first switch is closed; cause continuous actuation of a second indicator when the second switch is closed; and cause intermittent actuation of the second indicator during at least part of the transition sequence.

Abstract: A chiller refrigeration system provides optimum operation of controlled cooling for a building during low ambient temperatures. The chiller refrigeration system includes a second receiver that stores sufficient refrigerant to flood the condenser at low ambient temperatures. The chiller refrigeration system also includes a pressure control valve to selectively bypass pressurized refrigerant gas around the condenser to the second receiver when the ambient air is too cold to sustain continuous compressor operation. The system also includes a check valve to prevent refrigeration from migrating backwards to the low pressure point in the system and a pressure relief valve to serve as a system safety device.

Abstract: A controller with configurable connections between data processing components is provided. In one embodiment, the controller includes a number of configurable inputs and outputs that may be used with digital and/or analog signals. The controller includes a data processor with a plurality of data processing components. The inputs and outputs are configurable to the plurality of data processing components and transfer of processed data between the plurality of data processing components is also configurable.

Abstract: A method, as well as a controller, for controlling room temperature within a variable air volume system having a plurality of zones wherein the thermal transfer rate with respect to each of such zones is maintained at a substantially constant value notwithstanding changes in the temperature of the supply air thereby providing improved efficiency and environmental comfort.

Abstract: A method and apparatus uses a stored model of a building system to render an image showing a condition sensed of the building control system on a mobile display unit. The mobile display unit may be wirelessly integrated into the building control system. The mobile display unit may operate based upon voice commands and/or eye tracking.

Abstract: An arrangement for calibrating a Venturi valve includes a source of flow measurements and a processing circuit. The Venturi valve has a variable shaft position and is operable to provide an air flow corresponding to the variable shaft position. The processing circuit is operable to provide a plurality of voltages to an actuator, the actuator operable to change the variable shaft position dependent on said plurality of voltages. The processing circuit is also operable to receive from the source of flow measurements a flow measure for each variable shaft position corresponding to each of the plurality of voltages. The processing circuit is further operable to store information representative of the relationship between each of the plurality of voltages and the flow measures.

Abstract: A first embodiment of the invention includes an arrangement for maintaining an environment for a movable object. The arrangement includes an information device, at least one RF device and a building system controller. The information device is disposed in a substantially fixed relationship with the movable object such that the memory element remains in the vicinity of the movable object when the movable object is moved. The information device includes a memory element and a first RF element, the memory element including at least one parameter having information identifying at least one threshold for an environmental condition. The first RF element is operably coupled to the memory element to receive the at least one parameter therefrom, and is operable to modulate a parameter signal containing the at least one parameter onto an RF signal for transmission.

Abstract: The present invention provides for monitoring the health of a system. In one embodiment, a method includes storing benchmark data in a memory, storing a second plurality of system data indicative of system conditions during system operations, determining from the second plurality of system data that the system was operating at a steady state capacity level during at least one sample window of the system operations, associating the steady state capacity level of the at least one sample window with the benchmark data, retrieving first health data for parameters associated with a first health condition from the first plurality of system data, retrieving second health data for parameters associated with the first health condition from the second plurality of system data that were obtained during the at least one sample window, comparing the health data and determining if the second health data is indicative of a health condition.

Abstract: An arrangement includes a control station for use in a building control system, the building control system having a plurality of field panels operable to communicate with the control station. The control station has a memory and processing circuit that is configured to execute programming instructions in the memory. The memory is configured to store instructions operable to cause the processing circuit to: execute a first operating system; execute software compiled from a set of instructions that are substantially similar to instructions used to compile firmware for at least one of the field panels, the at least one field panel employing a second operating system; and execute software performing at least one supervisory control operation for the plurality of field panels.

Abstract: A system and method for providing data to a model of a building system includes a building control system with a communications network, a control subsystem for generating module deployment data and transmitting the module deployment data over the communications network, a memory for storing a three dimensional model of at least a portion of a building and a computer. A computer program executed by the computer includes computer instructions for associating module deployment data received from the communications network with the three dimensional model and modifying the three dimensional model based upon the module deployment data.

Abstract: A system for forecasting predicted thermal loads for a building comprises a thermal condition forecaster for forecasting weather conditions to be compensated by a building environmental control system and a thermal load predictor for modeling building environmental management system components to generate a predicted thermal load for a building for maintaining a set of environmental conditions. The thermal load predictor of the present invention is a neural network and, preferably, the neural network is a recurrent neural network that generates the predicted thermal load from short-term data. The recurrent neural network is trained by inputting building thermal mass data and building occupancy data for actual weather conditions and comparing the predicted thermal load generated by the recurrent neural network to the actual thermal load measured at the building. Training error is attributed to weights of the neurons processing the building thermal mass data and building occupancy data.

Abstract: Fabric material having a backing, such as carpet, is used as a biomass fuel component. The fabric material is shredded and substantially separated into constituent backing and fabric components. The backing component is stored in a first storage unit. The fabric component may be mixed with another biomass fuel component before introduction into a gasifier. The gasifier produces synthetic gas, which is subsequently used to produce steam. The hot ash generated as a by-product of gasification is stored in a second storage unit. Each waste product may be confined to a distinct waste path such that the waste products remain isolated from each other, at least until the ash cools down to approximately the melting point of the backing component.

Abstract: A directional evacuation lighting apparatus used during an emergency evacuation situation for a building where an emergency sign with direction is projected on the floor to help direct and locate closest safety exit.

Abstract: An apparatus for displaying event information from a building system includes a display device coupled to a processing circuit. The processing circuit is operable to cause the display to display information regarding a first building system in a first portion of the display, the information being selectable and changeable by a user. The processing circuit is further operable to cause the display to display, independent of the displayed information in the first portion, an alarm graphic element in a second portion of the display, the alarm graphic element including building system event information regarding a second building system.

Abstract: A damper assembly includes a damper frame, at least one damper blade, an actuator and a sensor module. The damper blade(s) is/are movably attached to the damper frame to at least partially regulate air flow proximate the damper frame. The actuator is configured to control a position of the at least one damper blade. The sensor module is coupled to a first damper blade and includes a sensor device operable to determine position information regarding the position of the damper blade. The sensor module further includes a wireless communication circuit that is operable to communicate the position information to a second wireless communication circuit disposed off of or away from the damper blade.

Abstract: An integration tool is presented for integrating and/or commissioning a new device or system into a building control system. The integration tool is incorporated into the building control system and is operative to create one or more databases and/or applications for the new device that is then flashed to an appropriate building system controller. In one form, the present invention is a software tool for integrating a building control device into the building control system. In another form, the present invention is an integration tool for defining applications for new devices. In yet another form, the present invention is a seamless software tool that allows field personnel to create databases and define applications by simply following the defined point structure.