Optergy at ARBS

Optergy at ARBS

 

ARBS 2024 is just around the corner! Register now and join Optergy to discover the transformative capabilities of our scalable building solutions that improve energy efficiency, optimise building performance and automate tenant billing. Along with our new booth, we’re excited to showcase the latest additions to our Optergy Air range.

Visit us at Booth #236-238 on the 28th-20th of May at ICC Sydney. We look forward to seeing you there! You can register here: https://arbs.eventsair.com/arbs-2024/visitor/Site/Register

 

Recent Events

Optergy’s Presence at ASEAN Conference, Melbourne: A Beacon of Collaboration

Optergy recently participated in the ASEAN Conference in Melbourne, Australia, joining a diverse array of industry stakeholders, thought leaders, and innovators.

At the conference, Optergy engaged with attendees from various backgrounds, including representatives from leading tech companies, government agencies, academic institutions, and sustainability organizations. This diverse mix provided a fertile ground for meaningful discussions, knowledge sharing, and networking opportunities.

Representatives from the ten member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) – Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam – were among the participants. Their presence underscored the regional importance of the conference as a platform for fostering cooperation and driving progress in technology and sustainability.

As a participant, Optergy actively listened to insights from other attendees, gaining valuable perspectives on industry trends, challenges, and opportunities. By engaging in this collaborative exchange, Optergy reaffirmed its commitment to staying at the forefront of technological innovation and sustainable practices within the ASEAN region.

In summary, Optergy’s presence at the ASEAN Conference exemplified their dedication to collaboration and knowledge sharing in driving progress towards smarter, more sustainable buildings.

 

Elevate Your Building's Potential with Optergy

What Defines Modular Building Management Systems?

What Defines Modular Building Management Systems?

The world of Building Management Systems (BMS) can be a labyrinthine landscape, where the term 'open system' often sparks confusion among consultants and end users.

While most grasp the concept of avoiding vendor lock-ins, the broader scope of open systems remains enigmatic. This article strives to bring clarity to these intricate topics, offering an unbiased exploration of BMS systems.

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Historical Insights

To comprehend the current state of open systems in BMS, it is imperative to delve into their historical roots. In the past, BMS systems were typically closed and proprietary, with dominant players exercising exclusive control. However, substantial transformations occurred in the late 1990s and early 2000s when protocols began to open up, facilitating improved system communication. The true revolution unfolded in the 2000s with the emergence of open frameworks and the development of open protocols.

The Modern Landscape

Today, the BMS terrain has undergone a profound transformation. Contemporary BMS systems are characterized by modularity, where various components, including management systems, plant controls, terminal unit controls, and wireless sensing devices, can be interchanged like building blocks. These systems are built on vendor-neutral principles, relying on open standards and protocols for seamless interoperability.

Interoperability is the cornerstone of these systems, facilitated by widely accepted communication protocols such as BACnet, Modbus, and REST APIs. This ensures that components from diverse vendors can communicate effectively, liberating users from the constraints of a single vendor’s ecosystem.

Key Elements of Open and Multivendor Systems

Modularity

Open and multivendor systems are characterized by modularity, where different components of the system, such as management systems, plant controls, terminal unit controls, and wireless sensing devices, are designed to be interchangeable like building blocks. This modularity allows for the selection of the best-of-breed solutions for each specific function, rather than being tied to a single vendor’s ecosystem.

Vendor Neutrality

These systems promote vendor neutrality, meaning that they do not favour any particular vendor’s proprietary technology. Instead, they rely on open standards and protocols to ensure interoperability among various components from different vendors. This prevents vendor lock-in and allows for greater flexibility in choosing and switching components.

Interoperability

Interoperability is a fundamental aspect of open and multivendor systems. Components from different vendors should seamlessly communicate and work together. This interoperability is achieved through standardized communication protocols like BACnet, Modbus, or REST APIs, ensuring that all parts of the system can exchange data and commands effectively.

Flexibility 

Open systems offer flexibility in terms of component selection and replacement. As technology evolves or the objectives of building owners/users change, individual components can be swapped out and replaced with alternatives without disrupting the entire system. This adaptability is crucial for the long-term sustainability of the building’s infrastructure.

Best-in-Class Approach

The Lego block approach allows for a best-in-class strategy, where each component can be chosen based on its merit and performance. This means that building owners and operators can select the most suitable solutions for their specific needs, resulting in a more efficient and effective overall system.

Scalability 

Open and multivendor systems are scalable, accommodating the needs of buildings of different sizes and complexities. Whether it’s a small office or a large industrial facility, the system can be tailored by combining the right components to meet the specific requirements.

Cost-Efficiency 

By avoiding vendor lock-in and selecting the best components for each function, open and multivendor systems can often lead to cost savings. Competition among vendors can drive down prices and improve the quality of components, ultimately benefiting the building owner.

Longevity 

Open and multivendor systems are designed for the long term. They can adapt to changing technology trends and continue to meet the evolving needs of the building over its entire lifecycle, extending the value of the initial investment.

Conclusion

The BMS industry has embarked on a journey from the confines of proprietary systems to the liberating realm of open and modular systems. While proprietary systems had their merits in the past, modern BMS systems offer unparalleled flexibility, vendor neutrality, and adaptability. By understanding the nuances of these systems, consultants, building owners, and stakeholders can make informed decisions that align with current needs and future aspirations.

The essence lies in creating an ecosystem where the assembly of modular components mirrors the versatility and ease of building with bricks, and Lego blocks for smart buildings, ensuring that technology evolves harmoniously with the changing dynamics of the built environment.

Discover how Optergy can transform your BMS experience. Visit us now and take the first step towards a smarter, more efficient future.

Elevate Your Building's Potential with Optergy

Meet the All-New Optergy P864 v4 Edge Controller

Meet the All-New Optergy P864 v4 Edge Controller

The most versatile IOT Edge Controller on the market

The fourth generation of the P864 Edge Controller represents Optergy’s efforts to continuously improve reliability and functionality of its products.

After 5 years of relentless innovation and improvement, Optergy is proud to announce the latest and greatest iteration of the P864 Edge Controller. With a focus on reliability, functionality, and safety, the P864 v4 Edge Controller sets a new standard in the building automation industry.

Highlights of the Physical Upgrades:

  • Fire-retardant casing, now compliant with UL Standard 2043, ULC S142, and UL/CUL 60730-1
  • Improved circuitry design for better handling of AC/DC power supplies
  • Higher-quality MAC rotary dials
  • Ethernet connectors with built-in magnetics for enhanced PoE performance
  • Super capacitor to keep real-time clock running for up to a week
  • High-quality power supply components
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Professional modern design

The P864 v4 Edge Controller is not just a physical powerhouse but also boasts updated software to suit. With the release of software version 6.0.7, the P864 v4 now offers the ability to connect up to seven Optergy Air Sensors and improvements to the programming tool, user interface, and interoperability with the Optergy 864e expansion module.

Optergy has also upped its game in testing, with new procedures and methodology to ensure the best possible product for our customers. The P864 v4 Edge Controller has been deployed in numerous sites and has undergone rigorous testing, including software validity tests, hardware production testing, local bench testing, multiple cycles on a testbot, and internal site testing with daily monitoring.

For all the details, log into the Optergy Customer Portal and follow the links for more information. Get ready to experience the future of building automation with the Optergy P864 v4 Edge Controller.

For more information, click here

Why Are Small Buildings Overlooked With the Latest Building Technology?

Why are small buildings overlooked with the latest building technolgy?

It is estimated that 60% of the world’s commercial buildings would be classified as ‘small buildings’.

These buildings range in size, and we see them everywhere we look. The definition for small building varies from place to place, generally small buildings can be classified as those buildings under 50,000 square feet.

Small buildings typically include:

  • Community Centres
  • Independent Medical Buildings
  • Low-rise Commercial Buildings
  • Shopping Precincts
  • Libraries
  • Schools
  • Some Recreational Facilities

In our day-to-day lives, we are constantly interacting with small buildings, with each of us spending a significant amount of our time within them. That is why it is such an interesting phenomenon that small buildings are often overlooked when it comes to the latest technology or system improvements. With so many of the world’s buildings in this category, what are we doing to improve the sustainability and interactivity of the occupants within these space?

As the world moves towards net zero buildings we should question if it is possible to get a smaller building to net zero? While not every building will be a candidate for net zero there exists more opportunities than most are perhaps aware of. Even if we could not get a building to net zero, could we improve its efficiency or more importantly, could we improve the benefit of the building to the human collective? One thing that we know for sure about achieving a great outcome in the building industry, is that we need to be able to measure, verify and react positively to live data.

The interactivity of technology within buildings is also increasing at an exponential rate, and our daily existence as humans has become intertwined with our devices.  We also know that as humans, our comfort is something that is held at the pinnacle of our society.  Even cavemen enjoyed the warmth of a good fire!  Architects work tirelessly to build buildings that ignite the human soul, and mechanical engineers build systems to keep those very souls comfortable.  If technology was able to help combine traditional building systems to make them operate more efficiently, and provide greater comfort to an occupant while improving the occupant’s interaction with the space, we would truly be moving in the right direction.

Since small buildings make up so much of the global building portfolio, it is indicative that a building owner’s portfolio will also contain a significant amount of these types of buildings, no matter where you are in the world.  Most successful building owners are always considering CAPex and OPex costs, but many of them are more interested in the valuation of the building.  

Does the modern-day valuation of the building take into consideration the technology within the building, the building’s sustainability and how the occupants interact with the building? Perhaps not always, but more often than not we know that buildings that focus on sustainability and human connectivity have a higher tenancy, better tenants and longer tenancy rates.

Small buildings are such an important part of our society and as individuals or corporations that work daily to positively affect the building industry, so the question remains… what more can we do in this market segment? 

In the years ahead, sustainability and net zero goals will only continue to grow in importance. Small building owners that get ahead of the curve now will have a property portfolio asset that stands the test of time and contributes to the goal of reaching carbon neutrality.  New innovations and technologies are available that help optimise performance and improve sustainability and ESG strategies for small buildings. Contact us at Optergy if you are looking for a smart building solution to start optimising performance for your small buildings today.

For more information on scalable small building solutions, get in touch with us today.