Case Study: SC Johnson
Frimley Green, Surrey, UK
Delta Partner: ACME Technical Services Ltd.
Background: SC Johnson has been producing household products for over one hundred years and has a presence in over 70 countries across the world. The company’s UK operation is based at Frimley Green in Surrey. The 66 acre site contains a factory, warehouse facility and offices which are occupied by over 500 employees.
ACME Technical Services Ltd. has been servicing and modifying the control system at SC Johnson’s Frimley site since the year 2000. In January 2006, ACME updated the control system to coincide with SC Johnson’s staged refurbishment programme of the site. SC Johnson wanted to improve the comfort level within the facility for its employees. At the same time the company wanted to reduce its operating and energy costs.
The Challenge: SC Johnson had considered installing a BMS earlier, but was limited in its options by the closed protocol system used in its original controller range. Indeed, neither of the BMS options available were appropriate for the company’s speed, capacity and budget requirements.
The challenge was to replace the existing closed protocol multiple LAN control system with a new and faster system based on the open protocol native BACnet technology provided by Delta Controls. This provides remote viewing of multiple data points and can easily accommodate further expansion of the system.
To reduce installation time and cost, the replacement system and new BMS, had to operate on the existing two core twisted screened cable which runs from the original touchscreens around the local LANs.
Another challenge was that none of the touchscreens, that were to be replaced with routers, were connected. Again, to increase speed and to reduce the installation cost, the new system would need to utilise the customer’s existing Ethernet IP network.
The Solution: Taking all these factors into account, the client was offered an ideal solution from the Delta product range, providing the site with an open control protocol system, which would facilitate future modifications, enhancements and expansion.
The final solution comprised of an Orcaweb client server BMS PC, four DSC-1616E main plant controllers, four DSM-RTR routers, 135 DAC-606 application controllers and 68 BACstat intelligent room thermostats. The BACstats are fronted by an LCD display, which can show a wide range of digital and analogue values including setpoints, temperature, airflow, heating and cooling status, fan speed plus valve and damper positions.
ACME seized on the opportunities created by a general office refurbishment to implement further improvements to the system without causing additional disruption.
Implementation: Refurbishment of the offices allowed ACME engineers unprecedented access to the existing fan coil units. This opportunity was taken to improve the comfort of office occupants by installing locally mounted sensor setpoint devices.
To further reduce energy costs, ACME also fitted and monitored the standalone PIR lighting control system. This allows unoccupied rooms to be sent to standby mode operation, which stops the fan and relaxes the heating and cooling setpoints. Normal conditions are resumed when the office becomes occupied again or when the temperature deviates away from the standby heating and cooling setpoint values.
Client Benefits: With the installation of Delta Controls equipment, SC Johnson is benefiting from time, cost and energy savings, which are facilitated by the use of flexible, open system technology.
In general, system maintenance time has been reduced as area setpoints can now be altered from any workstation on the SC Johnson intranet when a username and password is entered.
In addition, the facilities department can check the automatic temperature trend logs present in the outstations at any time, without having to manually set the trending beforehand. This allows site engineers to identify correct valve performance, or prove valve operation remotely. Valve actuators can be easily overridden and room results monitored. This feature allows better targeting of site labour and reduces disturbance of the ceiling grid and the office staff below. Any generated alarms can be quickly routed to the appropriate engineer in the form of a detailed email to further reduce maintenance time.
As part of the upgrade programme, ACME also replaced the site’s main AHU controllers and plant boilers / chillers.
ACME’s ongoing work with SC Johnson will see the integration or replacement of the other control systems on site, namely AHUs in the production area and controlled outstations in the warehouse.