How do you ensure that you have enough fresh air for your building? Post COVID-19 building operators are being asked to provide better ventilation control to their buildings. But how? In this episode, we discuss IAQ, airflow, and the strategies and standards related to their control. We also discuss the changes related to IAQ that are coming post COVID-19.
May 11, 2020•28 min
In this week's episode, we look at our five-phase framework for controlling your building's HVAC and Building Automation Systems post-Coronavirus.
Apr 20, 2020•33 min
How do networks work? What do you as a smart building professional need to know about them? In this week's episode we discuss: How networks work The bottom 4 layers of the OSI Model How to configure networks What you need to know to talk to IT about networks How IP addressing works Common ports and their use in BAS
Apr 13, 2020•26 min
Coronavirus will eventually clear up enough for the economy to reopen but what do you do after that? In this episode of The Building Automation Monthly Podcast, we discuss how to prepare your career for after Coronavirus. You will learn: How to inventory your current skillset How to bridge your current income gap How to seek out consulting/contracting work in today's economy Our near-free training solution How to network with potential companies And more!...
Apr 06, 2020•16 min
Today's buildings are largely disconnected from the outside world. This was fine until recently. With the growth in stay at home orders, people find themselves unable to remotely support their buildings. In this episode you will learn: How remote access works How to setup remote access Why you must create an access policy How to work with IT Which remote access technology will work for you And more
Mar 30, 2020•25 min
In this week's podcast, we tackle the topic of shutting down your building. The reality is many people have never shutdown their buildings. So where do you begin? What steps do you take? In this episode you will learn: What settings to adjust and how to adjust them How to manage staging HVAC systems for critical zones How to remotely monitor your building And more!
Mar 23, 2020•1 hr 7 min
Everything is shutting down. The economy is nose-diving. How do you keep your building automation business afloat? In this episode The Building Automation Monthly Podcast we talk about several win-win services that you can sell to help your customers deal with the Coronavirus's effect on their business. We also talk about strategies to cover the cost of your employees and how to maintain your business.
Mar 16, 2020•22 min
You need to control the moisture content of your airstreams but how? In this week's episode of The Building Automation Monthly Podcast, we explore the concept of psychrometrics and how it affects the comfort and controllability of your building systems. In this episode you will learn: What Psychrometrics are How you can control the moisture and temperature of your airstream Why relative humidity is not always the best measure of moisture content And more...
Mar 09, 2020•18 min
In this episode, we discuss how PID loops work and how to tune PID loops. This episode covers: What a PID Loop is How to calculate your settings for a loop The reason our loops shouldn't use derivative My number 1 trick for quickly tuning loops The effect of I on loops When to use direct or reverse loops Why you should avoid biasing your loop
Mar 02, 2020•27 min
In this episode, we discuss how to build out a use case library to increase your ability to sell and execute smart building projects. This episode covers: What a use case is? Why a use case library? Where to get started? How to structure a use case? The integral pieces of a use case library
Feb 24, 2020•18 min
This week we have Curt Bramel the North and South America channel sales leader for Tridium. In this episode Curt and I discuss: The highest margin activity in the market right now The biggest challenges to growth that integrators are facing How integrators are dealing with the labor shortage in the market right now The potential opportunities that integrators could miss in the next few years Growth ideas that you think integrators should capitalize on but aren’t Curt's thoughts on the rise of IP...
Feb 17, 2020•1 hr 7 min
In this episode of The Building Automation Monthly Podcast we interview cybersecurity expert Fred Gordy. Fred has a broad background in cybersecurity. Fred has a wealth of experience during his rise from working at a major mechanical contractor to leading the cybersecurity practice at Intelligent Buildings. We discuss: What cybersecurity is The major risks to a BAS How to mitigate risks The legal responsibility of integrators How to use cybersecurity as a compelling selling point The major attac...
Feb 10, 2020•53 min
Why do analytics projects fail? What makes them successful? What is the secret to effectively implementing analytics? In this week's episode of The Building Automation Monthly Podcast we discuss: What analytics are How analytics work My experience implementing analytics My six-step process for effectively implementing analytics
Feb 03, 2020•24 min
OT networks are becoming increasingly common in building automation projects. But what is an OT network and what do you need to know about OT networks to succeed in your BAS career? In this episode we discuss: How OT networks work Why OT networks are used How OT networks are different than IT networks How to implement OT networks How to connect OT networks to IT networks and much more!
Jan 27, 2020•30 min
This week we are talking with 75F's CEO Deepinder Singh. I really enjoyed this interview as Deepinder is very technical and his story for why he started 75F is really unique. In this interview we look at: What is 75F? Why another controls solution? Why 75F is a full-stack solution and what that means 75F's interesting way of negating cybersecurity concerns What problem does 75F solve? What makes the 75F solution unique? Who is the solution meant for? And much more We get into the weeds and discu...
Jan 20, 2020•59 min
Have you ever wondered how your BAS user interface works? What happens exactly when you change your setpoints? In this week's episode, we are going to look at how a BAS communicates from the GUI to the field controller and from the field controller to the GUI.
Jan 13, 2020•31 min
How do you troubleshoot IT systems? Where do you begin? In this episode, we will look at how you can troubleshoot even the most complex building automation system.
Jan 06, 2020•31 min
This is the end of our 8 part series on HVAC control sequences. In this episode, we will be discussing how piping, pumping, and pressurization work. In this podcast, we will be discussing How to control pumps When to use variable speed pumping The proper way to control a secondary loop How a decoupler is used in chiller sequencing
Dec 30, 2019•31 min
Water-cooled chillers are one of the main systems in large buildings. Understanding how to control a cooling tower properly is complex but it is also understandable. In this episode, we are going to go through how to properly control chilled water systems. We will look at: The difference between range and approach and why they matter How to sequence cooling towers to properly handle condenser water temperature The use of partial load chillers and how to properly sequence them And much more!...
Dec 23, 2019•28 min
How do chillers work? What do you need to know? In this episode, we explore how chilled water systems work. We look at utilizing the concepts of heat transfer and evaporation in order to cool a building. We also explore the different types of chillers and proper chiller sequencing.
Dec 09, 2019•31 min
Have you ever found yourself struggling to control the hot water supply temperature for a primary loop? Or maybe you couldn't figure out the best way to stage the boilers in your central plant? In this week's episode of The Building Automation Monthly Podcast, we will be diving into hot water systems. You will learn: Why we use hot water The importance of state changes How to control hot water boilers The purpose of mixing valves Why we use steam and how to control it And much more!...
Dec 02, 2019•33 min
AHU's, MAU's, Face and bypass, energy recovery, humidification!!! There are so many concepts that you need to understand about HVAC systems in order to control them with your building automation system. In this episode, we continue our multi-part series on how to implement HVAC control sequences with a focus on 100% Outdoor air units, Makeup air units, face and bypass, and energy recovery.
Nov 25, 2019•22 min
Have you ever had difficulty controlling air handlers with your BAS? In this week's episode, we work through how to sequence a variety of different air handling systems using your building automation system.
Nov 18, 2019•28 min
Oct 28, 2019•27 min
How do you control HVAC equipment with your building automation system? In this episode of The Building Automation Monthly Podcast, we take a look at how to control terminal units and what we need to consider when we are controlling those units. Resources: ► https://buildingautomationmonthly.com/introducing-control-sequence-fundamentals/
Oct 21, 2019•23 min
Is your customer's building automation system secure? How can you make sure your BAS projects are cyber secure? How do you know where to start? In this week's episode, we discuss what cybersecurity is and what you need to know in order to securely execute BAS work.
Oct 14, 2019•34 min
What if you could make it so that your building automation server never failed? What if every time your BAS server got slow it automatically sped up? Is this even possible? In this episode we discuss how to utilize virtualization to ensure that our BAS servers stay fast and functional 24/7.
Oct 07, 2019•18 min
How do you plan your BAS workloads? How do you determine when you have enough staff? How can you make sure that you are maximizing the profitability of your BAS projects? In this episode, we answer a listener question on how to properly estimate their workloads and project staffing. We also explore strategies on how to maximize profitability in our building automation businesses.
Sep 30, 2019•29 min
How do you maximize your sales success? How do you grow your building automation accounts? In this episode, I discuss the tips and techniques I have learned from top-tier sales executives as well as the strategies I have personally used to grow my own business from zero to 4,600+ paying customers. You will learn: How to identify and connect with your target customer Why you must embrace a focus area What tactics work for providing value that results in sales And much more...
Sep 23, 2019•24 min
What is working in building automation? What changes could you make to be more successful as a building automation business or in your building automation career? In this episode, I discuss 11 of the most impactful things I've learned leading the fastest-growing building automation training business in the world.
Sep 16, 2019•37 min