ENABLING PRESCRIPTIVE/PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE AS WELL AS CONTINUOUS OPTIMISATION OF AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEM

Accounting for upstream power generation, buildings contributed to 28% of global energy-related CO2 emissions (Global Status Report 2017). Global use of electricity in buildings also grew on average by 2.5% per year since 2010. It is thus vital to find solutions to reduce the energy consumption of our buildings. Among the electrical and mechanical systems in a building, JTC is looking for innovations that can reduce energy consumption by ensuring optimal running of the air-conditioning (AC) system within a satisfactory user thermal comfort level.

JTC is seeking innovative solutions to enable prescriptive/predictive maintenance, as well as continuous optimisation of air-conditioning systems, to ensure efficient energy usage while maintaining critical operations. The solution should be able to analyse system operations and provide maintenance/fixes with low false positive rates to maintain equipment and energy/cost efficiency.

• Solution should:
  • Gather holistic and relevant building data to enable accurate real-time condition monitoring (e.g. embedded algorithms to advise the next course of action/recovery to reduce building disruption and man effort).
  • Detect a variety of anomalies based on data and failure conditions for AC systems.
  • Generate appropriate trigger and responses.
  • Provide continuous optimisation strategies and tools (model based) to the chiller plant as well as air-side equipment (e.g. air handling units, fan coil units, etc.) in order to reduce total electrical consumption and CO2 emissions.
  • Interface at high level with the chiller system manager using an in-built network manager which will allow multiple open protocol selection
    • Where high level communication is not possible, an add-on chiller interface module, pump interface module, cooling tower interface module, flow interface module or utility module must be supplied. The Interface modules should be hardwired to the System Manager panel and also include a number of sensors in order to provide the necessary information and control.
  • Be capable of running multiple open protocols simultaneously and to translate information between protocols.
  • Include user testing for feedback on users’ thermal comfort.
• Proposals should include information on any proof-of-concept (POC)/minimum viable product (MVP) that is non-sensitive.
• Applicant should indicate estimated commercial price of solution, cost of operation/maintenance and cost-benefit analysis of the solution in the proposal.

Besides addressing the above requirements, the proposed solution should also fulfil the following criteria:

• Contains novelty in addressing the abovementioned criteria.
• Wherever applicable, aim to:
  • Enhance safety of operations; and/or
  • Reduce reliance of manpower; and/or
  • Achieve cost-effectiveness; and/or
  • Improve efficiency/productivity.

The solution should ideally be deployable immediately as a pilot or with minimal additional development within a timeframe of no more than 2 years.

JTC will provide mentorship and test-bedding site for the solution.