ATLANTIC CANADA Digicon Building Control Solutions Ltd. co-ordinates NSP building automation systems CFMS provides commission- ing expertise in adapting concepts and designs to real-world functions CaDCR special feature CaDCR special feature Digicon Building Control Solutions Ltd. has de- signed, built, installed and is managing the building au- tomation systems for Nova Scotia Power’s (NSP) new headquarters. General manager Les Beal says Digicon, an Atlantic- Canada building controls systems specialist since 1990, has sought to enhance the performance and ef- ficiency of the HVAC and electrical systems to ensure LEED certification and optimum comfort to the build- ing occupants. When working with the new technolo- gies there are often additional challenges in getting all of the systems co-ordinated properly, he said. “The chilled beam system the building uses is new to us and there were some challenges in optimizing the large sea water heat pumps but these have all been seasonally adjusted since NSP took occupancy of the building and everything is working as it should.” This kind of calibration is what Beal calls “true com- missioning” and just one of the steps Digicon takes to ensure client satisfaction. “I have to give credit to M&R Engineering,” he said. “It was clear they did their homework in the selection of equipment for this design. It was all very precise and the testing data we are seeing now supports the design model’s accuracy.” Beal also credits NSP for its willingness to plan for the long-term. “In this case the team is committed to sustainability, not just in the design, but through invest- ing in the apparatus that will capture and record the results. It is satisfying to see the confirmation of this projects’ success through the data.” 40 – Spring 2013 — The Canadian Design and Construction Report CFMS Consulting Inc.’s experienced engineers and technicians have provided building commissioning, proj- ect and facilities management for the past 20 years. Sub- sidiary CFMS Atlantic Inc. commissioned the new Nova Scotia Power (NSPI) headquarters in Halifax President Wade Tucker and vice-president Morris Gel- evan explain CFMS’s role as reviewing the owner’s intent and then examining engineering designs to ensure they align. At project completion, systems are tested to ensure they perform to expectations. “In virtually every instance, even when the design ba- sics are there, minor tweaks and adjustments are required to ensure the system is performing the best it can,” Tucker said. “Our final job is to look at the installation and performance and work with engineers on this fine tun- ing.” Two unique systems on the NSPI project – the chilled beam system and use of sea water for heating and cool- ing – resulted in special commissioning challenges. In preparation, the engineering team visited Chicago to see a chilled beam system in operation. “This is the first such system in Eastern Canada so it was important to see what it could do. Now that the suc- cess of it has been proven, we’re actually involved in an- other project using a similar model,” he says. Tucker says CFMS engineers add value through their experience in adapting concepts and designs to real world function. Some of the company’s other recent projects include the 270,000 sq. ft. RCMP Dartmouth headquarters de- signed to LEED Gold specifications and the 60,000 sq. ft. Corner Brook City Hall, designed to LEED Silver.