DDC Controls
Earlier this year, we discussed direct digital control technology (DDC) and the important role it plays in facilities. Pairing DDC to work with your building automation system (BAS) poses myriad benefits for facilities across all types of industries, including increased occupant comfort, lower operating cost, faster response times, easier maintenance and a simpler retro-commissioning process. This upgrade from pneumonic systems is simply more in line with today’s technological capabilities and rapid advancements.
While DDC undoubtedly benefits several industries and facilities, this technology when used in healthcare facilities is exceptionally beneficial for many reasons.
The Fundamentals of HVAC Direct Digital Control
Temperature controls in hospitals and labs are crucial to maintaining a safe environment in healthcare facilities. Not only do coolers need to remain at certain temperatures to safely store lab samples and medications, but hospitals must also keep their facilities at certain temperatures and humidity levels to prevent the spread of disease. Plus, these temperature and humidity needs vary depending on the season and climate, according to Rotronic. That means constant adjustments must be made, which is not ideal nor feasible for pneumatic control systems.
That’s where DDC comes in. DDC offers the ability for facilities managers to set separate temperatures for hospital hallways, labs, patient rooms, waiting rooms and more. As reported in a case study by G & R Controls in South Dakota, they were able to help Prairie Lakes Healthcare System of South Dakota and western Minnesota gain more control over their HVAC system while maximizing the efficiency of their existing equipment.
Maximized Efficiency
In addition to offering more regulated HVAC and temperature controls, DDC allows for maximum efficiency in any building, but especially for healthcare facilities. With so many parts and pieces working at the same time, in such large-scale buildings, it’s common for lighting, temperature, HVAC and security controls to easily get out of whack. Having DDC installed into a facility allows building processes to be more efficient with programmable controls, so building operators can preset functions like time schedules for lighting and temperature controls in certain rooms or areas of the facility.
Additionally, DDC systems are incredibly resourceful for data collection. With the ability to measure metrics like temperature and humidity, energy usage, etc., the system is able to send the data collected in real-time to the operator. This not only allows for quick response times if any issues arise, but also allows for facilities managers to make adjustments to ensure the facility is operating at maximum efficiency at all times.
Smarter Automation
In a world of a never-ending To-Do list, facilities managers appreciate any aspect of their job that can be automated—as long as it’s from a trustworthy source. With a DDC system in place (especially working in tandem with a building management system), the ability to automate controls throughout an entire facility is an extremely useful feature for healthcare facilities who house several different groups of people with varying needs.
With DDC, facilities managers can easily set variant temperature and humidity, HVAC and lighting control depending on the area of the building—especially handy for maintaining occupant comfort and safe storage of medical samples and medications.
Interested in integrating DDC into your healthcare facility? Control Solutions is your expert!
Our team is comprised of system integration experts; in fact, it’s one of our most sought-after services! We know that when it comes to BAS, convenience and efficiency are key in order to save both time and money in the workplace—exactly what DDC integration can offer.
Benefits include:
- Single-source building systems integration including HVAC, lighting, door access and surveillance systems
- Building software integration
- Remote control, monitoring and alarming for all systems from a single web-based interface
If you’re interested in moving from pneumonic to DDC technology or updating your current systems integration, contact us today to set up a consultation with one of our integration experts.
Credits:
RotronicG&R Controls
