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Sound familiar?

Where a controls design goes sideways

Most of it is predictable, and most of it can be caught on paper.

Where designs get stuck

  • A sequence of operations that turns into an RFI war.
  • A named basis of design that becomes a sole-source fight.
  • Budget numbers that arrive after the design is set.
  • A proprietary front end the owner cannot get trends and data out of.
  • As-builts that do not match what is installed.

What you can count on

  • Design-assist and real budget numbers before the job is awarded.
  • Four lines, so a specified basis of design can be met directly or with a documented equal under Niagara.
  • Submittals, points lists and sequences that reviewers actually approve.
  • Sequence and points-list problems caught on paper, not at startup.
  • Open BACnet and Niagara integration instead of a proprietary front end.
In-house engineering

Documentation from submittal to as-built

An on-staff application engineer delivers the full range of project documentation, for small tenant improvements and multi-year programs alike.

Submittals

Submittal drawings

Drawings, points lists and network architecture built around the equipment and the owner’s IT standards.

Sequences

Sequences of operation

Written to match how the building really runs, then programmed as written.

Checkout

Point-to-point checkout

Startup and point-to-point checkout, with commissioning support through closeout.

Closeout

As-built drawings

As-builts that match what is actually in the ceiling, plus owner training.

Open by design

What to know before you write the controls spec

BACnet helps systems communicate. It does not make controller logic, licenses, engineering databases or service tools interchangeable, so the platform still matters.

Lead line

ABB Cylon

Open BACnet field control under a Niagara front end.

Enterprise

Siemens Desigo

Desigo integrated under Niagara.

Broad ecosystem

Honeywell

Proven controllers and a deep field-device catalog.

Institutional

Johnson Controls

Facility Explorer and Metasys for enterprise estates.

Niagara stays above the line. A consistent supervisory and integration layer protects the owner’s operating experience as field hardware evolves. How we choose a platform →
Open data. On new systems we can model equipment with open Project Haystack semantic tagging, so analytics and fault detection tools can read the building without someone re-mapping every point.
Central plants. For water-cooled chilled water plants we also deliver chiller plant optimization with Siemens Demand Flow, on your existing BACnet BAS. Chiller plant optimization →
Proving the sequence

A test result for every sequence

With Environ, commissioning tests run on the live equipment and keep a record of every result, so the owner can see that the building does what the design says.

Prebuilt

Guideline 36 library

27 prebuilt tests across 18 equipment types, aligned to ASHRAE Guideline 36-2024 where the guideline covers the equipment.

Custom

Your sequences

Custom tests for the sequences the library does not cover.

Retest

Proof after the repair

After a deficiency is corrected, the test runs again. Pass or fail, the measured response is kept against the asset.

After turnover

Continuous commissioning

Environ keeps watching after the project: prioritized work and a retest after each repair.

Environ is available through UCS. Guideline 36 references are not ASHRAE certification, and product availability is confirmed at quotation. See how Environ works → · For commissioning agents →
FAQ

Engineer questions we hear most

Can you help during design?

Yes. Design-assist and budget numbers early are usually where we save a project the most: catching sequence, points-list and network issues while they are still cheap to fix on paper.

What if the specification names one manufacturer?

That is why we carry four lines. We can often meet a specified basis of design directly, or provide a documented equal under Niagara, instead of an RFI fight or a proprietary sole-source.

Does open BACnet mean any contractor can service the building?

Not by itself. BACnet and a Niagara supervisory layer keep graphics, trends and data out of a proprietary front end. Controller logic, licenses and service tools stay platform-specific, which is why we keep native-tool depth on staff for every line we touch.

What does the owner receive at closeout?

Submittal and as-built drawings, sequences of operation, points lists, graphics and trends, plus owner training.

Can the sequences be tested against ASHRAE Guideline 36?

With Environ, yes, where the guideline covers the equipment: 27 prebuilt tests across 18 equipment types, aligned to Guideline 36-2024. Guideline 36 references are not ASHRAE certification.

Have a controls spec in progress?

Send us the sequence and the basis of design, and we’ll tell you what it takes to build. Call (720) 282-5099 or request a quote.

Get a quote