CSI MasterFormat is the defacto standard for specification formatting. But how does it work?
What are the gotchas you need to be aware of?
By the time you finish this episode you will know:
Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) plans. So many BAS professionals think they know what these documents are.
But do you really know what these documents are? Do you know which part of the plans contains what information?
By the time you finish this episode you will:
One of the greatest challenges faced by BAS professionals is getting remote access to their BAS.
In this episode, I teach you my four-step process to get IT to give you remote access to your BAS.
I also explore analytics. I unpack what analytics are, how they work and why they are important.
By the time you finish this episode you will:
Lately, there have been a ton of questions about data tagging and data normalization. But what does that actually mean?
This is a super important topic especially when you consider that having common data formats is required to implement analytics, fault diagnostics, and other advanced services!
In this episode, I'm going to dive deep into data. You're going to learn:
►What data is and how it relates to a BAS
►Why data normalization is important and how you can plan for it
►What a data tag is and how it is used
►How data is related to API's
There's a lot of noise and miscommunication out there about IT technologies lately so when BAM Nation member Jim e-mailed me asking about Zigbee I was excited to answer his questions and help clear up some of the things he'd been told about Zigbee.
In this podcast episode you will learn:
There’s been a lot of chatter across the Facebook group recently about Comm trunks and Mixing and matching different vendors controllers.
There seems to be a lot of misinformation out there and I thought I’d do a podcast episode where I discussed both topics.
These two topics are very much interrelated when you start to mix and match third-party controllers you can effect your comm trunk so it’s important to have a process.
In this episode I will be teaching you:
You just finished your first integration project! Your all excited you finally stepped into the world of systems integration.
But then it happens!
You get that call telling you something's not working.
Maybe it's a value from one of the points you integrated?
Or perhaps it's that a command to control one of the integrated systems is going through.
It doesn't matter really why. You just need to solve the problem.
But how do you do that?
How can you resolve issues with integrations?
In this podcast I'm going to teach you:
For a lot of folks, systems integration is the hardest thing they will ever do in their BAS career.
And I get that, some of my biggest screw ups in my career were related to system integration projects. That's why you have to listen to my latest podcast episode.
I've got all the scars from systems integration! In this episode I draw on this experience to teach you:
In the world of Building Automation, there are only a select few things you need to know in order to be awesome at your job.
One of these things is Proportional Integral loops.
I've gotten a lot of questions lately about PI loops and so I recorded this episode.
In this episode you will learn:
Can you feel it!
Something in our industry is changing. We are the edge of a new revolution in the BAS world the likes of which haven't been seen since we switched from pneumatics to DDC systems!
Threats like the Wanna Cry ransomware are becoming daily occurrences. And with each passing moment networks and integrated systems grow more complex.
Yet amongst chaos comes opportunity. Throughout history when shit hit the fan, those who stepped for reaped the rewards.
In this episode, we are taking a unique look at the future and then addressing the immediate reality.
I will show you how to prepare for the future and then I will show you how to harden your BAS so that it can survive the present.
You ready, this one's gonna be awesome!
In this episode you will learn:
I started my BAS career in service and I'm thankful I did because I learned so much from servicing BAS. But, there's a dark side of service.
You see not everyone had the power and clout behind that I did working at a Fortune 100 company. Often times BAS service providers are used and abused.
Customers dispute billing, disagree with scope, and flat out ignore recommendations that can improve the functionality of their systems.
Software upgrades anyone?
But, you have to understand it from the customer's perspective. So many service providers are like ninja's they swoop in, fix and issue and are off another call. They don't take the time to explain what was done and customers imagine the worst!
So how can we resolve these issues?
In this episode you will learn:
The day has come, you've finally landed a job in the world of building automation systems, now what?
If your experience is anything like mine, you probably got sent to a class to learn your manufacturer's software and now you're out sitting on a job or servicing a customer.
How do you learn more?
How do you become the BAS tech everyone wants to have on their projects?
How do you become the sales person who intuitively knows how to price jobs?
I answer these questions and much more in episode 60 of the building automation monthly podcast.
In this episode you will learn:
In this episode, I discuss the feasibility of occupancy counting to control outdoor air ventilation.
Man, who would have thought that we would be having this discussion? Lately, it seems that I am seeing more and more ideas that are combining different technologies to achieve outcomes.
Case and point, I recently had a BAM nation member and personal friend Walter reach out to me with a question around the energy saving potential of using occupancy counting to reduce outdoor air flow.
In this episode you will learn:
Most interviewers suck.
They focus too much on appearances and gut feelings and make stupid hiring choices that they regret later. You don't have to experience that. In this podcast episode, I discuss my experience with hiring dozens of building automation professionals and I provide you step-by-step processes for making sure you hire a stud and not a dud.
In this episode you will learn:
Most interviewers suck.
They focus too much on appearances and gut feelings and make stupid hiring choices that they regret later. You don't have to experience that. In this podcast episode, I discuss my experience with hiring dozens of building automation professionals and I provide you step-by-step processes for making sure you hire a stud and not a dud.
In this episode you will learn:
Application Programming Interfaces, also known as API's are the solution to every integration problem you have.
And if your BAS has an open an API then your integration options are unlimited.
Or at least that's what all the marketing folks would like you to believe. The problem with all the buzz around API's, SDK's, and system integration is that the folks writing and speaking on the topics couldn't integrate their way out of a cardboard box. So when a BAM Nation subscriber named Dave reached out to me asking me to help clarify how an API works I was thrilled to have the opportunity to discuss the topic!
In this episode you will learn:
Interviewing sucks...
After you spend all your time getting through the HR screening and the "virtual colonoscopy" of pre-interview questions you find yourself in an artificial environment answering questions that you'd probably never be asked in the real world.
So how can you survive?
Back in 2007 I got let go from my first BAS job and called every controls company in the US to get hired back into the BAS world. Since then I've worked my way to leading the technical integration program for the largest building automation manufacturer in the world.
In this episode, I walk through the 7 tips that have helped me to pass interviews and move up in the world of BAS.
Have you ever wondered how a temperature sensor really works?
What does the RTD mean and why is 1,000 ohms resistance so important.
In this week's Friday Fan Answers I discuss a question from Nick.
Nick asks "Can you cover or explain the technical reasons for a 1000 ohm RTD sensor to suddenly begin to fluctuate drastically"
Sure thing Nick!
In this episode you will learn:
Lately, several folks have asked me, "Phil how did you get into the world of BAS?". While it's always fun to talk about myself, what I think folks are really asking is "Phil, how can I get into the world of BAS?" and "What career path is there for me beyond just being a technician?".
Over the next 4 episodes, I'm going to tackle these exact questions. In today's episode, I'm going to explore my path in the world of BAS and what I believe to be the key traits you need to be successful in the BAS world.
In this episode you will learn:
Welcome to the new podcast series called "Friday Fan Answers or FFA). Each Friday I will be answering a question from the BAM nation.
This week I am answering a question I commonly get asked. The question I often get asked how to find out what the IT requirements for different BAS devices are. If you are not part of the vendor organization this can be quite hard. Well, at least until now.
In this episode, you will learn
Throughout my career, I've learned a lot of tips. Most of the time these tips came from the school of hard knocks but sometimes I was lucky enough to have someone come beside me and share the knowledge they gained.
Well in this episode I'm doing just that! I'm going to teach you 7 of the most valuable tips I've learned in my career. Now at first glance, these tips may seem basic. However, their effectiveness lies in their simplicity. So sit back, relax, and get your learn on!
In this episode you will learn:
Protocols define how pieces of technology communicate amongst one another.
But how much do you really know about the protocols that govern the "rules" of your BAS?
If you find BACnet to be a confusing topic you're not alone. The BAS world is already full of acronyms and confusion. This episode will help you to clear some of that up.
In this episode you will learn:
For many in the BAS world information technology is a foreign topic. A lot of us who have entered the BAS profession have backgrounds in HVAC and electrical systems. Because of this IT can at times feel very unnatural.
That's why I've recorded this episode. I captured the 7 most common questions I get asked about IT and answered them in this podcast episode.
In this episode you will learn:
How many times have you walked onto a project and wondered…
Hmm where do I start with this IT thing…
What do I need to do?
Do you go after remote access? Do you get a server? What about the database?
Well if you’ve ever felt that way then this segment is for you!
All this and more on Episode 50 of the Building Automation Monthly Podcast.
Cyber security... Those two words strike fear into the heart of many a BAS professional.
No one wants to be the technician trying to convince the security expert to give him remote access, and no one wants to be the sales person trying to convince her customer that her BAS is secure.
Yet every day thousands of BAS professionals find themselves in these conversations.
And imagine how the owners, contractors, and engineers feel.
How can they wade through all the BS and get to the core of what they need to know?
Well, I've got good news.
In this episode of the building automation monthly podcast I will help you: