School LonWorks system gives teachers control
Staff -- Consulting-Specifying Engineer, 11/1/2000
Before teachers at Osceala County School District in Kissimmee, Fla., get into their cars to drive to school in the morning, they now have the capability to log on to the Internet and adjust the temperature in their classroom, thanks to a new LonWorks building automation system.
With the open protocol now operating in one of the district's schools and currently being installed in three other buildings, school officials have expressed enthusiasm over the system's new capabilities.
"Right away we were extraordinarily impressed with the painless, rapid installation of the LonWorks network as well as with its monitoring capabilities," states Jim Damico, the district's maintenance foreman. "We were amazed to discover that our new system already had the capability that would allow our teachers to control temperature over the Internet!"
The systems integrator who designed the Osceola district project, the staff at Jack Joyner Heating and Air Conditioning Co., were recently recognized for their work on the project as the best multi vendor/network integrator at the 2000 LonWorld exposition.
According to Rick Joyner, vice president of controls for the company, the most prohibitive problem with the district's original building-automation system was that it was not open or interoperable.
"New, improved products from multiple vendors were needed to control systems such as heating, ventilation and air-conditioning, security, lighting, refrigeration and power. However, the products would not be able to communicate over this closed network," says Joyner. "We chose to use a LonWorks-based system in order to give the customer everything they wanted in the way of a building-automation system.
Once the system is installed in the three additional schools, officials may expand the system to incorporate lighting, and card-access security.
For more information on Echelon's i.LON internet server, circle 107 on the Reader Service Card on page 91 of this issue.
