For the first time, SC Engineers' Principals Frank Shadpour and Joseph Kilcoyne categorize building automation dashboards in this Technical Feature published in the ASHRAE Journal May 2015 Addition. The article expresses the need for dashboard classification as well as lists the attributes and benefits of each of the dashboard levels, Level 0 through Level 3.
Can you imagine driving a car without a dashboard? This seems inconceivable today, yet in 1914, the Ford Model T series was introduced to the world without a dashboard. In the early days of the automobile industry, system reliability and functionality were the primary concerns. Speed, fuel economy, and alarms were secondary priorities, if considered at all. As time progressed, so did the needs of the average driver. Cars manufactured today often come standard with dashboards that provide real-time monitoring of fuel economy and serve as the main interface for auxiliary services such as GPS directions, phone calls, and car audio.
Building operations share similar principles with the operation of a motor vehicle: both run on “fuel,” both require continuous maintenance for proper operation and longevity, and both can be optimized to operate at greater efficiencies. However, while the automobile dashboard has become a universal industry standard, most buildings still operate without the convenience and effectiveness of this valuable feature. It is time for the building industry to catch up. This article proposes a rational basis for evaluating the performance criteria of building automation dashboards.