S M E D International.

by Lionel Therrien


SMED InternationalBuilding Management

The SMED Headquarters/factory has a few components that establish our facility of the same sort over others. Building Management throughout the Headquarters/factory extends into multiple components, but is controlled through one system. The installation of our Honeywell integrated control system makes this possible for us.

Integrated Control System
State of the art system designed to control and monitor all of the subsystems throughout the facility.
The Honeywell Excel 5000 system provides us with flexible hardware and software to meet the facility needs.
This system is designed to provide the user with complete control over a very sophisticated system. The “system”, controls multiple facets of the facility by integrating the following integral components.

  • Fire alarm system
  • Mechanical system
  • Lighting system
  • Electrical system
  • Security system
  • CCTV system

Life Safety systems

Automated fire alarm system
Our Facility is equipped with the EST3 Edwards Fire alarm System. One of the most flexible, Intelligent Analog Integrated Multiplexed Life Safety System available today.
The EST3 has the owner and emergency user in mind by providing fast, accurate response for people and property protection. Alarm response is under 3 seconds over our large network and automatic Life Safety control functions initiate almost instantly.
System Flexibility is achieved by site programmable software applications, modular hardware, simple LED and Switch control functions. Multilingual messages are easily accommodated on the LCD and flexible label system.
Reliability is paramount in a Life-Safety System. All circuits are automatically supervised and critical components are diagnosed every second. If any portion of the network becomes isolated, EST3’s Multi Priority Token Passing Peer to Peer network automatically reconfigures all sections into sub networks assuring survivability. The result is like having separate Life Safety systems, all aware, ready to respond to alarms and warn occupants.

Sprinkler protection system

  • The system is equipped with one Cutler Hammer Fire pump controller that operates a 1500 GPM centrifugal pump.
  • The sprinkler system is broken down into 9 primary zones and one 8" primary full loop sprinkler run. This line runs through the plant floor as a primary feeder to maintain multiple sub zones. The sub systems consist of pre-action systems and feeder systems to the multiple dust collection systems.
  • The dust collection system is equipped with a spark detection system. The spark detection system consists of inline light sensitive sensors and automatic sprayers. Sparks detected will activate sprinkler valves to spray a mist of water to put the spark out, thus preventing any sparks to ignite the dust into a fire condition.

Mechanical systems

Heating

  • Perimeter heating is supplied by two 3,960 MBH hot water Bryan Boilers.
  • Heating system is a mixture of 50% treated glycol and water for protection of all systems exposed to the outside elements.
  • The heating system supplies radiant ceiling panels along the exterior walls and windows.
  • The office has zone control heating through multiple reheat coils in the ductwork.
  • Main entrance vestibules are equipped with forced air fan coil units.

Air Conditioning

  • Consists of 9 “Engineered Air” forced air/DX coil roof top units, which supply cooling/heating for the main office, plant floor offices, environmental room, cafeteria, fitness center and veneer room.
  • The units are equipped with pre filtered media, followed by 80% efficiency pleated filters for air quality control.
Plant Air distribution (18 Engineered Air units, model DG-220-0)
  • Controlled by “Time of Day” schedules through the building management system. Maximizes the operating times and shuts off systems during non-production times.
  • Units operate to maintain plant floor temperature parameters of 19 to 20 degrees Celsius in the winter. There are no cooling functions within these units.
  • A static sensor reduce return air volumes and balances the air distribution to prevent excess air pressure within the plant, but ensures that the plant does not go into a negative position. Thus saving on gas.
  • During off-hours the building management system program will start the fans to ensure space temperatures are within the night set back parameters. Thus saving on gas and preventing the facility from freezing up during the extreme cold climate.
  • There are 20 gas fired make-up air units for the different production areas, which require greater amount of air volumes, to make up the difference from the exhausts systems.
  • There is a total of 98.4 million BTU’s for the make up air fan systems
  • There are over 40 exhausts systems throughout the plant to extract fumes, dust and other.
  • All systems are filtered to prevent dust and dirt from entering into the plant.

Humidity control

  • Steam is supplied by one 1,080 MBH steam Bryan boiler.
  • System operating parameters are maintain at 103 kpa of steam to supply humidity for specific areas on the plant floor and office environments
  • Humidity control is vital to our veneer processing. The veneer room operates 7 days a week and requires constant humidity control of 55%, 24 hours a day. The building management system monitors the humidity by the return air humidity sensor and regulates the control valves for the steam injectors. While the main fan system is off during the night, a program will start the fan system if the humidity drops below 50% and will shut it off once again when the humidity has achieved 55%.
  • Humidity is also used throughout the office areas. Within all humidity control environments, the building management system modulates the outdoor air dampers to a minimum position to reduce humidity loss. Thus saving on gas.

Lighting system

Lighting

  • Lighting is controlled by two different automated control systems.
  • The plant floor and main offices are controlled through a low voltage Douglas lighting system. The Douglas system enables the facility to maintain energy savings by a time of day program schedule. In the office area lights will automatically come on when someone enters the area by activating a motion sensor.
  • The second system is a Lutron low voltage lighting system. This system is used in our cafeteria and training rooms. The system has an independent controller, which enables the areas to dim to multiple lighting conditions.

Electrical system

Power distribution

  • City main incoming electrical distribution is 13200 Volts.
  • City power is distributed down to 4 sub transformers to prevent the whole plant from coming down all at once in the event of power failures on the plant floor.
  • The four main transformers feed power to over 55 ceiling mount 600/347-volt transformers on the plant floor.
  • The 600/347-volt transformers feed power to over 150 circuit breaker panels throughout the facility.

Life Safety electrical systems

  • Emergency power throughout the facility is supplied by two Cumming / Oman Gensets.
  • The plant floor unit produces 400 kw of emergency power that maintains emergency lighting and primary mechanical systems for the facility.
  • The second unit produces 300 kw of emergency power for the main office and cafeteria areas.

Security system

Facility protection monitoring
The facility is equipped with the Honeywell XSM system (Excel Security Management)
With card access control doors, door alarm devices and magnetic locks the facility is secured through the XSM.
The card access control is equipped with a picture ID feature. All access cards have the staff’s picture on them and are programmed for each individual. Access levels have been determined for times and different locations throughout the facility.

CCTV system
Digital camera systems have been positioned around the facility to allow the security department to monitor the exterior of the facility extending their security capabilities. The CCTV system is integrated with the XSM and enables the security department to program the cameras to pan onto primary secured doors. If and when a secured door is opened, the camera system will pan and zoom into them.
The system is also equipped with a VCR recording device.

Lionel Therrien is Manager Building Controls of the Smed International Facility. Lionel welcomes questions you have regarding above article and/or the facility and can be reached at (403) 203-6160.



First published December 1999
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