Completion Report
Project Summary:
Background
The Schneider Building Energy Management System (BEMS) controls and monitors the heating, cooling and ventilation systems for a large portion of the university, including critical installations, category 3 labs and major IS server rooms. It also relays critical alarms to Security from these areas and sends daily automatically generated environmental charts to Biology Research Facility (BRF) lab managers to ensure that stringent Home Office requirements are being maintained.
Struxureware is the next generation of Schneider BEMS. Whilst it is anticipated that the current Schneider hardware will be phased out (no end date as yet) although it will remain supported and operational through the new Struxureware user interface as the University has invested heavily in the existing 650 fields controllers which will be extremely costly to replace once obsolete. Struxureware will provide a seamless gateway to these controllers and also provide the current Schneider client users (currently 50 in number) with a new software package with greatly enhanced functionality.
Scope
To implement a fully operational instance of the Schneider BEMS system - Struxureware to enable the Energy controls engineers to fully evaluate the product for 1 building (1 controller) and observe the interactions with the current Schneider BEMS Sigma system.
To deliver a robust resilient environment that can support all operational activities including disaster recover (DR) failover (and back).
Objectives
| No | Objectives |
| 1 | To provide the appropriate Test and Live environments to support Schneider Struxureware |
| 2 | To install software |
| 3 |
To evaluate the system over 1 building on core IS Infrastructure on 'test' |
| 4 |
To ensure that the environment is robust and resilient and can support full DR |
| 5 | To implement live environment |
Deliverables
The following deliverables:have been defined as mandatory
| Item | Deliverable | Deliverables |
| 1 | To commission and build the required server infrastructure for both Test and Live environments based on supplier recommendations | Yes |
| 2 | To deliver a robust resilient environment that can support all operational activities including disaster recover (DR( failover (and back) on both Test and Live environments | Yes |
| 3 | To provide updated technical documentation | Yes |
| 4 | To confirm the DR procedures with IS Applications Technology Management | Yes |
| 5 |
Documented user acceptance tests |
Yes |
Transition Benefits
The following benefits will be delivered through the implementation of Struxureware programme. The IS delivery is related to the installation and setting up of Struxureware only.
- Technology
- Mobile applications - access BEMS information via tablet or smart phone
- Extend access beyond BEMS professionals to building occupants
- Native support for open protocols
- Web Services to exchange data beyond industry-specific protocols
- Security benefits provided by the product
- Planning, Cost Control & Risk Management
- Minimize the risk, downtime and cost of modernizing the University BEMS by using the SmartStruxure transition tools and services.
- Save time and manpower by re-using components (e.g. controllers, sensors, wiring) and system design / configuration
- System can be modernised while preserving BEMS investments
- Keep most of the system in operation during the transition process
- Minimize risk as the site is transitioned in sections and phases
- Modernisation can be planned to suit annual budgets while retaining a fully operational system throughout
Success Criteria
| No | Success Criteria | Success Criteria Delivered |
| 1 | Delivery of required test and live environments | Yes |
| 2 | Energy team can evaluate the product | Yes - Acceptance testing completed in both test and live environments |
| 3 | Complete successful disaster recovery (DR) & fallback | Yes - DR & fallback completed in test and live |
| 4 | Updated technical documentation | Yes - TAD completed and updated during the project |
Analysis of Resource Usage:
Staff Usage Estimate: 70 days
Staff Usage Actual: 60 days
Staff Usage Variance: 0%
Explanation for variance:
Time
- Schneider configuration set up
|
Milestones |
Project Brief date |
Actual Date |
Reason |
|
Planning |
26-Aug-16 |
9-Sep-16 |
A number of key staff have not been available at key times to move the Brief forward. This is due to a mixture of IS and Estates staff due to holidays and other work commitments. |
|
Design TAD |
16-Sep-16 |
11-Nov-16 |
TAD was completed when Configuration was completed when Schneider sorted access out |
|
Build & Configure TEST |
20-Oct-16 | 11-Nov-16 | Between PICCL 3 and PICCL 6 the milestones were replanned in quick succession due to additional time being required to complete the installation of the Test system and to re-plan the project. Schneider configuration set up required them 16-18 hours work before we could access it. |
|
User Acceptance Testing (including DR ) Sign-off |
18-Nov 16 |
13-Jan-17 |
UAT and TEST DR milestone signoff delayed until project team are back from xmas break |
|
Build & Configure LIVE |
New Milestone |
20-Jan-17 |
Added the new temporary license to the Struxureware live server, this will cover the system until the end of March. The temporary license is setup on both TEST & LIVE. Instructions included in section 6 of the TAD for the installation of a new license file once a permanent license has been agreed. Schneider is in talks with Estates about the type of license required, however this does mean that all testing so far has been done on a temporary license. |
|
LIVE Acceptance (including DR) Sign-off |
16-Dec-16 |
6-Feb-17 |
DR completed on primary server, then secondary server and then rolled back to the primary server |
|
Deployment Sign-off and Closure |
24-Jan-17 |
20-Feb-17 |
Project completed for 1 site controller as agreed in the Project Brief. |
Cost
|
Project Brief cost |
70 days |
|
|
|
Actual Cost |
60 days |
|
|
Key Learning Points:
- Clarify when temporary licences exist that we know the end date and ensure a strategy has been put in place longer term
- To assist with implementation, ensure full supplier availability to clarify technical documentation
- Ensure supplier assistance when required on the DR Process.
Outstanding issues:
Struxureware has a temporary licence that runs out at the end of March. However, Estates are currently looking into the longer term use of Struxureware to determine appropriate licensing model going forward and whilst this project will be closed before then, the process to update the license has been documented within the TAD.