Most of us who’ve worked in large office buildings are accustomed to the sight of colleagues wrapping themselves with sweaters or blankets in the middle of a summer heatwave while others are perfectly comfortable. That’s because occupants are often at the mercy of a one-size-fits-all heated or air-conditioned environment. So, two years ago, Building Robotics changed this dynamic with an occupant-controlled service called Comfy and, just last month, introduced +Comfy for even more control.
The original Comfy is a software solution that acts like personal climate control in the workplace. By plugging into the Building Management System via BACnet/IP, it provides access to HVAC controls both on a website and smartphone app. Occupants use either to indicate their location in the building and request to “warm my space” or “cool my space.” Comfy will then respond on demand with a 10-minute stream of warm or cool air to that particular zone.
Comfy also offers “Dynamic Setpoint Adjustment via Machine Learning,” which means that it will learn preferences in each zone, based on the collective occupant requests, to adjust and narrow the programmed settings, eventually reducing or eliminating over- or under-conditioning in those zones. And in unoccupied areas (indicated by no votes), the system gradually adjusts the temperature band and airflow within a range that the building manager sets. It is estimated that this system can generate anywhere from 15- to 20-percent energy savings, to boot.
Building managers, architects, and engineers who want to optimize for even further energy savings and occupancy comfort may want to consider +Comfy. This newest option adds third-party services to the mix that implement daylighting and solar-gain control. Partner companies at this time include Lutron (motorized blinds and shades), View (dynamic glass), and Redwood Systems (lighting control).
