Building surface monitoring with wireless sensors (part of 44-B1258 GIS-Based Climate Data for Building Design and Operation)

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Building surface monitoring with wireless sensors (part of 44-B1258

GIS-Based Climate Data for Building Design and Operation)

Building Surface Monitoring with

Wireless Sensors

Part of [44-B1258 GIS-Based Climate Data for Building

Design and Operation]

Brian Wong, Hui (Helen) Xie

April 21, 2010

Overview

• Introduction

- Background, Constraints, Design, Challenges

• Installation

- Pre-Installation Setup, Tests, Calibration, Fixes

- Post-Installation, Verification of Measurements

• Future Development

• Conclusion

Introduction

• A Collection of Real-time Building Surface

Data for Research in Building Maintenance

• Climate Loads on Various Building Materials

- Freeze-Thaw Cycle and Moisture Contents

• Climate Loads Effects on Building Components

- Factors Contribute to Building Panel Movement

• Energy Efficient Building Operations

• Local Weather Data vs. Airport Weather

Station Data

Background

18 DEC 2008

Initiated with Dr. Michael Lacasse, IRC

30 MAR 2009

Received Purchase, SMT Research Ltd.

11 MAY 2009

Initial Field Test, SMT

28 AUG 2009

Second Field Test, SMT

13-16 OCT '09 Sensors Installation with SMT

16 DEC 2009

Post Installation Fixes, SMT

Constraints

1. Building Operation

No Holes for Sensors Wirings through the Facility’s

Roof and Wall

 Wireless Solution

No Additional Power Outlets for Computing Devices

 Devices Locations limited to the Existing

Power Outlets

Constraints

2. Safety and/or Fall Protection

Anchor Points Not Available for Work at the Edges

of the Facility’s Roof

 Locations of the Installation Lowered and

Reached by Ladders from the Ground

Fall Arrest System for Work above 2.4 m on Ladders



Locations of the Sensors’ Nodes Lowered as a

Design

-Sensor Placement Plan

LOCATION

MATERIAL

ORIENTATION (N,E,S,W)

SECTION & HEIGHT:

- Glass Curtain Wall

- Masonry

- Masonry Expansion Joint

- Metal Cladding

- Roof

- Window

Design - Sensor Types

Design - Equipment

• BiG*

- Building Intelligence Gateway

(Computer Hardware & Software Combination)

• WiDAQ*

- Wireless Data Acquisition

(A Node for Sensors Connections)

(Solar-Powered Options)

• WiKey*

[Not Included in the March 30, 2009 Purchase. The CAN Bus Clusterheads* were used instead.]

- USB Wireless Key for BiG to communicate with WiDAQs

(Internal & External Antenna Options)

* SMT Research Ltd. Device

Design -

CAN with ZigBee

Challenges

SMT Research Ltd. Equipment

- Wired and Wireless Combination

- Installed in a High Rise Condo in Vancouver

- Antennas: Line of Sight

Our Installation

- Antennas: No Line of Sight

Challenges

- Wireless Communication

• Building Structure and Material Effects*

Locations 1-4: Glass Penetration & Metal Reflection

Locations 5-8: Masonry, Wall & Window Penetration

Location 11: Roof, Plenum and Ceiling Penetration

* Note: Size, Distance & Height

• Electromagnetic

(Radio Frequency)

Interferences

Challenges

- Wireless Communication

ZigBee (IEEE 802.15.4)

[WiDAQ & WiKey]

2.4 GHz Band with 16 Channels (11-26)

Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11b/g/n)

[BiG Computer & Network]

2.4 GHz Band with 11 Channels (1-11)

[North America]

Interference by Channels Overlapping

Example: ZigBee Channel 13 and Wi-Fi Channel 1

Antenna Pattern

Direction, Gain/Power of Radiation/Interference

(varies with different type of antenna)

Image

201004191836 B01 Pre-Ins Rm208 Loc6.bmp

Image

201004191847 B02 Pre-Ins Rm208 Loc11

pic1.bmp

Image

201004191912 B03 Pre-Ins Rm208 Loc11

pic2.bmp

Image

201004191924 C04 Pre-Ins Rm106-B

Loc7.bmp

Installation Tests

Locations 6 & 11 (Masonry & Roof)

BiG Computer:

Room 208 Based

Antenna Types for Roof & Room 208 Locations:

Dipole* & Patch, Indoor & Outdoor Options

Constraints:

Locations of BiG, Clusterhead & Power Outlet

WiDAQ Outdoors Placement:

Height without a person holding it

[Human Interference]

* Note: WiKey has a Dipole Antenna Options.

LVDT

(Displacement Sensor)

Calibration

LVDT

(Displacement Sensor)

Calibration

LVDT 01 with WiDAQ 1427 (Location 6)

LVDT

(Displacement Sensor)

Calibration

LVDT

(Displacement Sensor)

Calibration

LVDT 03 with WiDAQ 1328 (Location 7)

LVDT

(Displacement Sensor)

Calibration

Fixes - Pattern 1

Missing Data & Diagnosis

Missing Data During Date Time or Over A Day

Fixes - Pattern 1

Missing Data & Diagnosis

Missing Data During Date Time or Over A Day

Interference caused by:

- Antenna Location Next to a

Metal Frame

- AC Power Cord and USB

Data Cable Next to Each

Other

Fixes - Pattern 1

Missing Data & Diagnosis

Missing Data During Date Time or Over A Day

Corrections:

- Antenna placed on top of

the Cabinet

- USB Data Cable rerouted

Fixes - Pattern 2

Missing Data & Diagnosis

Fixes - Pattern 2

Missing Data & Diagnosis

Missing Data Occasionally

Causes:

Real-time Computing Resource Demands

Corrections:

• Power Management Settings should be OFF.

• The same USB Port should be used for WiKey connection

at all times.

• The SMT tested hardware platform for BiG is ASUS Eee

PC 900HA. The DELL LATITUDE D600 was unstable and

had been replaced.

• All unnecessary MS Windows applications and services

should be OFF.

Installation

Image

201003301811 London Partial Roof.png

Image

Image

201003301808 London Main Floor.png

Image

Image

201004141434 A02 Location 2 1.bmp

Image

Image

201004141436 B04 Room 208 w Loc 11.bmp

Image

Image

201004141437 B06 Location 6 All.bmp

Image

Image

201004141438 C08 Location 7 All.bmp

Installation

- A Total of 47 Sensors

WiDAQ

Node

ZigBee

Channel

Battery

(WiDAQ)

T

(WiDAQ)

T

RH

LVDT

Total

1420

24

1

1

6

0

0

8

1319

24

1

1

6

0

0

8

1419

25

1

1

6

1

0

9

1427

25

1

1

0

0

1

3

1526

25

1

1

4

1

0

7

1328

25

1

1

0

0

1

3

Post-Installation

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

CORRIDOR 173 COMPUTER

Location 1&2 002.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

CORRIDOR 173 COMPUTER

Location 1&2 016.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

CORRIDOR 173 COMPUTER

Location 1&2 017.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

CORRIDOR 173 COMPUTER

Location 1&2 018.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

CORRIDOR 173 COMPUTER

Location 1&2 019.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

CORRIDOR 173 COMPUTER

Location 1&2 020.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

CORRIDOR 173 COMPUTER

Location 1&2 021.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

CORRIDOR 173 COMPUTER

Location 1&2 022.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

CORRIDOR 173 COMPUTER

Location 3&4 002.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

CORRIDOR 173 COMPUTER

Location 3&4 016.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

CORRIDOR 173 COMPUTER

Location 3&4 017.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

CORRIDOR 173 COMPUTER

Location 3&4 018.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

CORRIDOR 173 COMPUTER

Location 3&4 019.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

CORRIDOR 173 COMPUTER

Location 3&4 020.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

CORRIDOR 173 COMPUTER

Location 3&4 021.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

CORRIDOR 173 COMPUTER

Location 3&4 022.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

ROOM 208 COMPUTER

Location 5&6 002.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

ROOM 208 COMPUTER

Location 5&6 005.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

ROOM 208 COMPUTER

Location 5&6 016.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

ROOM 208 COMPUTER

Location 5&6 017.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

ROOM 208 COMPUTER

Location 5&6 018.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

ROOM 208 COMPUTER

Location 5&6 019.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

ROOM 208 COMPUTER

Location 5&6 020.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

ROOM 208 COMPUTER

Location 5&6 021.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

ROOM 208 COMPUTER

Location 5&6 022.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

ROOM 208 COMPUTER

Location 6 LVDT 002.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

ROOM 208 COMPUTER

Location 6 LVDT 005.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

ROOM 208 COMPUTER

Location 6 LVDT 016.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

ROOM 208 COMPUTER

Weather Station - Roof 002.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

ROOM 208 COMPUTER

Weather Station - Roof 005.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

ROOM 208 COMPUTER

Weather Station - Roof 016.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

ROOM 208 COMPUTER

Weather Station - Roof 021.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

ROOM 208 COMPUTER

Weather Station - Roof 022.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

ROOM 208 COMPUTER

Weather Station - Roof 023.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

ROOM 208 COMPUTER

Weather Station - Roof 024.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

ROOM 106-B COMPUTER

Location 7 LVDT 002.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

ROOM 106-B COMPUTER

Location 7 LVDT 005.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

ROOM 106-B COMPUTER

Location 7 LVDT 016.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

ROOM 106-B COMPUTER

Location 7&8 002.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

ROOM 106-B COMPUTER

Location 7&8 005.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

ROOM 106-B COMPUTER

Location 7&8 016.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

ROOM 106-B COMPUTER

Location 7&8 017.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

ROOM 106-B COMPUTER

Location 7&8 018.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

ROOM 106-B COMPUTER

Location 7&8 019.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

ROOM 106-B COMPUTER

Location 7&8 020.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

ROOM 106-B COMPUTER

Location 7&8 021.bmp

Screenshot - 2010 MAR 12

ROOM 106-B COMPUTER

Location 7&8 022.bmp

Verification of Temperature

Measurements

201004161620 Fluke 66 IR Thermometer.bmp

44-LON0002 Decision Support Tools for Critical Facilities Maintenance Management

Measured Surface

Emissivity

Glass / Window

0.85

Masonry

0.95

Installation Status

AS OF APRIL 21, 2010

Sensors

Location

Number

WiDAQ

Node

Wireless

Connection Status

Reason

(with the current

settings)

2

1420

Stable

In General

3

1319

Not Established

Out of Reach

6

1419

Stable

In General

6

1427

Intermittent

Interferences

Future Development

1. Completion of the Wireless Setup, Tests

and/or Fixes with the Availability of All

Sensors Data

2. Robust Wireless Sensors System

3. Climate Load Analysis

4. Integration of Building Information Modelling

Conclusion

• Wireless communication poses significant

challenges due to uncertainties in the

interferences (building structure, materials,

environment).

• Lessons Learned:

- Investigate appropriate technology for the

installation site.

Questions & Discussions

Enquiry and/or Feedback

Please contact the authors as follows:

Address: National Research Council of Canada

800 Collip Circle

London, Ontario N6G 4X8

Phone:

(519) 430-7000