Worthwhile investment in BAS

A vehicle manufacturing plant was running on outdated building automation and control systems, which dated back to the 1980s. When WSP was appointed, our client was undertaking several engineering upgrade and construction projects at the plant, including security upgrades, HVAC system replacements, fire life safety replacement, electrical submetering and new construction. 

The problem: Unconnected data systems  

These projects were all running concurrently, but with little or no overarching facility related control system data integration. As a result, numerous standalone networks were being brought into the facility, a range of digital controllers by different manufacturers were being installed, private internet connections were being established and the control room had a number of screens of various sizes, technologies, manufacturers and technology to display data to the facility engineer, each connected to a separate standalone system. 

Having agreed with key client stakeholders on the project’s strategic imperatives, the WSP team began by identifying all the client stakeholders. We held workshops focused not only on the manufacturing facility but on all types of property in our client’s real estate portfolio which also includes offices, servicing, charging and retail locations. While there was a common aspiration for sustainability and efficiency, our client’s teams were disconnected. Building on their corporate vision, and identifying key performance indicators for each team, we created a plan to move our client forward. 

Roadmap for a holistic solution 

We created a roadmap to enable the manufacturing facility to move toward a cybersecure and integrated environment without major impact to the projects in progress. This roadmap also outlined the transition to becoming a smart building, to integrated manufacturing and to an overall holistic real estate portfolio. 

Procurement matrix 

Our client’s approach to the procurement of control systems at the various facilities was urgently in need of review. We created a matrix of best practices and best-in-class decisions complete with weighted scoring as a tool for evaluating procurement decisions. We also developed a data integration guide to ensure competitive pricing could be retained without sacrificing data availability, cybersecurity or holistic real estate portfolio management. 

Aligned architecture 

In coordination with our client’s information technology team, we developed an enterprise network architecture aligned with the engineering specifications detailing the building automation system platform for collecting, analyzing, exchanging and visualizing facility-related control system data.  

Despite the project costs, our client considered that this restructuring of the BAS was a worthwhile investment and our project was approved. The project benefits include: 

• Standardization of industrial control system protocols 
• Enterprise agreements to lower procurement costs, increase support and thus achieve operational savings through capitalizing on economies of scale 
• Elimination of many cybersecurity risks
• Early notification of systems operating outside their normal parameters thus indicating potential malfunction 
• Energy, water and gas usage outside operating times and outside normal conditions indicating leaks 
• Insights into space utilization 
• Enablement of operational efficiencies in mechanical equipment 
• Establishment of a datalake aggregating enterprise, facility and 3rd party data with integration (ingestion and sharing) capabilities 
• Guidance to Engineers of Record designing the facility control systems through the standards WSP developed 
• Enabled storytelling by the client’s branding team using carbon usage data not previously available 
• Setting the standard in a competitive automotive field for real estate management.
  
  

Services provided by WSP 

• Innovation advisory 
• Electronic engineering 
• Digital engineering 
• Procurement management 

Text written by Jaco Cronje, Technology Solution Architect, Innovation Advisory at WSP USA