A full supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system with over 700 measuring and control points was implemented in the Almeria building so that the entire HVAC system as well as the thermal comfort parameters could be precisely supervised and controlled in the whole building. The system was also design bearing in mind that this building would be a research platform and that as many parameters as possible should be monitored. The main monitoring and control points are listed below.

Temperature measurements

• Throughout the air distribution system (e. g., ATUs, Inductive units situated in the zones)

• Throughout the water distribution system (e. g., before and after every element connected to the water system, inside the absorption heat pump and the cooling tower, after every 3­way valve)

• Throughout the building (e. g., in every zone, and height distribution in one zone only) Humidity measurements

• In the ATUs, in order to control the properties of the air entering the building

• In one of the offices Pressure measurements

• In some points of the water distribution system Flow rate measurement

• By know, there is no need for flow measurement because the water loops operate at constant flow rates on all circuits

• In future they will operate at variable flow rate, so on every water distribution circuit flow rate will be measured by means of inline ultrasonic flow-meters (soon-to-be installed)

Energy consumption

• By now, only the overall electric energy consumption is monitored

• In the future, individual energy consumptions of pumps, heat pumps, fans, … will be monitored as well.

These measurements are centralized by the SCADA system and can be shown to every building user by means of a purpose-made interface which allows people to consult all measured temperatures, control the temperature setpoint in their room, and also allows users with supervisor privileges to control all parameters for the entire HVAC system. The main controlling points used by the system to regulate the building’s air conditioning are the following:

• Heating/Cooling equipments working mode (e. g., winter mode for heating or summer mode for cooling)

• Heating/Cooling equipments state (e. g., switched on or off depending on which equipment we want to be producing heating/cooling energy)

• Pumps’ state and working point (e. g., switch on/off distribution circuits and control the Heating/Cooling rate by varying fluid flow rate on these circuits)

• 3-way valves’ opening state (e. g., control the distribution of hot and cold water over the distribution circuits in order to obtained the desired heating or cooling effect while optimizing thermal energy use)

The goal of the implement SCADA system is to help maximize the contribution of passive/low energy techniques with regard to conventional heating/cooling techniques.