To say that COVID-19 has impacted many business operations would be considered an understatement. In 2020, affected companies have had their business models turned upside down, have scrambled to introduce new OH&S methods, and for some, reinvented the way they deliver their services.
While Airmaster has endured varying impacts across their branch network, they have also continued to work closely with many clients to deliver services in line with particular industry requirements brought on as a result of COVID-19. A BMS upgrade at Dumas House, located in Perth, is just one example of the lengths Airmaster will go to in ensuring the delivery of services and projects still meet our client requirements.
Against the COVID operations trend
The BMS upgrade at Dumas House was awarded to Airmaster in late 2019 with a completion deadline of March 2020. Working closely with Facility Manager, JLL, the BMS upgrade included replacement of the BMS Headend, all Global Controllers, CAT 6 network, Tracer Chiller Control and AHU Controllers.
As COVID-19 emerged across Australia in early 2020, most businesses had to begin scaling back their operations and disperse into a number of separate teams in order to mitigate any risk of spreading the virus.
However, for the operations at Dumas House, this was quite the opposite, and the building HVAC systems were rescheduled and required to operate seven days a week to allow the newly formed Government COVID Crisis team to effectively and efficiently operate. Established by the State Government and Premier of Western Australia, the group formed as the COVID emergency response for Western Australia.
In addition, there were added pressures from the client to complete the installation and commissioning of the BMS upgrade by the newly rescheduled deadline of May.
Working above and beyond
With the building’s air-conditioning now required to be operational on weekends, building management struggled to find a solution to carry out the BMS cutover. In discussion with Department of the Premier and Cabinet and the Ministerial Support office, the only agreed solution was to carry out the BMS cutover and shutdown of the air-conditioning over the Easter weekend.
The completion of this project would not have been achieved if Airmaster and in particular technicians Tyler Binnington & Daniel Bican had not been able to provide a great level of flexibility, by completing the BMS cutover across Easter Saturday & Sunday.
Furthermore, several defects were identified during the BMS upgrade, all of which were impacting the efficiency of the building’s operations.
These BMS controls changes are already making significant electricity consumption savings on the building’s HVAC system operations when compared to the same period last year.
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