System Description Powersmiths Window on the World (WOW) interactive websites and touch-screen kiosk displays make your building's environmental performance visible and easily interpretable in real-timee so that building occupants directly experience, learn from and respond to the ecological and economic consequences of your design decisions. The data acquisition and processing software, an integral part of every system, continuously collects, stores, processes and displays information to the public from electrical, mechanical and environmental sensors. The WOWW system features uniquely interpretable graphics for non-technical audiences and downloadable data sets for evaluation and research. It offers unparalleled research and education possibilities and createe exciting opportunities for active learning through feedback that are not otherwise available. Powersmiths Window on the World contributes to Education for Sustainability initiatives - strengthening environmental education goals, raising awareness of the benefit and feasibility of renewable technologies and allowing occupants and visitors to fully comprehend the environmental and economic impacts associated with resource consumption. Data Collection, Processing and Storage Powersmiths Window on the World system will collect, process and store all data from the Powersmiths metering technologies and the pre-existing building automation system (BAS). For highest reliability, Powersmiths software along with your real-time and historical data are hosted on web servers operated in a state-of-the-art co-location dataa center. This reduces the overall costs of ownership and eliminates the responsibility of managing a dedicated server. Up to 6 (six) accessible live data points will be incorporated into the basic kiosk display in near real-timee (about one minute intervals, or per BAS capability of serving data). These points will be selected during design phase discussions. Derived Variable Calculation Powersmiths Window on the World system, will provide the gateway to real-timee and historical data visualization, alarms and notifications. In addition, it calculates derived variables on the time scales of your choosing. For instance, data can be easily manipulated in a variety of units, including cumulative tons of air pollution offset as a result of energy efficiency during the last day, month or year, or since the time of installation. The data can also be represented in other equivalent terms thatt are meaningful and intuitive to a target audience.
Figure 1: Schematic diagram of a typical Building Dashboard system. Graphical Display Real-timee informationn every sixty seconds is displayed. We custom-develospecific audiences. For the public Macromedia Flash-based graphics which display performance to suit display content, we recognize that effective communication of the desired message regarding building performancee is contingent on visualization tools that make technical information easily accessible and engaging to a non-technical audience. We consider the educational objectives of our clients paramount and our public display graphics are engineered to be intuitively understandable for the target audience.
Figure 2: Touch-screen display samples showing real-time and historical energy consumption data of a green building compared to a conventional building. Below, the building s performance is tracked against a benchmark. The system will actively engage occupants and visitors in witnessing the building s live energy and water flows, and allow userss to track the building s long-term energy and water use performance, and the monetary payback of the technologies installed.
Interactive LEED Viewer The LEED Viewer describes the LEED Green Building Standard along with its benchmarking checklist to provide insight into high performance green elements incorporated into the building, what the intent of each of the credits is as well the associated performance benchmarks. Figure 3: Interactive LEED Viewer which allows users to browse the LEED points achieved by the building with descriptions of how the credits were earned. Design Process In order to ensure that the kiosk display s graphic design and look-and-feel are consistent with projects goals and equirements, Powersmiths will propose website and touch-screen display themes and provide detailed mockups for considerationn and review. At the beginning of the project, as well as during the development phase, we will solicit graphics, text and other information to include in the prototype design of the display, such as logos, photographs, style guides and color specifications. We will then demonstrate a comprehensive draft of the visual product. During the course of the collaborative design of the display system, presentations will be made in online internet meetings to discuss in detail each aspect of the design and solicit client feedback. There will be two rounds of feedback where any comments or revisions will be incorporated into the final display; then data-driven components will be inserted after the final design is agreed upon. All design notes and graphical milestones will be stored and catalogued on a secure website where all members of the design team can keep up-to-date on the evolution of the display. This review processs will ensure that client expectations are fully met.
Display Samples The following screenshots provide samples of our projects and are intended to communicate the breadth and experience we have working with different visual styles to implement project- specific display goals. Figure 4: Screenshot of touch screen-operated plasma screen located in Oberlin College s Lewis Center for Environmental Studies (above). Combined air, soil and pond temperature data on the accompanying website (below).
Figure 5: Screenshot of the payback from a photovoltaic system at the EcoManor residence (above). Payback of greywater and rainwater recycling systems at the home (below).
Figure 6: Screenshot of an animated diagram describing real-time geothermal performance (above). The touch-screen operated plasma display is located in Alma College s Wright Hall green dormitory apartment building. Real-time room-by-room comparison floor plans showing real-timee room conditions and historical performance (below).
Figure 7: Screenshot of the performancee of solar shingles on the roof of Southface, an energy and environmental resource center. We are working with Southface to develop a comprehensivee monitoring system that displays the environmental performancee of their new LEED Platinum EcoOffice. Figure 8: Screenshot of the New Jersey Adventure Aquarium wind energy exhibit. The children-oriented touch-screen interface allows users to produce what-if scenarios with different wind speed conditions and translate wind energy production into units that are meaningful to the target audience.
Training Services In addition to configuring the system, Powersmiths will provide training and instruction to maximize the value of the system. The internet-based training program is a live instructional session over the internet, and demonstrates how to use the system. Scalability and Future Projects It is important to note that Powersmiths Window on the World was engineered to be highly scalable. It can accommodate hundreds of data points not just locally, but from many different buildings simultaneously. In the future, should you wish to expand the scope of the system to include other educational features or more live data points, or even updating the look and feel of the system, we are at your service. Warranty Support Services Powersmiths offers support services as part of our systems to ensure that they remain fully functional over time. Warranties on Powersmiths products and services lead the industry. Please seee the individual data sheets for specifics. Warranties on 3 rd party hardware & software such as touch screens and personal computers, are carried solely by their respective manufacturers.