PACRAT

What is PACRAT?
Performance And Continuous
Re-commissioning Analysis
Tool
PACRAT is a tool for mining recorded meter and system operational data to
improve facility operations and planning. PACRAT serves the following basic
functions
PACRAT is the first
comprehensive automated
diagnostic tool for HVAC
system performance
1. It diagnoses system problems and poor performance and identifies energy
wastes. In a typical building system, poor or inefficient operation can occur
even when it is maintaining adequate space temperature. Therefore, it can go
unnoticed for years while building occupants perceive the system as working
fine.
PACRAT sets a new standard
in monitoring and verification
and energy accounting
2. It manages and summarizes meter data and automates monitoring and
verification tasks for energy projects and building optimization. Meters can
be physical or "virtual" (calculated from a characteristic curve based on
another recorded variable) thus saving metering costs while allowing
extensive detail in energy accounting. It uses a mulit-parameter batched
approach to characterizing base periods and then recreating the base for
savings calculations. Extensive reporting and visualization is provided.
PACRAT enables you to use
true historical data rather
than estimates when planning
future work such as
expansion, renovations or
energy projects
3. It documents important system operational parameters such as loads, energy
use, indoor air quality (IAQ), etc. This documentation is essential to effective
planning for dynamic facilities. Typical design estimates on system
requirements are necessarily conservative in their nature. Using reality as
opposed to estimates as the basis for facility planning allows more effective
decisions.
PACRAT allows you to weave
together the historical data of
different automation systems
that cannot communicate.
4. PACRAT provides Enterprise Historical Data interoperability for different
automation systems. Many people incorrectly assume that if their automation
systems cannot communicate, they cannot be interoperable. However, with
PACRAT weaving their data together, you get one of the most valuable and
usable aspects of interoperability (the ability to integrate and use the historical
data gathered by these different systems)at a small fraction of the cost of the
next level of interoperability (real time enterprise communication).
PACRAT lets you "see" the
building performance so that
you can operate it more
effectively
5. It summarizes and formats the data for effective visualization. This allows
facilities personnel to better understand the facility and its characteristics and
needs. This allows them to make more informed decisions on its operation.
PACRAT processes data that has been recorded and stored by a computerized
control/automation system, data loggers, or an energy metering system (local or via
a the utility company). It allows access to almost any system. It also automatically
accesses and processes NCDC weather data as necessary.

Introduction To PACRAT 1
Who can benefit from PACRAT?
Facility Operators
Why cant this unit maintain
temperature?


There must be an easier way
to review the history from
different automation systems.
PACRAT assists the operators by automatically diagnosing common problems that
can occur in the system without being readily evident. It includes some expert
system advice as to what might be the cause of the anomaly and how to resolve it. It
documents system anomalies that may be temporary in nature. The summaries and
visualization helps operators better understand the facility.
PACRAT also allows operators to combine historical data from multiple automation
and monitoring systems into one common data format and interface. This provides a
key aspect of interoperability without the cost, hassle and performance hit of making
systems communicate real time.
Facility Managers
PACRAT provides valuable management information to the facility managers so that
they will know if the facility is being operated as effectively as possible. As the
managers are usually fiscally responsible for the facility operation, they need to
know when energy is being wasted. Since they are also responsible for ensuring
proper indoor environments, they need to know when the system is lacking.
PACRAT provides this management information in concise summaries.
Why is my energy bill so
high?
Am I providing an acceptable
indoor environment to my
occupants at all times?
Relative to the energy monitoring of the facility, PACRAT far surpasses the
functionality of more traditional macroscopic energy consumption analysis
tools as they pertain to system operation. With those tools, you find out at the
end of the month that an energy waste has developed. However, you then have
to figure out, on your own, why it occurred. In many cases this will involve
manually pouring through trend data, or extensively surveying the systems to
find out why. PACRAT will not only identify the waste much earlier, but also
tell you specifically why it is occurring and suggest how to remedy it.
Facility Planners
Do I need another chiller with
this expansion?
With the reality characterization functionality provided by PACRAT, planners
can have a much more solid foundation for planning facility expansions,
modifications, and upgrades. PACRAT makes the system operational
parameters readily available and formats them for convenience.
Energy Managers

Is adding an air-side
economizer a cost effective
investment?
PACRAT not only provides direct energy saving opportunity information, but it
also provides the data necessary to make more informed and accurate energy
cost and savings projections. Actual facility use can vary dramatically from that
assumed in standard assumptions used to project energy savings. PACRAT
provides detailed information that will facilitate more accurate baseline
models of the facility to a resolution that can not be obtained from energy bill
calibration.
The "monitoring and verification" functionality allows energy managers to
easily document and track the results of energy projects. The hierarchical meter
configuration allows you to penetrate into the utility uses to summarize and
visualize the consumption patterns. This provides a powerful analytical tool.
Introduction To PACRAT 2
Facility Designers

What is the actual split on the
chilled water system under
different loading conditions?
Designers can use the reality characterization functionality of PACRAT to fine
tune the selection parameters of new systems. Frequently invalid design
assumptions are applied to renovations of a new facility. As an example that
occurs frequently, designers assume that the chilled water temperature
difference typical for the system is what the coils were designed for (typically
around 12F). Data typically documents that it is much lower. This leads to less
than optimum chiller and pump selection. This can lead to inappropriate
equipment selection and operational problems. Even if the data is recorded in
some fashion it is typically so cumbersome to find, it is usually ignored.

In general, the design industry is on the horizon of a better way of doing business. In
general, now that we have computers controlling our facilities, we can "listen to what
are facilities are telling us" by recording actual parameters and using them to make
better design decisions. PACRAT supports this approach.
Energy Service Contractors (ESCOs)


Why am I not achieving the
projected savings?
PACRAT can be implemented remotely. Data can be downloaded to the
remote site for processing. Energy service companies usually have a financial
interest in making sure the facility is operated optimally. Frequently energy
measures are disabled or bypassed due to a temporary or mis-diagnosed
problem. Even if the disable was justified for the temporary condition, it
frequently is left disabled. PACRAT will keep the ESCO apprised of the
inefficient operation or when their energy performance measures are not be
applied optimally.

Isnt there an easier way to
compile and report these
savings?
PACRAT also facilitates Monitoring and Verification (M&V). In some cases
savings payments are based on microscopic calculations relating to the use of
a specific component as opposed to the macroscopic comparison of the energy
bills to a baseline. PACRAT supports both approaches. PACRAT can process
the data and specifically report the savings based on actual data compared to the
baseline. Actual data can be actual recorded consumption, or calculated
consumption based on a components part load characteristic. With sufficient
baseline data, PACRAT will create a baseline based on multi-dimensional
parameters. Any recorded parameter can be used as a "dimension". For
instance, a typical baseline will be created based on typical use at a particular
time of day, on a particular type of day, at a particular outside air condition.
Once the baseline is created, PACRAT can recreate what the energy would have
been with baseline conditions and calculate the savings, and summarize it in a
report with one click of the mouse.

What Specifically Does PACRAT Tell Me?
Diagnostics
The list of diagnostics is growing daily. Example diagnostics that PACRAT
performs includes:
Mis-calibrated sensors
Introduction To PACRAT 3
Leaking Valves and associated wasted cost and false load
Out of sequence coils and associated wasted cost and false load
Fighting Coils and associated wasted cost and false load
Suspect or failed sensors
Failed outputs or those with a poor performance characteristic
Unoccupied period operation (fan and ventilation) and associated wasted cost
Inadequate ventilation rates along with the associated parameter statistics
Excess outside air flow along with associated wasted cost.
Missed free cooling opportunities (lack of economizer) and associated wasted
cost
Struggling system capacities and terminal outputs. This identifies the "tail
wagging the dog" scenarios that often leads to very poor performance
Outside Air temperature and humidity sensor deviation from local whether
stations and assessment of whether it is being influenced by relief or exhaust air
Deviations from defined set-point and/or profile ranges
Unstable control
Degrading heat exchange surfaces
Inefficient chiller sequencing
Poor Efficiency
Excessive Cycling
Low temperature difference in decoupled hydronic systems
Excess energy use from defined baseline
Reverse flow in hydronic decouplers
Load mis-match in associated but decoupled systems
Unlimited customizable analyses
Fighting terminal zones with associated wasted cost
Struggling VAV zones distinguishing between flow limits and system/terminal
capacity
Over-conditioning of spaces with associated wasted costs
Fighting terminal control loops with associated wasted cost
Note that when applicable, PACRAT calculates the energy cost waste of the anomaly
(with full time of day rate schedule capabilities). This is crucial information for the
typical facility professional and acknowledges the reality of facility operations today.
Facility staffs are frequently undersized and the operators "to-do-list" is never
ending. PACRAT not only indicates the anomaly, but indicates the consequences of
it so that operator can prioritize it effectively. To further facilitate prioritizing issues,
PACRAT allows a fully customizable Priority to be applied to anomalies. This
allows PACRAT to present information in the order it is important to your
organization.
Introduction To PACRAT 4
Documentation and System Characterization
PACRAT calculates and documents the following (again only examples):
Indoor environment statistics including highs, lows, and averages of space
temperature, humidity, CO2, ventilation rate, and load
Space load profiles with time of day by type of daily period (occupied and
unoccupied)
Space load with outdoor air temperature by type of daily period
Component energy uses and costs
Output performance characteristics along with an associated histogram
Hydronic system loads, temperature, and heating and cooling costs differences
Chiller efficiencies (chiller only as well as with associated ancillary equipment
Energy use or point information profiles
Chiller efficiencies
Historgrams of energy use or point information.
Peak period documentation
Outside air statistics including the daily high, low and average dry bulb
temperature, relative humidity and enthalpy as well as heating and cooling
degree days on a variable (definable) base.
Monitoring and Verification
PACRAT sets a new standard in monitoring and verification. Features of this
module include:
Group meters in a hierarchical fashion to allow penetration into the details of the
consumption
Create "virtual meters" for well defined operation of equipment. This saves the
expense of installing a meter on a device for which you can accurately calculate
the energy use based on a recorded parameter such as output to the device. It
also allows aggregation of different meters that can not be physically metered.
The aggregate virtual meter data is saved as if it were an actual meter.
PACRAT uses a complex
algorithm to fill holes on the
historical data and expand its
range
Create multi-dimensional baselines (which is analogous to a "neural" approach).
Any recorded parameter can be used as a dimension. PACRAT automatically
recreates baseline use from current data and calculates and summarizes the data.
There is no need to apply the typical linear regression over-simplification
popular in many savings calculations tools. Two baselines can be created. One
baseline is the pre-retrofit baseline which is the basis for the savings. The other
can be the post retrofit baseline which is the basis for "lack of savings"
diagnostics.
Create a "fabricated baseline". This is useful for energy projects based on
predefined or assumed baseline operation and a "microscopic" savings
calculation approach.
Determine an equation that characterizes system/equipment performance and
check statistics on the accuracy of the characterization.
PACRAT has the ability to recreate costs of most utility rate schedules.
Introduction To PACRAT 5
PACRAT includes typical reports to summarize typical interval demand
histories available from most utility companies. These can be used to analyze
the facility demand profiles.
Data Visualization

PACRAT is unmatched not
only at its suite of
visualization facilities, but
also at the ease by which
graphs are generated
PACRAT provides a host of facilities for visualizing the data. The basic
visualization tool is the ability to view the raw data graphically. You can
define default views for frequently used graphs or you can define totally
custom graphs. You have got to see the easy and intuitive custom graph
definition facilities where all graph parameters are defined from a system
object tree. You can assign the data to graphs and view them by date range
with dynamic zooming and panning or time slicing, zoom in, zoom out, move
ahead and move back facilities on each graph. One very effective form of
visualization is the way PACRAT records when anomalies occurred. When it
reports them it presents the range of time over which the anomaly occurred
and allows you to jump directly to the visual representation of the data so you
can immediately see the context in which the anomaly occurred.
You can navigate the control system I/O structure or the meter hierarchy and
define graphs by clicking on items on the tree. You can then also define the type of
graph and type of aggregation right from the tree view. Types of graphs include plot,
bar, stacking bar, area, candle plot, and radar. You can do a time-wise aggregation
with the aggregate operator (hour, day, month, quarter, season, year, etc.) definable
right on the tree view. You can also do value-wise aggregation again with the
aggregate operator (sum, average, min, max, std dev, etc.) definable right from the
tree view.
Other visualization tools include graphing of the system characterization summaries,
visual pivot graphs of efficiencies, 3D surface and scatter plots of efficiencies, time
series 3D surface plots, output device characteristic plots, histograms of meter
demand, daily load profiles by day type, pie charts of subordinate meter use and
demand, and other custom two and three dimensional data scatter and surface plots.
Action Item Tracking
So you got some anomalies that are worth fixing? PACRAT does not stop there.
PACRAT provides a powerful action tracking tool that lets you manage the remedy.
It allows linking to supporting information and allows maintaining a threaded
discussion on an issue. Responsibility and status are tracked till closure. Send a pre-
addressed and formatted email based on the action item with any link information
included as an attachment. Track the action item by having people respond via the
link in the email. Their response will then be emailed to those involved in the
discussion.
Introduction To PACRAT 6
How Does PACRAT Work?
Data Access

How does it access data?












Will PACRAT affect my
control system?
PACRAT accesses data recorded from a computerized energy management
and control system (EMCS) or a data logging system (DLS). These systems
sense the key performance parameters. Control systems then use the sensed
variables to control the systems. All of this data can be trended and
recorded by the EMCS or DLS. The EMCSs or data loggers store the trend
data in different formats. Some are standard accessible formats and others
are formats that are proprietary and hard to access. However they usually
provide facilities to expose this data in one of a few industry standard formats.
PACRAT Snatcher module gets the data output by the EMCS or logging
system and puts it in PACRAT format so PACRAT can analyze the data.
PACRAT then processes that data and stores the results. PACRAT can then
archive the system data if so desired. This batch process of snatching and
analyzing data can be initiated manually or automatically.
A byproduct of PACRAT is consolidated data that may be integrated from
many different sources; different control vendors, metering systems, utility
companies, data loggers. We call this Enterprise Historical Data
Interoperability which is generally the most valuable aspect of
interoperability. Two different buildings with two different control vendors
rarely need to share real time data. However, consolidating historical data is
useful.
One important point to note about how PACRAT handles the data flow; it
uses the native system to do the raw data acquisition. Therefore it is NON-
INVASIVE unlike integration systems that must poll the points externally one
point at a time. This puts a large load on all levels of the control network that
are typically not designed for that volume of data flow. This can cause
problems with your control communications. Native system trending and
archiving approaches typically buffer the trends in the field controller and
periodically upload the data to the server in a more efficient flat block that
minimizes bandwidth requirements. The native system will make this
communication lower in priority than real time control information that must
be delivered. Remember that for this level of data mining, you must get most
points in the system. Therefore, while you must always consider the impact
of anything you do to your control system, PACRATs approach will have the
least impact on your system, using it in a way the original manufacturer
intended it to be used.
Data Structure
Can it handle different types
of equipment with different
formats for the data?.
PACRAT allows extreme flexibility in the data structure. You apply
PACRAT to your data structure and not visa versa. It does not require you to
force your data into a rigid structure. PACRAT adapts to varying data
structures on-the-fly as it processes data. It provides you with the facilities
to easily select the applicable fields from a list once you tell it where the
source is.
So it is not live and on line?
No. PACRAT is designed to complement an EMCS and not duplicate its
functionality. Critical alarms or ones that typically need immediate attention need to
be identified by the EMCS and those alarms need to be enunciated such that the
operator will know that these are alarms that need immediate attention. The first
Introduction To PACRAT 7
priority needs to be keeping the system functional and the occupants satisfied.
EMCSs are already well designed to provide this functionality. The optimization of
the systems is and should be secondary to maintaining basic functionality. PACRAT
identifies anomalies that are more subtle than a component failure, even though they
can be very expensive. Since the operator is already quite busy maintaining the basic
functionality of the systems, he usually does not have time to stare at the terminal or
pour through trend data to look for poor performance.
If the heating and cooling valve start fighting because the positioners on the valves
drift, unless it causes the space temperature to go beyond the comfort range, it does
not require immediate attention. If the ventilation air quantity falls below the
prescriptive value for a few hours, this is not a high priority for immediate action. If
over a longer term these anomalies continue, this means the remedy should be added
to the operators to do list. These are the kinds of anomalies PACRAT identifies.
To help prioritization of the remedies, it calculates the cost penalty where applicable
and a customized priority value that is matched to your needs.
What about bogus data?
This issue is two-fold. There is bogus data due to sensor failure or failure of the
EMCS to get the data. There is also bad data due to sensor mis-calibration.
It automatically brushes
outliers in statistical
terminology.
On the first issue, PACRAT allows you to set reasonableness limits for all
applicable fields in the data. If the value falls outside this range, PACRAT
wont consider it. Therefore, it will not affect the statistics reported or the
calculated values other than not including those values in them.
The chicken or the egg? Concerning sensor mis-calibration, there is a bit of an iterative process involved.
In a perfect world all your sensors would be calibrated before you applied
PACRAT. In reality they wont be. Since you will probably not have time to go
through and calibrate all your sensors, the typical procedure is to apply
PACRAT and use it to identify and prioritize sensors in need of calibration. If
you do not want PACRAT to report anomalies that are really the result of sensor
mis-calibration, or if you dont want the calculations to have any error in them
due to the sensor, you can enter adjustments or simply turn off the affected
modules for that system/component.
What Do I Need to Apply PACRAT?
PACRAT Architectures
What you need will depend on what architecture is used for running PACRAT. The
architecture boils down to where the main PACRAT modules reside; either locally
referred to as Site Server; or remotely referred to as Internet Server. A
description of each platform along with the associated requirements follow.
Site Server
The Site Server refers to an architecture in which all data resides on the same
computer or Local Area Network that is connected to the control or energy
monitoring/metering system that is acquiring the data. The PACRAT Snatcher
component gets the data from the control/monitoring system and puts it in PACRAT
format where the PACRAT Expert and the Viewers can access it. With this
architecture, the following are the requirements
Site Server Hardware
Introduction To PACRAT 8
PACRAT modules run in the Microsoft PC environment. They will run in Windows
95 or 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000 professional and ME, or Windows XP. Any
computer that runs these environments will run PACRAT. Practically, however, you
will want at least a Pentium processor with at least 128 megs of RAM and plenty of
disc CACHE.
PACRAT typically deals with an extraordinary amount of data and performs
extensive calculations on it. Therefore dont be penny-wise and dollar-foolish. A
muscle machine will execute the data much faster.
You will also obviously need plenty of disk space to hold the foundation software
(Microsoft Access or MS-SQL Server) and the data you will need for processing,
and especially if you intend to archive the data. You should practically have at least
1 gig available.
The OI is typically where the
EMCS stores the long term
trended data.
You will also need some way of transporting data from the EMCS or DLS to the
PC running PACRAT. If PACRAT is installed on the PC that is the Operator
Interface (OI) then you will have full access to the data. Next in priority
would be a network connection between the PACRAT PC and the operator
interface. That way PACRAT can access the data over the network. If none of
these is an option, of course you can always transport it manually using disks.
Just be advised that the data can require very large file sizes even on systems
moderate in size. A CD burner will be a requirement on the source system if
you are transporting it manually.
Site Server Software
PACRAT is an application written for Microsoft Access and as such allows you to
store data in mdb format or in more powerful backend systems like MS-SQL server,
Oracle, or IBM DB2. For large enterprises, one of the more powerful backends will
be required. PACRAT was designed to allow you to use Microsoft Access to do
your own data manipulation if you wish as MS Access provides intuitive and
extensive functionality for custom data analysis via a powerful and user friendly
interface. You can use this powerful software package to develop you own custom
data analysis and reporting without being an IT professional. The does not however
prevent you from connecting to and using the more powerful client server systems
for data storage.
Internet Server
The Internet Server refers to an architecture in which all but the Snatcher and
PIMp components of PACRAT reside on an Internet Server computer removed from
the site. The Snatcher module snatches the data from the control and energy
monitoring system and PIMp sends it across the internet to the Internet server. The
Expert and Viewer components can then be accessed and run by a remote client
computer via the internet. Another option is to simply view the results/generate
reports and mange the action list items through the Facility Dynamics Project Portal.
The Portal only requires Microsoft Internet Explorer. With this platform, the
following are the minimum requirements.
Snatcher Hardware
PACRAT Snatcher and PIMp run in the Microsoft PC environment. It will run in
Windows 95 or 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000 professional and ME, or Windows
XP. Any computer that runs these environments will run Snatcher and PIMp.
Practically, however, you will want at least a Pentium processor with at least 64 megs
of RAM and plenty of disc CACHE.
Client Requirements
Introduction To PACRAT 9
The client computers simply need to be able to run an internet browser. With the
proper password, the client machines can access the Portal or run either the Expert or
the Viewer.
EMCS or DLS
You will obviously need a system to record data. This will typically be an EMCS.
Beyond having the EMCS, it must have the capability of storing the data. It must
either store the data in a standard accessible format, or be able to output the data to a
standard format. Some systems will require you to do additional setup to have the
trends archived to disk. Typically trends set up through the normal procedure on an
EMCS are only retained in the controller memory and older data is lost when the
controller is full. A routine must be established to grab the data from the controller
and store it to the PC running the operator interface.
Web Services
Your application can be
Powered by PACRAT.
PACRAT now provides the results of diagnostic information as a series of Web
Services in xml format. This allows you to use PACRAT as an analysis
engine and present the results in your own software or web application. It also
makes it extremely easy to integrate results/data with maintenance management
systems or any other vertical market system that might want to manage or
integrate this extensive data analysis.
Summary
PACRAT defines a new category of software targeted at mining data available from
a facility. Though it may only be the whisper of electrons flowing around, this data
speaks volumes. It is time for us start listening to what our buildings are telling us.

Our buildings are talking! Shouldnt we be listening?

Introduction To PACRAT 10