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THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY

Department of Building Services Engineering

Programme : 33082/04001
Subject : Engineering Intelligent Buildings (BSE512)

Level : 5

Session : 2019/20 Semester 3

Date : 13 August 2020

Time : 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Time Allowed : 3 hours

This question paper has 4 pages.

Instructions to Candidates:

1. This is an invigilated online CLOSED book examination.

Recommended list of materials allowed to be taken into the examination venue:

1. Electronic calculators.
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Part-A (Short Questions)

Question A1

A temperature sensor has the operating temperature range of 0°C to 60oC, the output range of
4-20mA and the accuracy of ±0.1 K. The inputs of a digital controller have the range of 0-
20mA. The A/D converter used has 8 bits. It is required that the temperature measurement
accuracy should be within ±0.2K.

Is the measurement accuracy satisfactory in this situation? Support your answer with sufficient
calculation.
(10 marks)

Question A2

Smart sensor and IoT sensors are commonly used in industrial practice today.
A. List the main difference between smart sensors with conventional sensors;
B. List the main difference between smart sensors with IoT sensors;
C. Elaborate the difference between smart sensors with smart meters in industry practice;
and
D. Elaborate briefly the key technology progress that make the above practical use
feasible.
(10 marks)

Question A3
DALI lighting control protocol is developed to integrate sensors and lighting devices into
control networks. IoT sensors and devices are also increasingly used to build integrated
monitoring and control system for buildings. Briefly explain the major similarity and difference
between these two technologies in terms of basic approach, technology, function and capacities.
(10 marks)

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Question A4

Describe the main functions and basic approaches of process control and optimal (or
supervisory) control, and elaborate their functions and basic approaches by using the process
control and optimal control of an air-handling unit as the example.
(10 marks)

Question A5
Fig A5.A and Fig-A5.B show the configurations of a conventional fire panel and an addressable
fire alarm panel respectively. Based on the basic working principles of their sensor/detector
loops, elaborate the difference between sensor loops of these two different fire panels in terms
of the capacities (scale) of an individual sensor loops and the precision in locating the
fire/smoke.
(10 marks)

Fig-A5.A - A conventional fire panel

Fig A5.B - An addressable fire alarm panel

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Part-B
(Attempt any 2 out of 3 questions)

Question B1

Discuss briefly the following issues related to the interaction of buildings with smart power
grids.

A. The new challenges of power grids when more renewable energy generations are
integrated in power grids today and in the future;
(6 marks)

B. The main approach and technologies to address the above challenges in smart (power)
grids;
(6 marks)
C. The main possible contributions of buildings to address the above challenges in smart
(power) grids; and
(6 marks)
D. Select one example of contributions in “C”, and briefly explain the means/ mechanism
for buildings to contribute to power grids for addressing the above challenges.
(7 marks)

Question B2

A. There are 6 buildings in an institution. There is an Ethernet/IP data subnet of 100M bits/s
in each building allowing all the computers and office facilities in the building to be
connected. The main institutional network of same speed integrates the subnets of all
buildings. To upgrade the CCTV systems in the institution, it is proposed to use the
existing data networks as the network infrastructure of the proposed digital CCTV system
while only 1/5 of the network capacity at all individual networks is allowed for the use
of the CCTV system at most to avoid the interference to the existing services. 80 IP
cameras will be installed in each of the buildings. A few video storage servers will be
located in a central security room to store the video images of all cameras continuously
and monitor real-time images of cameras in turn.

Please answer if the existing data networks are capable for the extra communication load
for this value-added services. If not, please suggest the simplest modification or update
on the existing data networks for the extra load!
(15 marks)

B. A DALI lighting network has a speed of 1200 bit/s. What is the expected maximum
refreshment rate of a DALI lighting control system, assuming that the average data length
of the DALI control frames is about 16 bits and the maximum number of lighting devices
in a DALI network is 64? Is DALI lighting control system suitable for the use in Disco
clubs or similar entertainment applications, and why?
(10 marks)

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Question B3

After building automation systems (BAS) and intelligent building (IB) being adopted in the
building industry, “integrated but distributed intelligence” has been a continuous trend for BAS
development.

A. Elaborate the needs and benefits of this philosophy preferably by giving some examples.
(10 marks)

B. Elaborate the typical levels of such “integration” and “distribution” and the associated
technologies to support them today and in the history.
(15 marks)