Remote monitoring and control of HVAC systems
MELCloud Commercial is a new IoT (Internet of Things) platform from MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC that collects data and sends signals to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment so that these systems can be operated and monitored remotely from mobile devices, anywhere in the world.
The platform has been designed for commercial installations, such as those used in offices, hospitals, shops and hotels. Building operators will be able to remotely manage, monitor and control HVAC systems in multiple buildings from one central location.
“There is a big focus on decarbonising buildings, but you can’t reduce what you don’t measure,” explains Manohar Lal, product manager for controls and innovation. “Our new platform will improve and simplify building management for any organisation.”
Mitsubishi Electric has undertaken extensive field trials of MELCloud Commercial, with corporate customers throughout Europe and the UK, to build a system that has moved it from an onsite diagnostic tool to a cloud-based ecosystem.
The feedback from trial customers has enabled the company to build a solution that optimises occupant comfort, increases energy efficiency and streamlines service and maintenance operations.
An advanced energy dashboard enables MELCloud Commercial to control and monitor individual units in single rooms and also compare the energy consumption of multiple buildings.
For service and maintenance professionals, the platform can deliver refrigerant flow diagrams and graphical representations of equipment performance and system operational data, all live online. A building manager can also receive an outdoor unit alert in the event of a fault and then provide access to a service engineer, who can use the platform to remotely diagnose the time the incident occurred, how long it lasted, and which warning signs explain the root cause. All this can be done, without the initial cost of an onsite investigation.
MELCLoud Commercial is not restricted to working only with Mitsubishi Electric’s HVAC systems. The system can also record the energy consumption of third-party products, so equipment such as fridges, ovens and lighting can all be monitored.
