By Paul Slais and Simon Garrard (Aztec Control Services).

Simon from Aztec Controls gave a brief update on how the Town Hall BMS was progressing. The main points of his update included:

Ø  The project was started by replacing various BMS control panels with Trend IQ4 type controls.

Ø  The new system would be able to speak to any system in almost any language.

Ø  The panels could be timed to start and stop to monitor energy metering.

Ø  Monitoring could take place from any PC within the RBWM network.

Ø  The timer and temperatures could be adjusted.

Ø  The system showed what the pumps were doing and would also show up any faults.

Ø  The system calculated positions of valves, so the building was not always heated to the maximum which save on energy and costs.

Ø  Temperatures in different zones could be customised.

Ø  Time scheduling was easily set and the system could schedule special events. Each zone could be individually programmed so that the whole building did not have to be running.

Ø  The system would work based on outside temperature so it would heat to the correct temperature.

Simon confirmed that it was possible to set a one-time event for each area within the Town Hall as well as having the usual settings in place. The settings could be customised to individual needs to work for evening meetings when just one room needed to be heated. It would also be possible to add other buildings such as the Guildhall to the system and that would work across the Ethernet. He added that door entry systems, alarm systems and vending machines could be added as the system used so many languages, it could convert them all into one language so systems could communicate with each other.

Councillor Yong enquired to find out if there could be an educational section in the new leisure centre which showed how the system worked as children would be fascinated with the technology. Simon responded that there could be a large dashboard screen in a public area which showed all the savings and how much energy had been made through the solar panels.

Councillor Sharp asked if the system would know if someone had moved from one room to the other and if there were any overwrite options for the settings. Simon confirmed that the new system took over the existing system so it would not really be able to do that. The system was split into four zones but there were no drawings that showed how mechanically the system was mapped out. In warmer weather, he would switch all but one zone off to map the system and would then be able to work out how the system could manage. Councillor Sharp suggested installing an override switch which would help to move zones as it was not always possible to programme in advance. Simon confirmed it was possible to do that. Temperatures were easily set by clicking on the floor map and then clicking on the individual temperature for the area required and typing the value wanted. Simon stated the air conditioning could also be controlled by zone and if the internet went down, the separate primary systems talked to each other on a separate network and each control panel had touch screen that could change the heating etc. on the primary system. The Energy Manager said that as facilities set up rooms for meetings, they should be trained in working the system so that evening meetings could be temperature controlled.

At the end of the item, the Chairman agreed for a local resident to address the panel to talk about water fountains and reducing the amount of single use plastics, such as plastic bottles, in the borough.

The resident introduced herself as Laxmi and stated she lived in the Marlow Road area. She stated she walked through town and regularly saw a build-up of single use plastics, plastic bottles etc. that were disposed around town; the build-up was worse at weekends and the Borough spent a lot on recycling.

Laxmi requested the Borough install a fountain on the High Street in Maidenhead near the Wilkinson’s so that people did not have to buy bottled water; it would help the Council and tax payers save money on recycling costs. Laxmi said she had read a lot of data on reducing single use plastics and requested the reduction of the use of plastic cups at council meetings. She wish everyone could do something about it and she was happy to help with any data that might be needed.

Councillor Sharp stated the Borough should ask Thames Water to introduce a water fountain in the Borough. Councillor Werner said there were water fountains installed in a nearby park and it was very well used. The Chairman suggested that fountains should be designed so that bottles could be refilled, not just so people could drink straight from them.

Councillor Sharp stated the Borough should be setting an example and paper cups used in meetings were a very acceptable recyclable  option. The Energy Manager said the government policy was to make refillable points all over the country and a number of cities had started rolling out the scheme. The Energy Manager suggested the Maidenhead Town Manager could send details to local businesses to try and garner local support for a potential scheme. Councillor Sharp suggested getting residents groups to help the Council with the idea of water fountains being installed and getting local businesses to allow people to refill their empty bottles with water for free.

v  Action – The Chairman requested the Democratic Services Manager to ask the external caterer to provide paper cups instead of plastic cups.