Zones
Available in Engineering Mode, the Zone Editor displays in the primary pane when an existing zone is selected in System Browser. Desigo CC allows you to view and modify your imported APOGEE zones, as well as create new ones.
A zone represents the building resource(s) that you can schedule. Typically, this resource is a room or floor. Zones are similar to points in that a zone, like a point, outputs a value. The value for a zone is the mode the zone is currently in. Modes are determined by the event controlling the zone during a scheduled time period.
Zones offer you the option to individually control different parts of your building, using defined command tables.
You must define a zone before you can define and schedule the events that will take place in a zone. In addition to points, zones are made up of:
- Operating modes
- Command tables
- Optimization parameters
Located in the Zone Editor's Schedules expander, operating modes are the different mode states that a zone must operate at to meet the demands for each event. You can use operating modes to execute a series of strategies for zones. For example, maintaining comfort conditions or warming up a room before occupancy.
NOTE:
Assigning points to the command table is optional when you are defining a zone.
Located in the Zone Editor, the Command Table expander enables simple control (on/off) of points that you want scheduled on a consistent basis. The points you add to the command table are controlled based on the mode of the zone and any command offset you define for the point.
Located in the Zone Editor, the Optimization (SSTO) expander enables zone optimization, which is optional. When you optimize a zone, Start/Stop Time Optimization (SSTO) logic is used to control heating and cooling in the zone.
SSTO can help conserve energy by starting heating or cooling as late as possible prior to occupancy, and stopping heating or cooling as early as possible prior to vacancy. For example, a July meeting is scheduled from 1:00 P.M. until 3:30 P.M. in an optimized zone. Based on the information provided in the Optimization section for the zone, SSTO calculates the latest possible time cooling can start and still reach the cooling setpoints for the zone. SSTO also calculates the earliest cooling can stop and still maintain the setpoints.
In the event that heating or cooling is started or stopped too early or late, the SSTO logic remembers the errors and adjusts the controllers to avoid starting or stopping equipment too early or late in the future.
