uni-PRO building automation

Distributed project

One installation. Several controllers. One project.
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What is it about?

Larger sites have more than one building

A house with a pool house and garage. A school with a gym. A business with an office, a hall and a warehouse.

Every building contains technology: heating, lighting, shading, ventilation, meters. The question is: Who controls all of this - and what happens if that device fails?

With a distributed project every building has its own controller. Even so, the whole site is planned, maintained and operated as one single installation.

Main building Outbuilding Garage 123 One controller in every building
Until now

Two approaches - both with drawbacks

One controller for everything

A central controller runs every building.

Drawback: If it fails, the whole site stops - including the heating in the outbuilding, even though everything there is fine. On top of that come long cable runs to every building.

Several separate projects

Every building gets its own controller with its own project.

Drawback: Maintenance several times over, every change in several places, values have to be exchanged one by one, and in the app each installation stands on its own.

The idea

Like an orchestra playing from one score

All musicians have the same score - but each one only plays their own part. Together it becomes one piece of music.

A distributed project works the same way: all controllers know the same project. But each one only runs the parts assigned to it - for example “Heating outbuilding” on the controller in the outbuilding.

If one musician is missing, the others keep playing.

One project Pages A · B · C · D · E Controller 1 Controller 2 Controller 3 runs A + B runs C + D runs E knows everything knows everything knows everything constantly exchange their values
How it works

Three simple steps

1 Plan in the Studio enter the controllers and give every program page “its” controller 2 Transfer once to any one controller - it passes the project on to all the others 3 Work together each controller does its part, all exchange their values and look out for each other Without a controller list a project runs on a single controller as before. Up to 16 controllers can work together in one network.
The benefits
Benefit 1

No more total failure

Every controller handles its own tasks independently. If one fails, the others carry on undisturbed.

Only the functions of the failed controller are missing - not the whole installation.

Example: The controller in the main building is being serviced. The heating in the outbuilding keeps running.
Controller 1 failed Controller 2 keeps running Controller 3 keeps running
The benefits
Benefit 2

One app for the whole site

The app connects to any controller - and still shows everything: every building, every room, every value.

Residents or caretakers do not need to know which device is responsible for what. They simply operate their installation.

Example: Connected in the outbuilding, you can still switch the lights in the main building.
App 1 2 3 connected to one - sees all
The benefits
Benefit 3

Transfer once - up to date everywhere

It remains one single project. It is transferred to one controller, which passes it on to all the others by itself.

If a controller was not reachable at the time, it notices on the next connection and fetches the new version by itself. The Studio shows at any time whether all controllers are up to date.

Studio Controller 1 Project version 7 Controller 2 Project version 7 ✓ Controller 3 Project version 7 ✓
The benefits
Benefit 4

Settings apply everywhere

Switching times, setpoints or the presence simulation are changed in the app - no matter which controller it is connected to.

The change arrives where it is needed and is then stored on every controller. A controller that was briefly offline catches up with the newer state on the next connection.

Example: The heating times of the gym are changed from the office - the gym applies them immediately.
Mon-Fri 06:30 - 22:00 1 ✓ 2 ✓ 3 ✓
The benefits
Benefit 5

The controllers look out for each other

Every 10 seconds each controller sends a sign of life. If it is missing for one minute, the failure is reported automatically - by e-mail or push message to the phone.

A short restart does not trigger a false alarm. Nothing needs to be configured - monitoring is always included.

Result: A failure is noticed straight away - not only when the building gets cold.
sign of life every 10 s silence after 60 s alert ✉ 🔔
The benefits
Benefit 6

Technology stays on site

Each controller connects the technology of its own building directly: electrical installation, heating, meters, inverters.

This saves long cables between the buildings. The normal network is enough between the controllers - and if the connection ever drops, each building keeps working on its own.

Network own equipment own equipment
The benefits
Benefit 7

Grows with the installation

An existing project keeps running unchanged. When a building is added, a controller is added and parts are moved over one at a time - without a cut-over date and without replanning.

A device replacement stays simple too: the new device receives the number of the old one and is back in the network.

1 1 + 2 + 3 today · tomorrow · later
Typical applications

Where a distributed project pays off

House with outbuildings

Pool house, garage or guest house get their own controller - everything is operated in one app.

Residential complex

Every house controls itself. Property management sees the whole site in one place.

School, hotel, offices

Main building, gym, extension: if one building fails, the others stay warm and lit.

Commerce and agriculture

Office, hall, warehouse, stable - spread across the site, linked over the network.

Together with the backup controller

Even safer: closing the gap

Distribution prevents a total failure. But if one controller fails, its own tasks are still missing.

A backup controller closes exactly this gap: it stands next to the most important controller, runs along quietly and takes over automatically if it fails.

Example: The main controller fails. Its backup controller takes over, the outbuilding and garage keep running anyway - the whole installation keeps working.
No. 1 failed No. 2 keeps running No. 3 keeps running Backup No. 1 takes over
Together with the backup controller

How the two work together

  • The backup controller receives the same number as the controller it protects.
  • As long as everything is running, it waits in standby and stays out of the network - so the two can never be confused.
  • When it takes over, it joins the network by itself. The other controllers carry on working with it as if nothing had happened.
  • The main controller with number 1 is the one protected - that is usually also where the recordings and central functions are.
Network 1 2 3 Backup 1 standby same number, only steps in on failure
Together with the backup controller

The benefits of the combination

No total failure

The distributed project ensures that every building keeps running on its own.

No gap

The backup controller ensures that the tasks of the main controller keep running too.

Uninterrupted histories

The backup controller calculates and records along in standby - after a takeover all data is available immediately.

Nothing happens twice

Only one controller per number acts on the outside world. No command is executed twice.

Summary

The distributed project at a glance

No total failure

Every controller keeps working independently.

One app

Connected to one controller, in control of the whole site.

One project

Transfer once, all are brought up to date.

Shared settings

Switching times and setpoints apply everywhere.

Built-in monitoring

Failures are reported automatically.

Grows with you

Existing projects keep running, expansion step by step.

The detailed description for planners and technicians is in the help: Project settings - Distributed project  ·  Backup controller presentation
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