HVAC Automation in the Retail Sector
Design, supply and implementation of a BMS Management System with open technologies for the control of direct expansion units and VRF systems in the Bershka store.
The operational challenge in the retail sector
Guaranteeing a comfortable shopping experience is vital in the high-traffic retail sector. The Bershka store, located in the Sambil Chacao Shopping Center, required a technological solution to ensure the automatic and efficient operation of its air conditioning infrastructure, consisting of two compact direct expansion units and a centralized Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) system. The main challenge was to implement local and remote control that allowed for intelligent ON/OFF management via dry contact signals, overcoming traditional operational limitations.
The need for telemetry and systems integration
Without an automated system, the thermal control of commercial spaces relied on manual interventions that often resulted in energy waste or thermal variations affecting comfort. Deep instrumentation was required to capture critical data from the HVAC process, including monitoring return temperature, supply air speed, and the current consumption of compressors and fans. Furthermore, it was imperative to detect faults in evaporators and condensers in real-time and integrate emergency stops linked to fire system signals.
BMS architecture and open technologies (BACnet/Modbus)
Innotica proposed a resilient control architecture based strictly on open technologies, avoiding dependence on a proprietary brand and guaranteeing future scalability. For the VRF system, a communication gateway was installed to link data to the building's network. The direct expansion units were instrumented with temperature, flow, and current sensors connected to local field controllers. The network integrates Modbus and BACnet IP/MSTP protocols, also communicating with the client's existing PLC for managing dry contacts and global logic. Everything converges in a main control panel.
Centralized management and real-time SCADA
To facilitate the daily interaction of store staff, a local control panel equipped with manual physical selectors and a built-in 10-inch touch screen was installed. This interface (HMI) allows visualizing the selector status, setting the "desired temperature" (Set-point), and monitoring fancoil speeds. Complementarily, Innotica developed the "Pegasus SCADA" software for comprehensive remote management, accessible via web from any browser (desktop or mobile), giving administrators total control over the store's climate conditioning without the need to be physically present in the equipment rooms.
