Red Cross Hospital: A modern building management system

Challenge: Need for a simple, modern building management system

Marco van Os has been a maintenance technician at the RKZ for 14 years, with a special focus on the building management system. “My main duty is to optimise and maintain the system, the control panels and everything that’s behind them. I keep an eye on the air management for the whole hospital and adjust it if necessary.”

For many years, the RKZ used two different brands of building management system: Priva and TacVista. In October 2020, Marco van Os replaced the last TacVista controller with a Priva Blue ID controller. “My former colleague decided to switch everything over to Priva. That has now been implemented.”

“But our system was still linked to the InsiteView software program. It ran on a desktop PC in our hospital. Our ICT department wanted to convert the system into a virtual environment: a server on which multiple Windows environments can run. My ICT colleagues asked me how we could approach that.”

Solution: new operating software

With the phased migration to Priva Blue ID, in consultation with Gert-Jan Jacobse of Priva and Gerrit Roebersen of Unica Building Automation, we worked together to find the best solution for a virtual environment. Together with the ICT department, I made preparations so that we could transfer the system responsibly. With the arrival of Building Operator, we are now investigating whether we want to manage in the Cloud or still On-premise. We definitely see opportunities with Priva Digital Services to improve processes even further and build towards a new future.

Benefits: User-friendly and visually clear

The Priva management system is a user-friendly programme to control the building management system control, anytime and anywhere. The interface with pictograms makes it visually manageable. "I'm already used to it," says Marco van Os. "I work with the programme continuously, but I want also want my colleagues to be able to handle it. That is why I am still tinkering with the system to make it as clear as possible."

Gerrit Roebersen, project manager at Unica Building Automation, is satisfied with the result. "The new Blue ID and the old Compri HX systems now work together. Old and new communicate smoothly with each other in one building management system. And it is simple to use. Even people who are less technically inclined can handle it."

End user becomes Priva certified engineer

Marco van Os is a Priva Certified Engineer (PCE), as is his colleague Gijs Bom. They both took the PCE training course that is available to end users who sign an end-user agreement with Priva. During the course, participants learn how to manage with Priva Building Operator. All modifications and work are done in close consultation with our contracted Priva partner; this is one of the conditions Priva places on the end-user agreement sets.

Tailor-made building management system

With the knowledge he had gained from the PCE course, Marco van Os set up a dashboard himself on which all messages are clearly visible, so that employees can intervene efficiently in an emergency.

“I’ve adapted the whole system to my liking and set it up in such a way that it is clear and easily understandable for me and my colleagues. I’m delighted with the result. If my colleagues want to adjust the temperature of a radiator group or modify an image in the system, for instance, they’ll pass that on to me,” says Marco van Os. “Right now I can cope pretty well with the Priva system. That allows me to deal with a lot of projects myself. But for the very large projects I still call upon Unica Building Automation.”

Strong partnership with Unica building automation

Marco van Os has been working with the control engineering department of Unica Building Automation on a regular basis since 2011. He is very happy about that. “Our collaboration runs smoothly and without any problems. I can always knock on their door if I run into any obstacles.”

Gerrit Roebersen agrees wholeheartedly: “We know what to expect from each other and we complement each other perfectly. Because Marco has a technical background himself and is a Priva Certified Engineer, he had a good idea of ​​the end result right from the start. That meant there were no misunderstandings.”

Doctors regulate temperature in operating theatres

The Beverwijk Red Cross Hospital has been in existence since 1927. Over the years, the hospital grew exponentially and new departments were added. In the 1960s, the hospital decided to move into a completely new building. The current hospital opened its doors in 1974. “It’s almost 50 years old and in need of updating. We’re therefore busy preparing for a large-scale renovation. That’s no easy task in an operational hospital,” says Marco van Os.

In an old hospital it is also more difficult to control the air quality and temperature. “How hot or cold it should be is a very subjective question. For that reason, doctors in the operating theatres can adjust the temperature themselves via a built-in temperature controller in the operating panel. We regulate the air humidity via the building management system. That makes it a comfortable environment for everyone to work in.”