Timberline Blog

Crescent Property Management Replaces Obsolete System with State-of-the-Art Solution

October 25, 2017 by Timberline

Crescent Real Estate is a real estate operating company with a portfolio that includes 7,450 units of multifamily properties, millions of square feet of office space, and The Hotel Crescent Court in Dallas. When the eight rooftop units at one of the company’s properties became old and costly to maintain, and the control system became obsolete and parts could no longer be found, they knew it was time for a replacement heating and cooling system. And not just an upgrade.

Crescent had grown frustrated with the last full building retrofit that another contractor performed. This included the fact that after a year of trying to get a system up and running, that company was still struggling to deliver on its commitments after securing the work with a low bid that was very appealing at the time.

Putting “Proprietary” Behind Them

Crescent’s legacy system was aging, but even in its prime it was difficult to support. Some parts could only be ordered from the manufacturer, and the company’s technician’s had to be brought in to work on certain control systems. In effect, owning the system locked you into dealing with the company. Crescent wanted a heating and cooling solution that any qualified and trusted service provider, like Timberline Mechanical Systems, can work on using parts that are easy to obtain.

Typical zone control and actuator install.

Timberline bid the job and was awarded the work. We then designed a solution that utilizes high efficiency Lennox Energence rooftop units and cutting-edge Auto-Zone 2 Controllers from WattMaster Control Systems. This is the base HVAC unit controller. It utilizes three sensor inputs, three binary inputs, one analog output, one fan relay, five configurable relays, and a modular space sensor connector. Auto-Zone 2 Controllers can control VAV Units (with or without Zone/VAV Controllers) and Constant Volume Units.

Auto Zone Control Enclosure.

And, the system can easily be expanded. An available expansion module has configurations that allow for six additional binary inputs, four additional analog inputs, six additional analog outputs, and up to 11 additional binary (relay) outputs. This kind of flexibility is something Crescent didn’t have with its old system.

Auto Zone Controls.

An Intuitive Interface for Web-Enabled Control

The system that we installed also capitalizes on WattMaster’s Prism 2 software. This Windows-based graphical interface enables users to interact effortlessly with WattMaster digital controls. Intuitive status, set point, and configuration screens are displayed for each type of controller, and the software allows for custom screens showing floor plans, equipment photos, or user-defined summaries.

System Manager (left) and Zone Sensor (right).

Schedules, trend logs, and alarm conditions can be controlled through Prism 2. The software can be configured for direct on-site installation, remote modem connection, or TCP/IP internet connection, making system adjustment and monitoring simple.

Impressive Performance Delivered Under Budget

With the new system online and delivering optimal heating and cooling, Crescent is very pleased with the results. Not only do they have a solution that utilizes advanced rooftop units and the latest in control systems, it is one that can be worked on or upgraded easily.

What’s more, the project was performed ahead of schedule and with no customer discomforts. That’s likely why Crescent has already committed to collaborating with us on systems for two additional buildings.

To learn more about the HVAC solutions we design, implement, and support, contact us today.

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