Property
The office building was equipped with a VRF system, sensors, controls and a central BMS. Technically, the system operated reliably, but users' interaction with the HVAC system remained unstructured.
Problem
Requests came by phone, verbally or via local controllers. One user wanted it cooler, another warmer, while a mode change in one zone could affect neighbouring rooms.
The operator spent time on repetitive comfort requests instead of monitoring equipment, alarms and deviations. Some changes were not logged, making it impossible to establish who had changed parameters, when or why.
The brief
Users needed to retain a simple way to report discomfort, while direct control of VRF operating modes, setpoints and technical parameters had to be removed.
The system had to automatically account for the season, office operating schedule, permitted temperature limits, current VRF operating mode and the effect of any change on other zones.
Implemented solution
A Telegram interface was created through which users select their zone and request an outcome: warmer, cooler or a return to the standard comfort mode.
The request is not sent directly to the equipment. It is first checked against engineering control logic. The system determines whether the change is permissible, the limits within which it can be made and whether it would create a conflict for other rooms.
Zone selection
The user selects a specific room or group of rooms
Comfort request
The user specifies the desired outcome without access to technical settings
Control logic check
The system considers the VRF mode, season, adjustment limits, schedule and neighbouring zones
Execution and logging
The permitted command is sent to the equipment, and every action is recorded in the history
What changed after implementation
Users retained the ability to influence comfort but no longer directly controlled the system's technical operating modes. All requests became structured, controlled and linked to specific zones.
The operator no longer handles most repetitive requests. Their work focuses on exceptions, alarms, deviation analysis and monitoring the actual condition of the equipment.
Results for the client
Unstructured requests and unintended mode changes decreased. A complete user action history became available, and the VRF system began receiving only validated commands within permitted limits.
The client gained a clear process for interaction between people and HVAC: the user submits a comfort request, the system makes the technical decision and the operator oversees the installation rather than manually carrying out every request.