Exploring an Integrated Data Base structure for Building Monitoring Dat

One of the inherent problems with monitoring hourly energy use and environmental conditions in commercial buildings is efficiently processing the "sea" of data that accumulates into an easily understood form. Even when the data exist, building energy analysts generally rely on multiple "flat" ASCII files for storing and retrieving their data only to find that it can take several hours to perform a simple task such as creating a 2-D time series plot of energy use using data from several monitored channels. Integrated data base structures such as relational data bases, if carefully designed, may offer some relief because they can provide the user with an easier access to the data that automatically keeps track of where data are and how to assemble them to satisfy a particular request. This paper presents a brief review of the different types of data required for a large building monitoring project, and the methods that have been developed for acquiring, archiving and retrieving data for the Texas LoanSTAR program, an eight year, $98.6 million revolving loan program for energy conservation retrofits in Texas state, local government and school buildings.