5.5
Projected NABERS Energy Rating
20%
Reduction in 12 Month Rolling Consumption
15
Year Old BMS Retrofitted with new hardware.
Project Highlights
- Retrofitted a 15-year-old BMS with a modern, open-source Tridium Niagara head-end and BACnet hardware—delivering flexible, future-proof control.
- Eliminated aging hardware failure risks, ensuring uninterrupted building control and operational reliability.
- Integrated built-in NABERS reporting and an energy consumption GUI, enhancing transparency and energy oversight.
- Enabled advanced control strategies: self-learning optimum start/stop, variable chilled and condenser water temp resets, economiser logic, precise VAV control, and zoned after-hours AHU operation.
- Completed the retrofit without mechanical shutdowns, maintaining full building live operations during upgrades.
- Delivered significant early energy reductions, with a 20% reduction in rolling 12-month consumption.
- On target to achieve a 5.5 Star NABERS rating required to attract high-paying government tenants with long-term leases
66 Goulburn’s Tech Stack
Johnson Controls Controllers
Highly reliable and widely adopted, Johnson Controls DDC hardware integrates well with Niagara and provides strong support for HVAC, chilled water, and central plant applications.
- •Proven performance in commercial and critical environments
- •Robust, scalable options for small and large systems
- •Extensive device libraries for easier programming and fast commissioning
Tridium Niagara N4
Tridium’s Niagara framework is designed as a Systems Integration Platform with native support for BACnet, Lonworks, Modbus and more, plus many manufacturer-specific protocols.
- •Truly open platform for developers
- •Modern cybersecurity standards
- •Highly customisable
Project Snapshot
| Project Element | Details |
|---|---|
| Client | Owned by Capital Land, Managed by Knight Frank |
| Project Address | 66 Goulburn, Sydney |
| Project Timeline | Completed in November 2024, Oztech have been conducting the service since. |
| Services Provided | BMS retrofit (hardware & network upgrade), commissioning, energy dashboarding, monthly service. |
| Partners | Johnsons Controls, JHA Engineers (Alex Hole, Jeff Ng) |
Building Background
66 Goulburn St is a commercial office building in Sydney which previously operated on a 15-year-old BMS that had become obsolete and operationally vulnerable. The building required a flexible, reliable upgrade to modern control standards. OzTech’s client aimed to:
- Enhance system dashboarding and interrogation capabilities
- Reduce the risk of hardware failure and downtime
- Integrate NABERS reporting and energy analytics
- Leverage existing mechanical infrastructure while enabling smarter control and monitoring
The retrofit centered around implementing a Tridium Niagara open-source head-end, paired with updated BACnet-compatible controls hardware, and establishing a robust IP communications network, all managed through Johnson PCX controllers.
Scope of Project
OzTech delivered a full-spectrum retrofit, including:
- Removal of the legacy BMS hardware and installation of a Tridium Niagara head-end integrated with BACnet controls
- Deployment of new Cat6 vertical communications network for reliability and data integration
- Maintenance of two existing Trane chillers with HLI capability—no mechanical replacements needed
- Installed new VAV controls on all floors.
- Handover of the system with built-in NABERS reporting and an energy consumption GUI for intuitive monitoring
No interruptions to building operations occurred throughout the transition—systems were handed over live and fully functional.
The OzTech Difference
Technical Expertise & Experience
Seamlessly upgraded critical systems in an older building while retaining live operations.
Open, Flexible Systems
Embraced open-source standards (Niagara, BACnet) for future adaptability and integration ease.
Measurable Performance
Enabled advanced algorithms, energy GUIs, and reporting tools that immediately improved efficiency.
Unique innovations delivered:
- Self-learning optimum start/stop logic, extended for temperature forecasting via Niagara
- Dynamic temperature and pressure reset for chilled and condenser water systems, plus optimized AHU fan control based on VAV feedback
- Enhanced economiser logic leveraging outside vs return air enthalpy
- Advanced VAV control using self-tuning PID loops and improved proportional/deadband settings
- After-hours zoning for AHUs, controlling only necessary VAV zones and reducing unnecessary operation
Looking Ahead
OzTech continues to support the ongoing performance of the BMS, with key future plans including:
- Sustained NABERS tracking and improvement, targeting the 5.5-Star Energy goal—currently just 3% shy, with a recent 6% usage drop in July
- Regular maintenance and optimisation to refine control strategies, including fine-tuning of resets and algorithms
- Coordination with any building fit-outs or system expansions, ensuring integration with the Niagara backbone
- Ongoing insights-driven energy performance coaching to further enhance efficiency and reporting metrics
