Automation Of The Buda Castle Building Complex

The Buda Castle is part of the Buda old town area and is one of the most important cultural and touristic centers of Budapest. Since 1987, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage site. The first stones of the gothic-style royal palace were laid in the spring of 1247, following the Tatar invasion, on orders by King Bela IV. Thanks to the expansions and renovations over the subsequent centuries, today you can find the signs of baroque, renaissance and secession styles.

The three main parts of the Buda old town area are the Buda Castle, Szent György tér (St. George’s place) and the historic residential area. The buildings are home to museums, theatres, libraries, hotels and churches. Among cultural institutions, the National Szécsenyi Library, Hungarian National Gallery and Budapest Historic Museum are the most significant. The task of Várgondnokság Non-profit Kft. is to maintain and develop the historical status of estates in the area of Buda Castle.

THE CHALLENGE
The previously installed IT systems were unable to handle the central processing and control functions of the machines and installations operating in the buildings and the required level of information. The data of the isolated systems and registers are saved in different databases, and it took great effort to retrieve the information required to maintain these systems from these separate databases.

THE TASK
The objective involves the simple and central operability of the machine installations in the special exhibition areas of these buildings. Precious cultural values that require special storage have high requirements for the engineering systems: a consistent temperature and humidity must be continuously provided, special lighting is required, etc. Some buildings have their own engineering plants (cooling, heating, air technology, etc.), which also must be integrated and centralized as part of the task. Given the total lack of a CCTV system in the area, this system also had to be installed from scratch.

Due to the historical status of the building complex, the assembly work could only be performed under strict rules. In the larger area, an IT-network had to be created to maintain proper communication. The technical systems of the Castle Theatre, the National Széchenyi Library, the Hungarian National Gallery, the Budapest Historical Museum and the Cooling House were integrated into the EBI controlling system installed by Honeywell Szabályozástechnikai Kft.
Várgondnokság Non-profit Kft. assigned Honeywell Szabályozástechnikai Kft. the task of planning, installing and maintaining a modern building automation system.

THE SOLUTION
Today, a modern building automation system operates behind the walls that feature the footprints of many different styles. The first investments were made in 2000. In 2011, the IT systems were modernized building systems (electric control, building automation, access system, intrusion alarm, video surveillance, fire alarm, etc.) are implemented using the Honeywell EBI software. Automation control boxes have been placed in the buildings. Different plants are connected to them with their signals forwarded on to the existing IT network. Modules were integrated to ensure the control and handling of the different systems:

• Enterprise Building Integrator (EBI), version R410.2 (software)
• Digital Video Manager (DVM) R400.2 (software)
• CCTV systems (fixed and mobile cameras, optics and camera facilities)
• Engineering control plants (cooling, heating, air technology)
• IT communication network (optic and copper cables, routers, switches)
• IT plants (servers, workstations, monitors)

The system was ready in 2000 with the first version of the EBI and DVM Honeywell software. The version was redundant both at the software and the hardware level. The IT background was provided by high performance Dell servers and workstations. Using the investments, which ended in 2000, an optic main network was installed to provide communication between the systems. The active network components in the buildings (switch, router, etc.), which also have a data entry system with UPS, are connected to this network.

In order to provide general surveillance of the areas, it was necessary to create a CCTV system that helps the work of the security service. Stationary and mobile cameras were installed at strategically important points of the area. The digitalized pictures are processed via the IT network.

In 2011, the entire IT assets park was changed. Honeywell installed the newest version of its software as well. In addition, the cameras of the CCTV system were modernized, and some facilities were also expanded and modernized in compliance with the partner’s changing needs. Due to the limited financial resources of the Buda Castle, the entire system renewal was implemented with Honeywell’s support in sections of five-year ELM construction, which includes a system update at the half of the operation time, and the installation of the latest software versions at the end of the cycle.

THE RESULT
The solution installed by Honeywell integrates the earlier separate systems and registers of the Buda Castle into a single system. The integrated building surveillance system ensures the monitoring of the entire building and the energy- efficient operation of the system as well as rapid and efficient response. As for cultural values, the installed security systems meet the demands of the highest safety requirements.