Exterior of the two-storey YLW Operations & Emergency Services Building at Kelowna International Airport, with an airport response vehicle parked in front.

Coordinating a Complex Mechanical System Under One Roof

The building's heating and cooling systems combine three air-to-water heat pumps, two electric boilers, heating and chilled-water pumps, two energy recovery ventilators, 15 fan coil units, VAV systems and exhaust VAVs.

The three air-to-water heat pumps provide heating and cooling, with the DDC system staging the units according to building demand and equalizing runtime between equipment. The system also coordinates the associated pumps and diverting valves while communicating with the heat pump control panels to monitor operating and diagnostic information.

The two energy recovery ventilators provide continuous ventilation while recovering energy from exhaust air. Their control sequences include heat recovery, temperature control and free-cooling strategies, allowing ventilation to respond to changing building and outdoor conditions.

Across the building, 15 fan coil units provide localized heating and cooling, while VAV systems regulate airflow throughout occupied spaces. CO₂-based control allows ventilation to respond to occupancy conditions, with VAV dampers modulating to maintain desired CO₂ levels and exhaust VAVs helping maintain building air balance.

Kimco's Role

Kimco Controls provided the building automation and DDC controls for the facility, bringing the mechanical systems together through a centralized control system for coordinated operation, monitoring and alarming.

With emergency services and airport operations brought together in one facility, that coordinated system plays an important role in keeping the building running safely and reliably day to day.

Kimco's controls also provide monitoring and alarming throughout the facility, including CO/NO2 detection, equipment failures, sump-pump conditions, emergency generator and automatic transfer switch status, and energy and water metering. The completed controls system includes 467 commissioned objects, reflecting the equipment, sensors, control points and monitoring integrated throughout the building.

Like any large construction project, coordinating the work required careful timing. Equipment lead times, weather conditions and coordinating the right people at the right time all played a role in bringing the project together. Despite these challenges, the teams worked together to complete a complex project and bring the building's systems together.

"Kimco Controls is proud to have contributed to a facility that brings important airport operations together under one roof, helping create a more centralized and coordinated environment for the people who work there."