Visit our Download Center

Click to download manuals, catalogs and software

Guggenheim Finds a Simple Wireless Solution for a Complex Challenge

Complex challenges can often have simple solutions when fourtec products are used to their best advantage. A recent success story from the CTL Group, a major building remediation firm that deals with building renovation, based in Chicago can demonstrate this.

The CTL Group received a contract from a world renowned New York based museum to conduct a year long environmental survey that will be used by the museum to detail the steps needed to renovate the facility. Just some of the important parameters that must be checked are temperature, humidity, vibration, pressure and moisture. Since the museum's check points were spread across the entire building, both internally and externally, covering a large area, the cost of wiring for any system was prohibitive. As a result the museum decided they needed a wireless solution. An additional complication to be considered was that access to some of the placed loggers was difficult, an example being in the ceiling above the six story atrium. The system then needed to be automated and able to run without requiring constant maintenance. The Daily Download method available with fourtec wireless solution was ideal. For this project data was only received on a monthly basis when a technician flies from Chicago to New York and collects data at specific times via laptop, when the download is set to occur. Despite the fact that the loggers transmit daily, they have calculated the sample rate intervals so that when downloaded a full month’s worth of data is provided.

The museum faced a unique challenge when looking for a solution in that their building does not have any straight walls – all the interior walls are curved. The building has no steps, but leads visitors up via a ramp-like walk that wraps around a central atrium. For RF signals, the building is a STEALTH building – meaning that the signals were bounced all over without rhyme or reason. This necessitated investing a significant amount of time in installation - both in positioning the loggers as well as finding the correct spot to place the computer and receiver. The technician has a floor plan with these spots marked on the map. At a specific time of day he gathers the data accorded to pre-defined groups of loggers. There are a total of thirty eight data loggers and several have external temperature probes. The technician may for instance go to spot A and collect the data from loggers 1-5, then go to spot B and collect from loggers 6-10 and so on. These spots are spread over 6 stories.

More than any other competitor offerings considered, the fourtec system has answered the museum's four key requisites:

1. Ease of use in terms of programming and running
2. Cost effectiveness
3. Ease of placement
4. Ability to collect data and transmit over a one month period