Product Review: KMC Controls Building Automation Control Systems

HISTORY

KMC Controls, a renowned provider of building automation solutions, has a history of over five decades. Founded in 1969 by Ken Kreuter, the company initially operated as Kreuter Manufacturing Company and specialized in manufacturing pneumatic HVAC control systems. However, it quickly recognized the potential of emerging digital technologies in the industry and shifted its focus towards developing innovative electronic control solutions.

However, it quickly recognized the potential of emerging digital technologies in the industry and shifted its focus towards developing innovative electronic control solutions.
In the early 1980s, KMC Controls introduced its first computerized Direct Digital Control (DDC) system, which marked a significant milestone for the company. This system allowed for more precise and efficient control of commercial building heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.

With this breakthrough technology, KMC Controls established itself as a pioneer in building automation. Throughout the years, KMC Controls continued to innovate and expand its product offerings.
In the late 1990s, they introduced their flagship product line known as “Commander.” This powerful software platform enabled comprehensive monitoring and control of multiple buildings from a centralized location. With Commander’s intuitive interface and advanced features such as scheduling, alarming, and trend logging capabilities, it quickly gained popularity among facility managers.

In response to evolving industry needs and technological advancements, KMC Controls introduced their next-generation solution called “Conquest” in the early 2000s. Conquest, designed to provide seamless integration with various HVAC systems, offers enhanced functionality such as energy management tools and remote access capabilities.

The flexibility of Conquest made it an ideal choice for both small-scale installations and large-scale enterprise projects. Building upon their successes with Commander and Conquest platforms, KMC Controls further established themselves as leaders in building automation by embracing open protocols like Niagara Framework® developed by Tridium Inc., an industry leader in IoT-enabled solutions.

In recent years, KMC Controls has continued to push boundaries with its advanced technology offerings.
The development of KMC Connect, a cloud-based platform, has created options for managing building automation systems. This comprehensive solution provides users with centralized monitoring and control capabilities, real-time data analytics, and the ability to remotely access their buildings’ systems from anywhere in the world.

Additionally, KMC Converge offers a streamlined approach to system integration by providing a versatile gateway that connects different protocols and devices seamlessly. With its commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction, KMC Controls remains at the forefront of the building automation industry.

Their TotalControl® solution combines hardware and software components to deliver comprehensive HVAC system management, ensuring energy efficiency and occupant comfort. Moreover, their Simply VAV product line offers simplified yet robust Variable Air Volume (VAV) control solutions for smaller-scale applications.

KMC Controls’ long-standing history, characterized by continuous evolution and dedication towards developing leading-edge building automation solutions, is admirable. From its early days as a pneumatic control manufacturer to their current position as an industry leader in digital controls and integration platforms, KMC Controls has consistently demonstrated its commitment to delivering high-quality products tailored to meet diverse customer needs in the ever-changing landscape of building automation technology.

Products

KMC Controls offers a wide range of innovative and advanced products designed to meet the diverse needs of building management systems. With their commitment to quality, reliability, and energy efficiency, KMC Controls has become a trusted name in the industry.

This section will explore some of their key products that have garnered significant attention and praise. One of KMC Controls’ flagship products is the Commander Controller.

Commander

The KMC Commander, the flagship product offered by KMC Controls, is a cutting-edge building management system designed to streamline and enhance the control and monitoring of various systems within a facility. With its advanced features and user-friendly interface, Commander is a powerful tool for facility managers seeking to optimize energy efficiency, improve occupant comfort, and reduce operational costs.

One of the key highlights of Commander is its centralized control capability. It allows facility managers to efficiently oversee and manage multiple systems such as HVAC, lighting, access control, and more from a single interface, eliminating the need for separate control panels for each system and providing convenience and efficiency in daily operations. Moreover, Commander offers extensive scheduling abilities that enable users to create customized schedules for different systems within the facility.

For instance, temperature setpoints can be adjusted based on occupancy patterns or time of day, ensuring optimal comfort while minimizing energy consumption during periods of low usage. The intuitive scheduling interface provided by Commander simplifies this process by allowing users to easily configure recurring or one-time events with just a few clicks.

Another notable feature of Commander is its robust alarm management functionality. The system provides real-time notifications when abnormal conditions occur or when specific thresholds are exceeded.
Facility managers can receive alerts via email or SMS, enabling them to address issues before they escalate. Commander’s alarm history log also allows users to review past incidents and analyze trends for proactive maintenance and optimization.

Commander also offers comprehensive reporting capabilities that provide valuable insights into system performance. Users can generate detailed reports on energy consumption patterns, equipment runtime statistics, occupant comfort levels, and more.

These reports help facility managers make informed decisions regarding system adjustments or upgrades to ensure optimal performance while keeping operational costs in check. Furthermore, Commander supports open protocols such as BACnet® or Modbus®, making it compatible with a wide range of third-party devices from different manufacturers.
This flexibility allows integration with existing infrastructure seamlessly while providing future-proof solutions to accommodate evolving needs. Additionally, with the system’s intuitive user interface and extensive customization options, Commander can easily adapt to different facility sizes, types, and requirements.

Commander by KMC Controls is a powerful building management system that empowers facility managers to have centralized control over various systems within their buildings. With its user-friendly interface, advanced features like scheduling and alarm management, comprehensive reporting capabilities, and compatibility with open protocols, Commander offers a versatile and efficient solution for optimizing energy consumption, enhancing occupant comfort levels, and reducing operational costs in diverse facilities.

Conquest

Conquest is a prominent product offered by KMC Controls, designed to provide comprehensive building automation and control solutions. With its advanced features and seamless integration capabilities, Conquest stands out as a powerful tool for facility management professionals seeking to optimize energy efficiency and enhance occupant comfort.

One of the key features of Conquest is its intuitive graphical user interface (GUI). The GUI allows users to easily navigate various system functions and control multiple aspects of their building management system (BMS).

Whether it’s adjusting temperature setpoints, monitoring energy consumption, or managing schedules, the user-friendly interface makes it effortless for operators to interact with the system. In addition to its user-friendly interface, Conquest also offers advanced scheduling capabilities.
Facility managers can create customized schedules for different zones within the building based on occupancy patterns, ensuring that heating/cooling systems are only active when needed. This improves comfort levels and helps minimize energy consumption during periods of low demand.

Another notable aspect of Conquest is its robust alarm management system. The software provides real-time alerts and notifications whenever issues or abnormalities are detected within the building systems.

Facility managers can define specific thresholds for various parameters such as temperature, humidity, or equipment malfunctions. This proactive approach enables timely interventions and preventive maintenance activities before any major breakdown occurs.

Furthermore, Conquest integrates seamlessly with other KMC Controls products, such as Commander and Niagara Solutions. This interoperability allows users to leverage the strengths of multiple systems and gain a holistic view of their building operations.
For instance, data collected from various sensors connected to Commander can be easily accessed and analyzed in Conquest’s centralized platform, providing valuable insights into energy usage patterns and potential areas for optimization. Conquest offers extensive reporting capabilities that enable facility managers to generate comprehensive reports on energy consumption trends over specific periods.

These reports help identify opportunities for further efficiency improvements while also providing valuable data for sustainability initiatives or compliance requirements. Conquest by KMC Controls is a robust and versatile building management system that empowers facility managers with advanced control, monitoring, and analysis capabilities.
Its intuitive interface, flexible scheduling options, reliable alarm management system, seamless integration with other KMC products, and comprehensive reporting features make it a valuable tool for optimizing energy efficiency and enhancing occupant comfort in commercial buildings. With Conquest, facility managers can unlock the full potential of their building automation systems and drive sustainable operations for years to come.

Niagara Solutions

Niagara Solutions KMC Controls takes pride in offering a comprehensive set of products, and one of its standout offerings is Niagara Solutions. Built on the highly acclaimed Niagara Framework, KMC’s Niagara Solutions provides users unparalleled flexibility and control over their building automation systems.

The core of KMC’s Niagara Solutions lies in its ability to seamlessly integrate various systems and devices, allowing for centralized management and monitoring. With the power of the Niagara Framework, users can bring together diverse protocols, such as BACnet, LonWorks, Modbus, and more.

This means that KMC’s solutions can easily communicate with a wide range of equipment from different manufacturers, enabling true interoperability. One of the key advantages of KMC’s Niagara Solutions is their scalability.

KMC’s integration expertise extends beyond just HVAC systems. With Niagara Solutions, users can integrate lighting controls, access control systems, security devices, and renewable energy sources into one unified platform.
This level of integration simplifies operations and enhances energy efficiency and cost savings by optimizing system performance across multiple domains. In addition to integration capabilities, KMC’s Niagara Solutions also provides advanced analytics and visualization tools.

The robust data logging features allow users to capture valuable information about system performance and energy consumption trends. This data can be analyzed using built-in or custom-developed graphical tools that present actionable insights on user-friendly dashboards.
Moreover, KMC understands the importance of remote access in today’s digital age. Their Niagara Solutions come equipped with web-based interfaces that enable authorized personnel to monitor and manage building automation systems from anywhere at any time.

With their ability to integrate diverse systems, scalable architecture, advanced analytics tools, and remote accessibility features, these solutions empower users to optimize their operations and achieve enhanced energy efficiency.

KMC Connect

 KMC Connect is an essential tool for facility managers and operators looking to streamline operations, maximize efficiency, and reduce energy consumption in their buildings.

One of the key features of KMC Connect is its comprehensive graphical user interface (GUI). This intuitive interface enables users to navigate the system easily, monitor various building parameters, and adjust as needed.

The GUI provides real-time data visualization, allowing users to view energy consumption trends, temperature fluctuations, occupancy patterns, etc. With this information readily available, facility managers can make informed decisions to optimize building performance.

Furthermore, KMC Connect offers advanced scheduling capabilities. Users can create customized schedules for different zones or equipment within a facility.
For instance, lighting controls can be programmed to adjust based on occupancy patterns or time of day. HVAC systems can be set to vary temperature settings throughout the day based on occupancy or external weather conditions.

This level of control helps ensure that energy usage is optimized while maintaining occupant comfort levels. In addition to its monitoring and scheduling capabilities, KMC Connect also enables remote access and control.
Through secure web-based portals or mobile applications, authorized personnel can access the system from anywhere at any time. This remote accessibility facilitates quick troubleshooting and allows for immediate adjustments or updates as needed.

Whether adjusting temperature setpoints or turning off lights in unoccupied areas remotely, this level of control enhances operational efficiency and reduces unnecessary site visits. Another notable feature of KMC Connect is its data analytics capabilities.
The software collects vast amounts of data from various sensors and devices connected within the building management system network. By leveraging machine learning algorithms and data visualization tools, KMC Connect provides valuable insights into energy consumption patterns, equipment performance trends, predictive maintenance requirements, and potential energy-saving opportunities.

With this information, facility managers can proactively identify inefficiencies, implement targeted optimizations, and drive continuous improvement in building performance. KMC Connect combines the power of advanced technology and a user-friendly interface to provide a comprehensive solution for building management systems.
With its intuitive graphical user interface, advanced scheduling capabilities, remote accessibility features, and data analytics tools, KMC Connect empowers facility managers to optimize their buildings’ performance, reduce energy consumption, and enhance occupant comfort. It is a valuable asset for organizations seeking to manage their facilities and drive sustainable operation strategies proactively.

KMC Converge

KMC Converge is a solution offered by KMC Controls that combines the power of IoT (Internet of Things) technology with advanced analytics and cloud connectivity to provide unparalleled control, efficiency, and data-driven decision-making for facility managers. In this section, we will delve into the components and features of KMC Converge that make it such a compelling choice for modern building management.

KMC Converge’s core is its ability to integrate seamlessly with various devices and systems within a building. Acting as a central hub, it connects HVAC systems, lighting controls, energy meters, sensors, and other building automation components.

By consolidating all these disparate systems into one unified platform, KMC Converge enables facility managers to monitor and control their entire infrastructure from a single interface. This level of integration simplifies management and enhances operational efficiency by optimizing energy consumption across different systems.
One noteworthy feature of KMC Converge is its advanced analytics capabilities. The system collects real-time data from connected devices and applies sophisticated algorithms to analyze trends, patterns, and anomalies.

Facility managers can leverage this data-driven approach to gain actionable insights into their building’s performance and identify areas for improvement. Whether optimizing energy usage, identifying equipment malfunctions before they become critical issues, or fine-tuning comfort settings based on occupancy patterns – KMC Converge empowers facility managers with valuable information to make informed decisions.
The cloud connectivity aspect of KMC Converge further adds value by offering remote access capabilities for facility managers. With secure cloud storage and access from any internet-connected device, users can monitor their buildings anytime, anywhere.

KMC Converge stands out for its flexibility and scalability. Whether it’s a small commercial building or a sprawling campus, the system can adapt to various scales of projects.
Designed to accommodate future expansions and upgrades effortlessly, ensuring that building automation capabilities grow alongside the evolving needs of the facility. KMC Converge offers a powerful solution for modern building management by integrating different systems into one cohesive platform.

KMC TotalControl®

KMC TotalControl is a sophisticated and comprehensive building automation solution offered by KMC Controls. Designed to streamline building management processes, this innovative system combines advanced technology with user-friendly features, making it an ideal choice for a wide range of applications.

In this section, we will delve into the critical aspects of KMC TotalControl®, highlighting its benefits and functionalities. One of the standout features of KMC TotalControl® is its ability to provide complete control over various building systems, including HVAC, lighting, security, and more.

This comprehensive approach allows facility managers to monitor and manage all aspects of their buildings from a single platform. By integrating these disparate systems into one cohesive solution, KMC TotalControl® simplifies operations, enhances efficiency, and reduces costs.
With its intuitive user interface, KMC TotalControl® enables easy navigation and configuration. The system provides real-time data visualization through customizable dashboards, allowing users to monitor critical parameters such as energy consumption, temperature levels, equipment performance, occupancy patterns, and more.
This rich data helps identify trends or anomalies impacting building performance or occupant comfort. Furthermore, one notable advantage of KMC TotalControl® is its scalability.

The system can accommodate buildings of different sizes and complexities without compromising functionality or performance. Whether a small office space or a large commercial complex with multiple zones and sub-systems, KMC TotalControl® offers a flexible solution that can adapt to any environment.
It also excels at optimizing energy management within buildings. The system identifies energy-saving opportunities by leveraging intelligent algorithms and advanced analytics capabilities and automatically adjusts settings accordingly.

For instance, it can optimize HVAC schedules based on occupancy patterns or adjust lighting levels based on natural daylight availability. These proactive measures reduce energy consumption and contribute to sustainability goals.
KMC TotalControl® boasts seamless integration capabilities with other open protocols such as BACnet and LonWorks. This interoperability allows the system to connect with a wide range of devices and ensures compatibility with existing building equipment.

By leveraging this connectivity, users can benefit from a unified approach to building management, eliminating the need for disparate systems or manual interventions. KMC TotalControl® is a powerful building automation solution that offers comprehensive control, user-friendly interfaces, scalability, energy optimization, and seamless integration capabilities.

Simply VAV

The Simply VAV solution offered by KMC Controls is a sophisticated and user-friendly way to control Variable Air Volume (VAV) systems in commercial buildings. This advanced system allows for precise and efficient airflow, temperature, and comfort management in individual zones within a building.

One of the key features of Simply VAV is its ease of installation. With its pre-programmed application-specific controller, the setup process becomes streamlined and hassle-free.

The controller has an intuitive user interface that simplifies the configuration process, making it accessible even for those without extensive technical knowledge or experience. The Simply VAV system provides comprehensive control over various aspects of the VAV system.
Through a centralized interface, it allows users to monitor and adjust air volume, temperature setpoints, zone occupancy, fan speed, and other parameters. This level of control ensures optimal energy efficiency while maintaining occupant comfort.

Moreover, Simply VAV includes robust scheduling capabilities that allow for easy programming of setback periods or customized operating schedules based on occupancy patterns or specific requirements. This feature helps reduce energy consumption during unoccupied periods while ensuring timely comfort upon occupants’ return.
Additionally, Simply VAV offers built-in diagnostic tools that enable facility managers to troubleshoot issues quickly and accurately. It provides real-time data monitoring and alarming capabilities to detect abnormalities or potential system malfunctions promptly.

Conclusion

After a thorough review of KMC Controls and their range of building management system products, it is evident that they are a leading player in the industry. Their rich history spanning over 50 years showcases their commitment to innovation and excellence. With a diverse portfolio of products catering to different needs and environments, KMC Controls offers solutions tailored to various building management requirements.

KMC also maunfactures their own valves and actuators, and offers other unique solutions like their own airflow measurement and IAQ solutions.

They offer lots of great choices to buy their products, including some of the best distributors in the industry, including yours truly!

Based in New Paris, Indiana, KMC products are American made, by a company founded on family values and a company that prides themselves on doing the right thing.

If you seek a reliable partner for your building management system needs, KMC Controls is undoubtedly an excellent choice. With their extensive range of high-quality products backed by years of experience in the industry, they have proven themselves as leaders in providing efficient, sustainable, and user-friendly solutions.

Next up for review: Lynxspring.