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AERCO Enhances Boiler and Water Heater Control Systems to Support Building Energy Management Systems
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BMS, Benchmark and KC1000 Equipment
Fully Support Modbus Protocol
Northvale, NJ (February 7, 2004) - AERCO International, Inc., has enhanced its C-More™ unit controller and AERCO BMS, a multiple unit boiler management system, with Modbus technology that enables facility managers to easily integrate the company's gas-fired boiler and water heater units into their building Energy Management Systems (EMS). Support of Modbus, a standards-based open protocol used throughout the building controls market, will enable AERCO customers to control and monitor their heating plant via a single connection between their EMS and the AERCO BMS, or through their individual Benchmark and KC1000 unit(s).
"More and more customers are taking a building-wide approach to energy efficiency," said Fred W. Depuy, president of AERCO. "This includes running the building's electrical grid, heating system and air conditioning through a single management interface. Since AERCO's boiler control technology is now able to support any EMS system, our space and water heating equipment is a great option for facilities with an EMS system in place, or for facilities that may want to implement one in the future.
 AERCO's enhanced BMS, which has been recognized with an Honorable Mention in the AHR 2005 Innovation Awards, maximizes the operating efficiency of a modular boiler plant and offers sequential or parallel application flexibility, constant or remote set operation, and 100% control of auxiliary equipment. AERCO's Modbus enhancement now makes it possible for facility managers to drive plant operations, and query unit-specific operating and fault data for up to 32 AERCO boilers, via a single connection point to their EMS system.
Customers with smaller plants (one or two units) who don't have an AERCO BMS can link their EMS directly through an AERCO Benchmark or KC1000 unit, via an RS485 connection, to the equipment's C-More controller. As the standard unit controller for AERCO's latest generation of boilers and gas-fired water heaters, C-More allows facility managers to communicate, check, control and capture up to 35 aspects of operating information about AERCO gas-fired equipment and associated heating plant infrastructure.
 C-More control software was introduced by AERCO in July of 2002. As a flash-upgradeable platform, AERCO customers interested in leveraging the new Modbus capabilities can upgrade to the enhanced platform via a simple software upload to their existing equipment. All AERCO customers, regardless of the age of their gas-fired equipment, can utilize the enhanced BMS platform to drive and query plant operations.
"As a leader in the commercial heating industry, AERCO needed to respond to new market demands surrounding EMS systems," said Depuy. "However, as a 55-year old company, we must also consider the needs of our existing customers. We also supply factory-authorized rebuilt CCC and ModBox unit controllers for our installed base of Benchmark and KC1000 customers through a licensing agreement with Acme Control Service, in Chicago, Illinois."
About AERCO
AERCO offers commercial boilers and water heaters that simplify infrastructure, reduce project costs and minimize lifecycle expenses for value-driven schools, hospitals and others seeking long-lasting, reliable, high-efficiency equipment. Founded in 1949, AERCO originated tankless water heating, introduced the first modulating and condensing gas-fired unit for the commercial market and helped pioneer the high-efficiency boiler category. For more information, contact AERCO at 800.526.0288 or visit www.aerco.com.
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